Local News

Following Monday's workshop, the Grants Pass City Council convened a Special Meeting to take care of some routine items since all the regular meetings this month were canceled. The first regular meeting of the year is set for February 7th.

Two items were pulled from a lengthy Consent Agenda for separate votes. They were a resolution adopting the City Manager's annual evaluation and a resolution adjusting the salary schedule for Year 3 of the Grants Pass Police Association's collective bargaining agreement.

Following discussion, the City Council voted 6-2 to approve City Manager Aaron Cubic's evaluation which gives him a $4,249 increase in his base salary. Cubic's total salary and deferred compensation is now $219,493. The current cost of his Social Security, health insurance, wellness benefits and Worker's Compensation plus other benefits increases from $89,422 annually to $93,174.

With little discussion, the Council voted unanimously to adjust the salary schedule in a one-year opener of the Grants Pass Police Association's collective bargaining agreement. Effective January 1st, wages will be increased by 6% for all workers represented by the union at a total cost of $579,813.

As part of the Consent Agenda, the Council officially accepted the results of the November election in which Grants Pass voters passed a renewal of the $1.79 public safety levy by an 80.98% to 19.02% margin.

Based on a recommendation by the Committee on Public Art, the Council voted unanimously to appoint Michael Holzinger, Susan Jordan and Deanna Morse to that advisory panel.