Pennington County approves 2026 elected-official salaries after debate over COLA

Pennington County commissioners spent substantial time Jan. 6 debating the 2026 resolution that sets elected-official salaries. Discussion centered on whether to incorporate a 2.9% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that was budgeted for employees but not included in the initial resolution language.

Jordan Ebb, commission office director, explained that the draft resolution set base minimums and specific 2026 amounts. Commissioners raised transparency and precedent concerns; some members noted recent, substantial increases in prior years and questioned further adjustments. Commissioner Drews offered a substitute motion to add the 2.9% COLA for elected officials while leaving the county auditor at a suggested $112,000. After discussion the substitute motion was adopted by roll-call vote; commissioners then recorded a roll-call for the final passage. The chair announced the motion carried.

The board instructed staff to publish the annual salary listing in the official minutes (the listing will reflect the approved adjustments and the budgeted COLA for regular employees). Several commissioners said they wanted clearer prior notice when budgeted COLAs are omitted from resolution text in the future to avoid confusion.

The action affects multiple elected-official positions and will be implemented per the effective date listed in the resolution.