Council hears first reading of budget amendment to adjust police wage scale and accept TIB grant

Interim Director Robec presented the first reading of Ordinance 2106-25, described as the city’s first amendment to the 2025 budget, during the Milton City Council study session on Feb. 10, 2025. The ordinance as presented adds a Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grant and proposes a wage-scale reorganization in the Milton Police Department that would reinstate a third police sergeant and defund two corporal positions created after 2021 police-reform legislation.

Why it matters: the change alters supervisory arrangements in the police department and affects how the department would staff vehicle-pursuit decision-making and day-shift supervision. Councilmembers questioned whether the amendment changes the department’s authorized headcount and asked staff to clarify the ordinance language before final action.

What staff proposed and why Interim Director Robec said the amendment “reflects changes that have occurred since adoption of the original budget” and includes the TIB grant and a change to the wage scale to reinstate a third police sergeant and to defund two police corporal positions. The police chief explained that the corporal positions were created after state police-reform actions in 2021; subsequent statutory changes gave departments more discretion. The chief said the reorganization would allow officers to spend more time patrolling, move certain administrative duties back to sergeants, and provide “direct supervision and support to field operations.”

On vehicle-pursuit oversight, the chief said staff reviewed the Revised Code of Washington provisions and department policy; the department created an officer-in-charge (OIC) role so “in the absence of a supervisor, the most senior officer can act as the officer in charge.” The chief said the change and OIC language were discussed with the guild and that the guild had agreed to the OIC arrangement; staff said guild members were not seeking additional pay for OIC duties at this time.

Fiscal and staffing details discussed Staff estimated a roughly $15,000 fiscal impact to the police department from the proposed reorganization, and said they believe the department can absorb that cost within existing budgets. Council members raised a transparency question: the approved 2025 wage-scale table showed eight police-officer positions, but the amendment as drafted showed nine under that line item; Council member Strader urged clearer wording in the ordinance. Chief and staff explained the net effect is intended to preserve total department staffing (the chief said the department’s total employee count would remain 14) but agreed to amend the ordinance language to make officer counts explicit before the ordinance returns for a second reading.

Council discussion and direction Council members asked whether OICs would receive supervisor training and whether OIC duties would carry wage adjustments; the chief said all officers are trained in pursuit legalities and that the guild had agreed to the OIC language without an immediate request for additional compensation. Council members also requested a clearer statement in the ordinance that the reorganization does not reduce the total number of commissioned staff authorized in the 2025 budget. Staff said they would revise the ordinance and return it for a second reading at a future meeting.

Quotes "This is the first ordinance amending the 2025 budget and reflects changes that have occurred since adoption of the original budget," Interim Director Robec said.

"We took a really close look at the RCW, 1016060 regarding vehicle pursuit, and we looked at some of the language," the Police Chief said while describing why the department added an OIC role to its chain of command.

Ending The ordinance was presented for first reading only; staff said they will revise the ordinance language to clarify authorized officer counts and the item will return for a second reading and potential action at a subsequent council meeting.