The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – At October’s city council meeting City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe was given the go-ahead to prepare the city’s 2016 preliminary budget to include adjustments to compensation and longevity benefits. Those adjustments are now up for discussion at a workshop scheduled for Mon., Nov. 30.

With council members Marty Dunn and K.C. Kuykendall absent from the October meeting, the proposed changes were to be reviewed again this month. The preliminary budget came before the council, along with resulting proposed updates to the city’s personnel manual, last week.

Items that affect the preliminary budget include wage evaluations based on Association of Washington Cities averages and longevity benefits for every five years of employment. Brought back to the table was a discussion of the six-month waiting period for insurance eligibility.

Dunn suggested tabling the conversation until a workshop specifically addressing city personnel compensation and benefits could be held. That workshop will take place on Mon., Nov. 30, at 6 p.m.