New benefit, wage plan set for South Whidbey Parks and Recreation employees

Published 3:18 pm Friday, February 6, 2015

The South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District board of directors has decided to implement a new compensation plan for employees.

The board began discussing compensation options in August, and came to a conclusion at a recent business meeting.

The board adopted the step-in-grade system model which establishes top and bottom values for particular jobs. According to parks director Doug Coutts, this model will bring the district in line with other government agencies of similar size.

“This is just bringing us in line with what other organizations are doing,” Coutts explained in a phone interview in August, when talks began.

Employees will progress through the grades until they reach the top step, at which point they will no longer be eligible to receive raises.

The district’s former compensation had no set salary cap.

Employees will still be eligible to receive increased wages based upon cost of living changes.

The step-in-grade compensation model will be in place for nine years, after which board members may re-evaluate and decide to keep or change the plan.