Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
Short and Sweet was watchword at the Goldendale City Council meeting last. Councilors breezed through the meeting in brisk 27 minutes. Among the items on the agenda, councilors approved union contracts for municipal workers and uniformed officers. Labor attorney Anthony Menke described the terms.
“AFSCME is an acronym. It’s the AFL-CIO for municipal workers in the State of Washington, and they have represented city employees – both city hall and public works for at least three decades I’m aware of. The labor agreement: 2026, it calls for three percent; 2027 it calls for two percent, and a two percent also in 2028.”
He said the police staff had been approached to change representation, and decided to go with a different union, the Fraternal Order of Police. Menke pointed out that under Washington law, when a new union takes over representation, they have to request what is called in the state “a Christie agreement,” It’s a reference to a ruling in a 1947 case, Christie vs. Port of Olympia, which says that no pay raises can be granted retroactively until a union asks for and obtains what is called a Christie agreement from the employer.
“If they do not execute a Christie agreement, there is no retro. So the union asked, late in the ballgame, in August of 2025, and we proceeded with a Christie agreement, but the important point for you is that the first increase of six percent does not go into effect until August 20, 2025.”
He noted because that 6 percent bump was only in effect for a few months of the year, it was roughly the equivalent of having a three percent increase for a full year. For 2026, the adjustment is five percent and for 2027 it’s four percent. The higher percentage increases for the uniformed officers came about when it was discovered that Goldendale officers were four percent below what other comparable Washington cities were paying.
Councilors also passed the award of tourism dollars to nonprofits on an unusual 5 to 2 split vote. Councilors Steve Johnston and Loren Meagher were the lone no votes. Johnston has said many times that he opposes taxpayer funds celebrating pride day. Meagher made no comment.
And they also had the first reading of an ordinance to drop the speed limit on North Columbus to 25 miles an hour, as explained by mayor Dave Jones:
“The Ordinance Committee gave a recommendation to change the speed limit on North Columbus, from the big bridge overpass on the Little Klickitat River to north city limits. The council gave consensus for the change at the February 2nd council meeting, and there was a public hearing earlier today.”
The speed limit change won’t go into effect until after a second reading next Monday.