Cowlitz County approves 4-year contract for six correction sergeants; one commissioner objects to 22% raise

At a Tuesday meeting the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners approved a four-year collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local 58 that covers six correction sergeants at the county jail. Jessica Warren, the countyhuman resources representative, told commissioners the contract runs Jan. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2028 and was the result of more than 18 months of negotiations and mediation.

Warren summarized the major financial provisions: a 22% wage increase effective in 2025, a change in county insurance contributions read in the record as adding roughly $171,849 in monthly insurance contribution figures (presenter described the 2025 insurance change as producing about $150,000 in annual cost), a 5.5% increase in 2026 with additional insurance contribution adjustments, and 2027to-2028 cost-of-living adjustments tied to the CPI-West (floor 3% and ceiling 5%). The contract also adds four floating-holiday hours (bringing a total from 44 to 48 hours for this classification), removes mandatory firearm-qualification language that caps nonqualified sergeants at step three, and updates forced-overtime and disciplinary-language to reflect state law changes.

Commissioners pressed staff for detail about the size and drivers of the increase and the risk of interest arbitration if the parties had not reached agreement. One commissioner said the 22% figure "is not reasonable in this county," raising concerns that other jurisdictions used ARPA or mid-contract adjustments that widened comparables and pushed settlements higher. Warren said corrections sergeants are an interest-arbitration-eligible bargaining unit and that comparable-county data and recruiting pressures shaped the negotiated settlement.

A commissioner asked about current base pay; staff reported a base monthly salary read from the record of about $7,319 and estimated total compensation, including medical, holiday pay and overtime, at roughly $95,000 annually. Staff confirmed the agreement covers six sergeants who together represent more than 130 years of departmental experience and that employees participate in the bargaining process; Warren said the unit voted to ratify the agreement.

The board called for a vote. One commissioner recorded a clear opposition: "I opposed. I'm opposed." The chair announced the motion carried; no roll-call tally or named vote record was read into the transcript.

The agreement now stands as the county's collective bargaining settlement for these sergeant positions through 2028. Commissioners said the lengthy negotiation process and the arbitration risk were major reasons the county reached the settlement.

The board adjourned after a brief period for public comment with no speakers signed up.