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Several Sumner leaders take voluntary pay cuts

Mayor Dave Enslow, City Administrator John Doan and 10 other city employees offer to cut their salaries to help reduce costs

Avani Nadkarni

Eleven out of the 13 city of Sumner senior-level directors, including Mayor Dave Enslow, plus an additional employee, decided to take 2 percent voluntary pay cuts in order to help defray city costs.

“We got ahead of this thing a bit,” Enslow said. “And, for that reason, we’re not hurting as badly as some neighbors. But we’re still hurting.”

Like many cities Sumner is feeling the effects of the poor economy, due in part to a 20 percent sales tax revenue decrease and decreased building permit revenue. The city began working on cost-cutting measures in early 2008 and this past March, decided to cut the parks manager position and did not hire new personnel for vacant jobs, including one police officer position. Other cuts included cutting senior center hours and temporarily cutting back the hanging flower basket program.

The recent pay cuts, which came from directors and employees in the police, public works, community development and administration departments, themselves will save the city more than $20,000 in 2009. Since the voluntary pay cuts were in addition to other salary reductions, including six furlough days, each employee taking the cuts has experienced a 7.5 to 9.5 percent reduction in their salaries.

“As leaders in the organization, we chose to make this contribution to help the city,” Enslow stated. “This was one more small thing we could do personally to help.”

The leaders say they are still committed to excellence for the residents of Sumner, even with a reduced budget.

“Our vision is to set the standard of excellence for a progressive small city. That hasn’t changed with the economy,”said City Administrator John Doan, who is one of the dozen employees agreeing to take pay cuts. “The key to providing excellence is the talent of our employees and they have been great in working together to make sure we make it through, all together.”

Reach Reporter Avani Nadkarni at 253-841-2481 ext. 314 or by e-mail at avani.nadkarni@puyallupherald.com.