Council ratifies three police bargaining agreements including longevity and retirement adjustments

The West Linn City Council on Nov. 18 unanimously ratified three bargaining agreements with the Clackamas County Peace Officers Association and approved a benefits parity adjustment for police management and confidential staff.

What passed: Council adopted three resolutions authorizing (a) the rank‑and‑file contract, (b) the sergeants contract, and (c) benefit adjustments for police management/confidential staff. Staff said the agreements were the result of bargaining that began in June and concluded with tentative agreements in early October.

Key terms summarized by staff: the contracts are three‑year agreements with cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLAs) that include a 3% increase in fiscal year 2026 and a 2–4% range for fiscal years 2027–2028 tied to the prior year’s regional consumer price index. To address retention and longevity, staff proposed longevity incentives with contributions to HRA/VEBA accounts based on tenure; sergeants received a 0.5 percentage‑point increase in base deferred compensation match (from 4% to 4.5%). The parties also agreed on a modest increase to legal defense plan contributions.

Why it matters: Council and staff framed the agreements as investments in retention to help West Linn remain competitive with neighboring agencies and to reduce turnover and compression issues within ranks. Councilors praised the cooperative bargaining culture and emphasized the agreements avoided mediation.

Vote and next steps: Each of the three resolutions passed unanimously on roll calls. Staff will finalize and sign the contracts, then proceed with implementation and budget adjustments in upcoming cycles.