Curry County approves law enforcement association agreement with retro pay, then enters executive session

Curry County commissioners on June 6 approved a consent agenda that included a new law enforcement association agreement negotiated after the county's previous Teamsters contract expired in June of last year.

Julie Swift, payroll and human-resources staff, said the agreement includes a retroactive 5% cost-of-living adjustment for the past year and that the retro pay is "a couple hundred thousand" dollars, off the top of her head. She said the county will begin paying the employee 6% PERS contribution going forward; "The PERS we cannot retro, so that'll take effect when the agreement [is] signed," Swift said. The contract also schedules a 3% cost-of-living increase in the second year and 3.5% in the third year.

A commissioner thanked Swift and the sheriff's organization for negotiating the package and said the changes should strengthen recruitment and provide improved health benefits. The chair called for the question; Commissioner Coker and another commissioner voted aye and the consent agenda passed.

The consent agenda also included an amended master payroll resolution changing employee contributions for represented employees and approval to purchase a CMS system; those items were approved as part of the single consent vote. A commissioner offered congratulatory remarks to the district attorney on a new system and asked District Attorney Kelly and staff to remain for an upcoming closed session.

The board moved into executive session "pursuant to ORS 192.660 subsection two subsection (h)," the chair said, noting executive sessions are closed to the public but have limited provisions for media access under the statute. The meeting returned to public session at 10:28 a.m. on June 6 and was adjourned.

No public comments were received before the meeting.