Palouse extends on-call pay to public works to match police

The City of Palouse approved a retroactive $5 per hour on-call stipend for its Public Works Department Aug. 27 to match what they did previously for the police.

Both stipends ended Sept. 1 as the city council and administrator Kyle Dixon now work on revisions to the city’s personnel and policy manual.

The matter stemmed from the Palouse Police Department – which also covers Garfield – being reduced to two officers after officer Leighton Cox was terminated June 20 for violating department policy.

Police Chief Jerry Neumann subsequently asked for an on-call rate increase for him and Officer Joel...