Marshall County personnel board asks commission to fund countywide pay study; RFP authorization approved

Marshall County’s personnel board presented a request that the commission authorize a request for proposals and fund a comprehensive countywide pay study. The personnel representative (Christie Kelly) said the last study concluded in 2020 and that market changes — including a 26–27% increase in the consumer price index since 2019 — have changed the local labor market. She told commissioners the county’s unemployment rate is low (about 2.4%), making recruitment and retention more difficult and creating potential pay compression between recent hires and longer‑tenured staff.

Christie outlined the pay‑study approach: hire an independent compensation consultant to benchmark peer counties and private‑sector comparators, review job classifications and internal equity, involve personnel management and supervisors, ensure transparency and provide options for conservative budgeting. She said the prior vendor, Evergreen Solutions, cost about $36,000 for the earlier study. The personnel board asked the commission to approve issuing an RFP and to allocate funds so the study can proceed; commissioners approved the personnel board’s request and accepted the related resolution on the record.

Commissioners asked that the study account for positions that compete directly with the private sector (for example CDL drivers and trade positions) as well as peer‑county comparisons. Staff said the RFP will be written to capture those concerns and that the recruitment impact of not conducting a study includes increased turnover, overtime and training costs.

The commission recorded a motion approving the RFP request and resolution; staff will return with vendor presentations and a recommended vendor selection process if the RFP proceeds.