OTHELLO - Othello's representative in collective bargaining received a $35 an hour raise.

The city council approved a new contract with the Wesley Group. The group acts as the city's representative during negotiating labor agreements, along with providing personnel advice, contract interpretation, and representing the city in grievances and hearings.

The city started using the firm in the mid-1980s, City Administrator Ehman Sheldon said; adding the hourly rate hasn't changed since the mid-1980s.

"So you can see it's been well over 20 years," he said. "The Wesley Group is asking that the city approve a contract amendment from $65 an hour to $100 an hour."

The group requested the city also pay 58.5 cents per mile, along with half of the hourly rate for driving between Kennewick and Othello, Sheldon said.

Councilmember Marc Spohr questioned whether the city needed to pay separate negotiators, saying he didn't see the need for them.

"As far as I'm concerned they don't do anything we can't do," he said. "When I was in negotiations and they were here, they would all show up in suits, we'd sit there and write a number down and they'd walk it over to the union, and then they'd come back with another number. I don't get why you pay somebody $100 an hour to do that ... We just need to put the big boy pants on and walk over there ourselves."

Councilmember Ken Johnson pointed out the firm also represents the city during mediation and arbitration, saying an attorney would charge twice the amount for the same services.

"I wish it was as simple to negotiate as Marc indicated," Sheldon said. "It used to be. I agree it's gotten very complicated. I wish it was as simple as bandying a number back and forth, but it's not."

Spohr responded he didn't understand why the city couldn't do it.

"I read somewhere that the average employee pays 28 percent of the medical insurance, and I believe our union workers pay zero percent," he said. "So I don't know that they're accomplishing that much in negotiations."

Councilmember Ken Caylor said the city couldn't negotiate directly and needed someone knowledgeable in the field.

Councilmember Genna Dorow agreed, saying she participated in negotiations as an employee and as a councilmember, and the city needed the firm's assistance.

"Their representatives (know the law) and you have to have a representative that knows," she said.

Caylor, Johnson Dorow, along with councilmembers Charles Garcia, Mark Snyder and Dan Dever approved the contract. Spohr voted against it.