Washougal officials approve pay increases for city manager

The Washougal City Council approved a salary increase for City Manager David Scott during its meeting on Monday, Dec. 5.

As of Sunday, Jan. 1, Scott will earn $15,517 per month, a 3.5% increase from his current monthly pay of $14,415. Scott will receive another 3.5% increase in 2024 and a 2.44% pay hike in 2025, according to the updated employment agreement.

“My employment agreement provides that every Jan. 1, I get the same cost-of-living adjustment that is provided to our non-represented employees,” Scott said. “Any other adjustments to my compensation are to be negotiated between me and the Council. I definitely cannot just decide to give myself a pay hike. Any decision on my compensation is the Council’s to make and is executed through an addendum to my employment agreement.”

The City completed a compensation analysis for all city employees earlier this year to ensure that its job classifications are assigned to appropriate salary ranges, according to Scott.

The City determined that “an addendum to the employment agreement with the City Manager is appropriate” to “ensure consistency with the updates implemented for all city employees,” a City staff report states.

“Based on the updated city-wide analysis, the median for comparable city managers increased,” Scott said. “My position is treated just like all of the other positions at the City as part of our compensation analysis — comparable communities, comparable position, targeting 100 percent of the median.

“There were a number of other positions that (also) had adjustments made to their salary ranges. Similar to other employees, this did not result in an immediate increase for me. Rather, the addendum describes the ‘step increases’ I will receive over the next several years until I reach that median, with the first on Jan. 1, 2023. These steps are contingent upon me meeting expectations each year, as is true for other employees. My expectations are established in my annual council goals, which were also adopted (on Dec. 5).”

The amended agreement converts Scott’s vehicle allowance into his salary.

“I requested that change because I believe treating that taxable income as base salary vs. a travel allowance is advantageous in retirement, with very minimal cost to the City,” Scott said.

As the city manager in a council-manager government, Scott is responsible for the oversight of the City’s daily activities. He directs administrative operations, coordinates the efforts of department directors, represents the City at public events and engagement efforts, and advises the Council on matters of policy.

The Washougal City Council hired Scott to his current position in 2010. Previously, he served as a development review services director for the city of Vancouver for 11 years; as a building official for the city of Tigard, Oregon, for six years; as a structural plans examiner for the city of Los Angeles for six years; and as an adjunct faculty member at Chemeketa Community College in Oregon for four years.

Scott holds a bachelor of science degree in structural engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s of public administration degree from Portland State University.