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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Standing guard ... City gears up for hearings on future growth ... Medford School District on the hunt for teachers ... Standing guard ... City gears up for hearings on future growth ... Medford School District on the hunt for teachers ... CITY COUNCIL Medford chiefs get raises Councilors divided over salary hikes Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 5, 2015 at 6:11 PM Updated Feb 5, 2015 at 6:12 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 5, 2015 at 6:11 PM Updated Feb 5, 2015 at 6:12 PM --> What do you think?Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter. » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter . » Social News A divided Medford City Council approved salary hikes Thursday for police and fire chiefs that place their pay sufficiently above lower-ranking employees. “I have problems with what we’re doing,” Councilor Dick Gordon said as he voted against the raise along with councilors Kevin Stine and Clay Bearnson. “No one ever gets a decrease. Everyone gets an increase.” Four councilors voted for the second reading of the ordinance, which provides a 7.5 percent increase for police Chief Tim George and a 5-percent raise for fire Chief Brian Fish. George’s base salary increases from $115,104 to $124,397, retroactive to July 2014, and Fish’s salary increases from $108,732 to $114,169, retroactive to August 2014, when he was appointed chief. The salary increases would cost the police department about $92,000 this year and the fire department about $38,200. The current difference in salaries between the fire and police chiefs and their deputy chiefs is about 7 percent. Other jurisdictions in the Pacific Northwest have an average of 15 percent differences between the chiefs and their next in command, according to Medford’s Human Resources Department. City Manager Eric Swanson is scheduled to approve a 5 percent raise for police sergeants, lieutenants and deputy chiefs as well as fire battalion and deputy chiefs, retroactive to July 2014. Supervisory employees also received a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase last July. Mike Snyder, director of Human Resources, said the difference in pay between the police chief and the deputy police chief would have been just 2 percent. With the increase to the chief’s salary, the difference will be about 10 percent. Councilor Tim Jackle said the city needs to maintain a salary schedule that is competitive with other markets. But Gordon said the city will be in the position of giving most city employees raises at a time when the city is going to experience budget pressures in the near future. He said he would have preferred to look at the city’s salary schedule in a more global fashion rather than giving raises to select groups. “Until we look at the whole plan, it is unacceptable,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm .   By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 5, 2015 at 6:11 PM Updated Feb 5, 2015 at 6:12 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501