Bellevue council approves pay changes for engineer and safety-service director, rejects four other supervisor pay ordinances

Bellevue City Council on Monday adopted Ordinance No. 21-25, which revises salary and benefit provisions for the city engineer and the Safety-Service Director, and rejected four companion ordinances that would have changed pay and benefits for supervisors and several department heads.

The measure affecting the engineer and Safety-Service Director passed on a 4-3 vote; Council members who voted no were Mr. Baker, Mr. Morrison and Mr. Shepherd. Council rejected Ordinance Nos. 22-25 (supervisors), 23-25 (Economic Development Director), 24-25 (Finance Superintendent) and 25-25 (Recreation Director) by identical 4-3 votes. Several votes followed discussion about whether the ordinances should take effect as emergency measures; the engineer/Safety-Service Director ordinance passed but not as an emergency, meaning it will take effect under the usual statutory timeline.

The public-comment period included remarks from Jennifer Reed of 110 Glendale Street, who said she had previously spoken about Ordinance Nos. 21-25 through 25-25 and urged Council to examine sick-leave provisions in Sec. 124.38 and 124.39. Reed told Council that she did not intend to refer to the individuals covered as “workers” and urged members to consider statutory limits and the treatment of fringe benefits. "She urged Council to be good stewards of our taxpayer dollars," the minutes record.

Council discussion touched on procedure and on the substance of the proposed caps and cash-outs. Law Director Mr. Wallingford said the procedural timing allowed discussion after a reading and before a vote when a motion had been made but not seconded. Mr. Hill said he was "feeling disappointed" that members had not arrived at shared conclusions despite prior meetings; Mr. Baker reiterated he had raised concerns about 100% cash-out of sick time in December and described some benefits as "extraordinary and extravagant." President Smith and Mr. Wallingford encouraged members to use an open committee meeting to revisit the ordinances and their exhibits.

Next steps: Council indicated it would schedule an open committee meeting to review each ordinance and the attached exhibits and to allow further public input. No changes to pay or benefits take effect today beyond Ordinance No. 21-25 (engineer and Safety-Service Director), which will follow statutory effective dates since it was not adopted as an emergency.

Reported votes and motions are recorded in the meeting minutes; more detailed committee consideration was suggested by multiple members, and the Law Director said Council could bring revised ordinances back with new numbers if changes are proposed.