City department head salaries set

The Columbia Falls City Council last week set the 2019-20 salaries for the city’s department heads and non-union employees.

They are:

- Chief of Police: $76,287

- Public Works Director: $71,400

- Fire Chief: $73,361

- Finance Director: $70,522

- City clerk: $29.54 per hour

- City judge (part-time .8-full time equivalent): $54,774

The pool manager is paid $19.19 an hour, depending on experience and whether they are returning.

An entry level non-union employee, outside of pool staff, would start out at $15.74 an hour. The maximum an non-union employee can make is $43.50 an hour if they complete all the steps and pay grades.

The mayor and city council’s salaries stayed the same at $400 and $200 a month respectively. Full-time employees get $608 a month toward their health insurance if single, $1,134 per month if employee and children, $1,208 per month if employee and spouse or $1,665 per month toward health insurance if family premium.

The council sets the city manager salary separately after an annual contract negotiation, which hasn’t been completed yet.