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Ashland Council ratifies three-year labor contracts and adopts resolution on unrepresented pay
Summary
Following a compensation and classification study, the Ashland City Council on Aug. 5 approved three separate three-year collective bargaining agreements for city unions and passed Resolution 2025-22 clarifying pay and employment conditions for non-represented employees. Votes were split along consistent lines but each motion passed.
Ashland City Council ratified three separate three-year labor agreements and adopted Resolution 2025-22 on Aug. 5, 2025, after a presentation on a compensation and classification study and public comment.
Human Resources Director Molly Taylor presented follow-up material from the study, explaining how market data were analyzed and how the proposed salary schedule places the midpoint at an “average market rate” employees should reach in three to five years once fully competent in their duties, according to Taylor. City Manager Sabrina Cotta said wage increases had been expected around 2% across the board, but the study showed some positions had fallen significantly behind market rates. Taylor noted no positions evaluated were identified as frozen or overpaid.
Councilors debated the agreements’ timing amid recent fee increases and service reductions and heard public comment both opposing higher non-represented salaries and supporting the wage adjustments as an investment to retain essential staff. Council discussion repeatedly distinguished between Cost-Of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and the study-driven wage adjustments intended to move positions toward mid-market pay.
Councilor Kaplan moved to approve the three-year labor agreement with the IBEW Electric Union; Councilor Bloom seconded. Roll call vote: Kaplan, Sherrell, Bloom and Hansen, YES; Dahle and DuQuenne, NO. Motion passed.
Councilor Hansen moved to approve the three-year labor agreement with the IBEW Clerical/Technical Union; Bloom seconded. Roll call vote: Bloom, Kaplan, Sherrell and Hansen, YES; Dahle and DuQuenne, NO. Motion passed.
Councilor Kaplan moved to approve the three-year labor agreement with the LIUNA Laborer Union; Sherrell seconded. Roll call vote: Kaplan, Sherrell, Hansen and Bloom, YES; Dahle and DuQuenne, NO. Motion passed.
After a short recess, Council considered Resolution 2025-22, intended to clarify employment conditions for management, confidential and non-represented employees in light of negotiated changes for represented staff. Councilor Hansen moved to approve the resolution; Councilor Kaplan seconded. The roll call initially resulted in three YES (Kaplan, Sherrell, Hansen) and three NO (Bloom, Dahle, DuQuenne); Mayor Yonya Graham cast the tie-breaking vote in favor and the motion passed.
Councilors who voted for the agreements cited the need to remain competitive in the labor market, noting Ashland manages its own utilities and other services uncommon for a city of its size. Councilors who voted against raised concerns about the city’s reliance on fee increases and service reductions to balance the budget. Public commenters also urged scrutiny of spending and accountability given simultaneous changes to fees and services.
The motions approved the tentative agreements as presented to the Council; the meeting packet and staff presentation include further detail on the compensation methodology, per-position impacts, and proposed COLA schedule for 2026–27.
