Resolution 1555RESOLUTION NO. 1555
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, CLARIFYING THE INTENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S
PAST ACTIONS WITH REGARD TO POLICE COMMAND PAY AND
AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE AN EQUITABLE
ADJUSTMENT TO LEA VE BALANCES TO ALIGN POLICE COMMAND
PAY WITH THAT INTENTION.
WHEREAS, on December 20, 2022, the city council authorized the creation of a new
commander level position within the police department to create an additional level of
management within the organization; and
WHEREAS, during the committee deliberations of the commander position (see PSPHSP
committee meeting of December 15, 2022), a new differential pay structure was discussed for all
police command staff with the goal being to prevent salary compression among the various
management levels (chief, assistant chief, commander) of the department and make these
management positions desirable to those who would be giving up union protections and overtime
eligibility in taking such a promotion; and
WHEREAS, it was contemplated at the time that the commander position would be a non-
unionized position; and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding some imperfect drafting of the December 20, 2022 agenda memo,
council approved ( or intended to approve) the new differential pay structure, along with the
approval of the commander position, on the December 20, 2022 consent agenda; and
WHEREAS, the council's intention at that time, and continuing through to the present, was that
the differential pay structure would be effectuated automatically, in the form of increased pay for
police command staff, any time that salaries increased for the unionized officers; and
WHEREAS, the council's intention at that time, and continuing through to the present, was also
that the city should take steps to prevent salary compression for police command staff in
situations where unionized officer pay is increased retroactively due to the late adoption of a new
collective bargaining agreement; and
WHEREAS, a new collective bargaining agreement for the unionized officers was approved by
the city council on March 19, 2024 with compensation levels being made retroactive to January
1,2024;and
WHEREAS, the retroactive approval of the March 19, 2024 collective bargaining agreement
results in the salary compression that the city council had intended to prevent with its approval of
the differential pay structure because, even though police command salaries increased on April 1,
2024 (pursuant to the December 20, 2022 pay structure), the non-represented police command
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staff did not receive a higher level of compensation (as they should have) from January 1, 2024
through March 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, this unintended compression of the pay structure needs to be rectified to effectuate
the city council's past, and continuing, intention to avoid such compression; and
WHEREAS, the police command staff have suggested that, in light of the city's budget crisis, the
compression could be rectified by providing the non-represented police command staff (now
only the chief and assistant chiefs) with additional leave in lieu of additional salary; and
WHEREAS, the commanders formed a union separate from the EPOA in approximately August
2023; now therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHING TON, HEREBY
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The administration is directed to make monthly adjustments to the leave balances of
the police chief and assistant chiefs in the amounts set forth below, PROVIDED THAT the leave
added pursuant to this resolution shall not have any cash out value upon termination and shall
expire if not used by September 31, 2025; and FURTHER PROVIDED THAT such additional
leave is contingent on the continued employment of these employees during each month
specified below:
• The Police chief and the two (2) Assistant Chiefs shall receive an additional 57 hours of
leave in total which will be accrued at the rate of 4.75 hours per pay period beginning the
first pay period following approval by City Council and ending after twelve ( 12) pay
periods:
Section 2. The police command salary increases that took effect on April 1, 2024 are consistent
with the city council's intention as reflected in the December 20, 2022 differential pay structure,
notwithstanding the fact that those salaries were not reflected in the 2024 budget.
Section 3. Given the subsequent unionization of the commander position and the concerns about
equity among director level positions throughout the city, the city council would like to
reevaluate whether to continue the automatic nature of the different pay structure for police
command staff for the 2025-2026 biennium.
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RESOLVED this 10th day of September, 2024.
ATTEST:
PASSEY
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
RESOLUTION NO.
CITY OF EDMONDS
MA~
September 6, 2024
September 10, 2024
1555
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