Only one local governmental body on Whidbey Island followed Island County’s example after commissioners set a minimum wage of $20 an hour for employees.

Yet while some governmental entities are still looking into the issue, it turns out that a limited number of public employees on the island make less than $20 an hour to begin with.

County commissioners set the minimum wage for county staff in early January after seeing that fast-food restaurants on the island pay beginning employees more than some county employees were making after years on the job.

As a result of the action, 35 county employees saw their salaries increase. Temporary workers were not included in the action.

After the commissioners’ decision, the Port of South Whidbey followed suit and bumped up the pay for two employees who were making less than $20 an hour.

The concern is moot for several agencies. The town of Coupeville, the city of Langley and the South Whidbey School District don’t currently have any employees who make less than $20 an hour. The Port of Coupeville only has seasonal staff who earn less than $20 an hour.

The WhidbeyHealth Hospital District, on the other hand, is the only local governmental entity on the island that still has a number of regular, permanent employees who make significantly less than $20 an hour, but hospital officials are making strides to increase salaries. The hospital district is the largest employer on the island besides the Navy.

Hospital spokesperson Conor O’Brien explained that officials recognized the need to increase wages prior to the county’s decision and have been working to ensure all employees earn $18 an hour or higher. In December of last year, all non-contracted staff members had wages adjusted to a minimum of $18 an hour.

Non-contracted employees include health unit coordinators, administrative assistants and accounting specialists.

“WhidbeyHealth continues to work with our bargaining units to reach agreements that would increase wages for all contracted hospital district employees,” O’Brien wrote in an email. “Rather than waiting for agreements to be made with the contracted employee groups, we felt the most impartial course of action was to begin making wage adjustments where possible.”

Contracted positions include nurses, laboratory and radiological technicians.

Oak Harbor Human Resources Director Emma House reported that program assistants at the Senior Center, paid-on-call firefighters and seasonal workers are the only positions that earn less than $20 an hour at the city.

Sabrina Combs, spokesperson for the city, said that the administration is researching the possibility of setting a minimum wage for staff. If the administration decides to pursue an increase, the information will be presented to the city council for consideration.

Oak Harbor Public Schools has four positions at “step 1 or 2” available that are under $20 an hour, according to Communications Officer Conor Laffey. There have been no formal discussions about a minimum wage.

“We routinely compare our salaries against regional school districts and our wages are competitive,” he wrote.

Coupeville School District Superintendent Steve King confirmed a few staff members in the district make below $20 an hour. At this point, neither the administration nor the board has had any discussions about setting minimum pay.

South Whidbey School District Superintendent Jo Moccia said while all current district staff earn more than $20 currently, there are few substitute positions that would make $16 an hour if they were filled; the salary would be bumped up to $20 or more if the subs work 30 days or 90 hours.

“This issue has not been discussed since we don’t have any employees in this situation,” she said.

While Coupeville also doesn’t have anyone earning less than the $20 mark, Mayor Molly Hughes explained that one of the town’s 15 different jobs has a starting salary set at $19.62 an hour. Each job has a five-step pay raise potential and some new employees don’t begin at the first step if her or his experience exceeds the starting-level wage, the mayor explained.

“We also have wonderful vacation leave, sick leave, personal leave, medical, dental and vision benefits, an ‘employee plus’ program, and each employee has a choice about how their medical benefits are used so they can choose what is best for their family,” she wrote in an email.

Likewise, Langley Mayor Scott Chaplin said current employees earn more than $20 an hour, but he’s not sure about temporary workers for Public Works in the summer. He said he’s been looking into the issue and is considering putting it on the council agenda.