Cowlitz County approves MOU with corrections guild to add signing and retention payments amid staffing crisis

The Cowlitz County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding with the Cowlitz County Corrections Officers Guild that adds a $6,000 sign-on payment for new hires and retention payments for incumbent officers payable over two years.

The agreement, offered in response to a sustained staffing shortfall in the county jail, won a majority vote after several commissioners questioned whether one-time payments would fix long-term recruiting problems and whether the MOU could set a precedent for future contracts.

Commissioners and jail leadership described a multi-year decline in qualified applicants and rising overtime. Marin Fox, Corrections Director, told the board that “they have to work a lot of forced overtime, and a forced overtime shift can look like 18 hours with a 6 hour turnaround,” and said the overtime and vacancy picture has strained staff and operations. Fox said the county is…