Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor And Human Resources topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves extensions for employee contracts, including pay adjustments and a wage study
Summary
The council approved a one-year extension for the Police Officers Association, a two-year extension for the Lake City Employees Association with a 3.5% wage adjustment and a city-commissioned wage study, and a one-year memorandum for police captains; the agreements include modest sick‑leave payout changes and survivor-benefit provisions.
Coeur d'Alene — The City Council on Monday approved multiple labor agreements and extensions affecting sworn and non‑sworn employees, authorizing across‑the‑board wage adjustments and a city-commissioned wage-and-compensation study.
City negotiators said the Police Officers Association (POA) agreed to a 3.5% wage adjustment for one year; the Lake City Employees Association (LCEA) agreed to a tentative two‑year extension that includes a 3.5% wage adjustment and language establishing a city‑led wage study to review pay grades and comparables. Captains’ memoranda of understanding for two police captains were extended for one year.
Key provisions: Staff described the LCEA extension as conditional on the city conducting a pay study — staff will return to council with a consultant contract and a committee composed of staff and employee input. The LCEA negotiated a small increase in retirement sick‑leave payout eligibility, raising the payout portion from one‑third to 40 percent and directing the city to deposit the first $3,000 of that payout into a VEBA account for eligible retirees. The POA agreed to a 3.5% adjustment and to a one‑year extension; promotional step increases for rank advancement were described in negotiation summaries.
Why it matters: Council members said retaining qualified employees is a local budget and service‑delivery priority. Councilmember Christina Miller (first name from transcript context) praised the police department’s re‑accreditation and said competitive pay helps the city retain experienced staff.
Council action and votes: The council approved three separate items: the one‑year captains’ MOU extension (Resolution 25-053), the two‑year LCEA agreement extension (Resolution 25-051), and the one‑year POA extension (Resolution 25-052). Roll calls during the meeting recorded yes votes from councilmembers Gookin, Wood, Evans and Miller; motions carried.
Next steps: Staff will issue a request for proposals for the wage study, present comparable cities for council approval, and implement the wage adjustments effective Oct. 1 so payroll reflects the increases in the next pay period, staff said.
