Woodland council approves police contract

LONGVIEW — The Woodland City Council unanimously approved a tentative labor contract between the city and its police union Monday, setting the stage for both parties to iron out final details over the next week or so.

The Woodland Police Officers Association has operated on an expired 2013-2017 contract for nearly two years. Under the 2018-2020 deal, officers will get cost-of-living increases of 3 percent each for 2018, 2019 and 2020. In addition, they will get 1.25 percent raises effective July 1, 2019, and July 1, 2020. Under the agreement, they will receive back pay.

Officers would also receive higher longevity pay, and a boosted education incentive if they have associate or bachelor degrees.

In signing the proposal, the union will also agree to dismiss a grievance and unfair labor practice complaints filed against the city in 2018. Officers temporarily acting as sergeants would receive a 5 percent premium, and uniform allowances would increase. Officers would also receive double pay when they are assigned a holiday shift on a day off with less than a month’s notice.

The agreement, which would be in effect through next year, would cover seven officers and two sergeants in the Woodland Police Department.

The city and police union will likely return to the bargaining table sometime next year to begin negotiating the next contract.

Also Monday night, the council:

• Held a public hearing for the first reading of the 2020 final budget. There was only one speaker from the public.

• Passed an ordinance raising the 2020 property tax levy 1 percent, which is an estimated levy rate of $1.779 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

• Authorized the city to seek a contractor for emergency work on sidewalks on Hoffman street and to fund repairs of a failed sewer line there.