Skamania County commissioners approve pay updates, vouchers and add union and sheriff items to agenda

Skamania County commissioners on Feb. 11 voted to amend their agenda to add two walk-in items and approved a set of routine financial and personnel measures, including a pay-and-benefits update for sheriff appointees and a new contract with the county Guild union.

The board first approved an amendment to the agenda to add two walk-ins: the Guild contract and compensation updates for sheriff appointees. The amendment was made, seconded and the chair called the question; the motion passed with the board chair announcing the ayes have it.

The board then approved the consent agenda after discussion and clarification of one item (a contract to provide planning services to an adjacent jurisdiction). Commissioners also approved vouchers dated Feb. 11, 2025, covering warrant numbers 202237 through 202302, with a stated total of $146,646.84 and a current-expense portion of $53,147.30.

Two separate compensation actions were added and approved as walk-in items. First, commissioners approved an amendment for sheriff appointees to remain on a separate salary schedule, receiving a 44% cost-of-living adjustment and a 4.5% range-adjustment increase effective Feb. 1, 2025; the staff report also notes a 15% increase in health-insurance dues for those appointees and continued payment of associate dues. Second, the board approved a four-year collective bargaining agreement with the Guild union, to be backdated to an effective date of Jan. 1, 2025; negotiators reduced a proposed 2027 increase from 4% to 3% during bargaining, and the county will perform retroactive pay adjustments for January if the contract is approved.

Board members did not read a roll-call vote listing individual votes on each motion on the record; the chair called for vocal assent on each question and declared the motions carried when the ayes were heard. Formal recorded tallies by member name were not included in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: The compensation updates affect county payroll and benefit costs and will be implemented in the county’s payroll system. The Guild contract and the separate sheriff-appointee adjustments change established pay schedules and require retroactive payroll changes for January if the Guild contract’s backdating is processed.

Votes at a glance

- Amendment to agenda to add walk-in items (Guild contract and sheriff appointees): approved (voice vote; chair announced motion carried).

- Consent agenda (with item 8 pulled for clarification and then included): approved (voice vote; chair announced motion carried).

- Vouchers dated Feb. 11, 2025 (warrants 202237–202302; total $146,646.84; current expense $53,147.30): approved (voice vote; chair announced motion carried).

- Compensation and benefits amendment for sheriff appointees (effective Feb. 1, 2025): approved (voice vote; chair announced motion carried). Key terms in staff report: sheriff appointees to remain on separate salary schedule, 44% cost-of-living adjustment, 4.5% range adjustment, 15% health-insurance dues increase noted in staff remarks.

- Guild union contract (four-year agreement, backdated to Jan. 1, 2025; retros for January to be processed if approved): approved (voice vote; chair announced motion carried). The agreement was described in staff remarks as changed from a proposed 4% increase in 2027 to 3% in the final package.

Notes: The meeting used voice votes and the chair’s announcements; the transcript does not include roll-call tallies by member name. The clerk has offered to provide submitted written public comment on request.