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Soap Lake council approves $10,000 pay increase per step for officers after split vote
Summary
Council approved a $10,000 per-step pay increase for police officers to improve retention; the motion passed 3–2 with Councilmembers Carlson and Gorman voting Nay after discussion about training costs and parity with nearby agencies.
The Soap Lake City Council approved a proposal to increase police officer pay by $10,000 for each pay step. The motion (moved by Councilmember Carson, seconded by Councilmember Woodhouse) passed with a 3–2 vote; Councilmembers Carlson and Gorman voted Nay. Council discussed the cost of training officers and the need to remain competitive with nearby agencies to retain staff.
Police Chief and Interim City Administrator Cox participated in the discussion and explained staffing and training investments that factor into retention. The council characterized the increase as intended to align Soap Lake Police Department compensation with neighboring jurisdictions; the motion does not specify exact budget offsets in the meeting record.
