Walla Walla, Washington Development News

Council Debates Engineer Hiring Challenges and Compensation Strategies

The council discussed challenges in hiring and retaining engineers within the Public Works Department, prompted by the high cost of a consultant contract for the Pine Street project. Council Member Eskel raised concerns about the department's ability to hire and retain engineers at a fully staffed level, suggesting that a higher pay scale for engineers, potentially exceeding that of managers, might be more cost-effective in the long run than continuing to rely heavily on consultants. He noted that the staff report for the Anderson Perry contract explicitly cited a lack of internal staff availability as the primary reason for needing a consultant. Council members Willis and Moss echoed the sentiment, agreeing that the city should explore ways to increase compensation to attract and retain skilled engineers. City Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain provided context on salary reviews, stating that in 2024, a third-party review of non-represented salaries, including engineers, was conducted, and steps were taken to make those positions more competitive. She noted that civil engineers and other non-rep positions received range increases and a 3% cost-of-living increase in 2025. She also mentioned ongoing annual reviews of the Association of Washington Cities salary study and highlighted other benefits like relocation assistance and a generous overall benefits package. Chamberlain suggested that the challenge might also be a systemic issue of fewer students entering civil engineering compared to fields like computer engineering, and that the city is exploring internships and active recruiting at state universities. The city's need for consultants is also driven by temporary peaks in workload from large upcoming construction projects like Pine Street and Poplar, which might not warrant permanent hires.