Council considers employee policies, perks

SANDPOINT — Discussion at a Nov. 20 Sandpoint City Council meeting centered on policies and perks for the city’s approximately 120 employees. 

During the session, councilors and Mayor Jeremy Grimm explored the potential for a six-month pilot program of a four-day workweek at City Hall. Later, councilors voted 5-1 to table a proposed resolution that would waive a $40 per month membership fee for Sandpoint employees at the soon-to-be–open James E. Russell Sports Center. 

JER membership benefit for Sandpoint employees 

The proposal to give city employees free memberships to the Russell Center, which houses tennis and pickleball courts and is scheduled to open in early December, was brought forth as a potential incentive to help the city recruit and retain employees.

“We have competitive wages, but when you throw that into the cost of living in the area, it's difficult as an employer to attract and fill positions,” Grimm said at the meeting. 

Grimm described the proposal as “revenue neutral” to Sandpoint’s budget, meaning the city wouldn’t have to allocate any funds for the action. Instead, the financial impact of gifted memberships would be a forfeiture of some amount of potential revenue at the Sandpoint-owned Russell Center, depending on how many city employees would have otherwise bought memberships. 

The mayor noted that he anticipated not all employees would take advantage of the potential perk and didn’t expect it to strain the Russell Center’s capacity. 

“This is something I don't expect to be saturating the utilization of the facility,” said Grimm. “This seems like a pretty no-brainer way to enhance our benefits at the city.” 

Two members of the public spoke in opposition to the move, voicing concerns about the proposal’s fairness and its effect on city finances. 

Councilors acknowledged a need to create incentives to attract employees, but suggested polling city staffers to evaluate their desires and ensuring the facility can sustain itself before potential revenue is forfeited. 

“I wish the community was involved,” said Councilor Pam Duquette. “I have talked to many people in the community in the past few days, and I'm not getting happy answers about this. They think it's inequitable.” 

Councilor Rick Howarth suggested pausing the initiative until it’s clear community demand is high enough to meet the Russell Center’s operating costs. 

“I get exactly why you're thinking this way. I think it's a great use of a city facility to offer it,” Howarth said. “It feels just a bit premature.” 

During the discussion about operating costs, Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker shone light on Sandpoint’s contingencies if racquet sports demand is inadequate, which include reducing hours to cut costs or opening the facility to other user groups. 

“It's very simple — if the tennis and pickleball communities do not step up and buy memberships and use the facility, it will not be available for tennis and pickleball,” Welker said. 

“If that community chooses not to participate for whatever reason, it's no skin off the city’s back. You have a world-class indoor sports center that can be used for a dozen or more different sports, and there are hundreds in our community ready to fork over lots of money to use it for that purpose,” Welker added. 

Councilors decided to table the proposal until their next regular meeting in a 5-1 vote; Council President Deb Ruehle, who said she believed the discussion would be more appropriate during annual budget talks, dissented. 

Four-day workweek at City Hall 

Wednesday’s meeting also saw staff and elected officials consider a six-month 4/10 work schedule pilot program for Sandpoint employees — a measure Grimm said also arose from a desire to meet workers’ and candidates’ needs. 

In a 4/10 work schedule, employees work four 10-hour shifts each week. For the proposed pilot, City Hall would close to the public Fridays, but expand its Monday-Thursday hours to 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. According to Grimm, several city workers expressed a desire to adopt a four-day schedule in a recent survey. 

“This was an idea that was thrown out and supported by staff from top to bottom.” Grimm said. 

A memo sent by the mayor to councilors included comments submitted by staff, who said the commuting reduction that comes with a 4/10 schedule would allow them to spend more time with family and maintain a better work-life balance. 

Councilors voiced support for meeting the needs of employees, but expressed concern about the effect a schedule change would have on City Hall’s accessibility for residents. 

“When I was a five day a week-er, I would have loved this. I understand it,” Duquette said. “I wish the public had a chance to answer ... or to be questioned about it, just because it is a service to them.” 

Howarth agreed that the move would likely benefit workers, and asked whether a pilot program, once launched, could be walked back. 

“Your staff is going to love it. I already know that. And if the public says, ‘Well, we don't like it,’ you're going to be in a very difficult situation,” Howarth said. 

He went on to describe the motion as “a little bit rushed” and suggested polling City Hall visitors to gather feedback on a potential Friday closure. 

“I get what you're trying to do with your employees. I commend you for that, but we ultimately have to remember we're a service organization to the public, and that'll be front and center and foremost in any of our decisions,” said Howarth. 

“I think we could slow it down, take a month, collect that additional input, come back and have a much more informed decision than we have tonight,” he added. 

While a decision to launch a pilot program wouldn’t require council approval, Grimm told those in attendance that the project won’t take off immediately. 

“I will keep you updated, and we'll get back with staff and digest some of this before we take any actions,” Grimm said. 

Employing in Sandpoint 

The City of Sandpoint isn’t the only local employer struggling to attract candidates. Demand for homes in Sandpoint has driven the median value of owner-occupied housing units from 2018-2022 to $410,200 — 21% higher than Idaho’s median, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. 

For the same period, Sandpoint’s median household income was $60,208 — 15% lower than Idaho’s median, according to the USCB. 

Both Sandpoint and the state well eclipsed the national median owner-occupied housing price of $281,900. Both also fell below the national median for household income of $75,149. In tandem, these factors make Idaho — and especially Sandpoint — a tough sell for employers seeking out-of-state candidates for local jobs.