DeKalb County Board approves executive assistant position after debate over $21–$27 pay range

The DeKalb County Board voted to create an executive assistant position in county administration and approved an amended pay range of $21 to $27 an hour after extended debate about duties, hours and budget impacts.

The board considered resolution R2026-061, which initially proposed an hourly range of $20.20 to $22.31 for the new position. A board member proposing the amendment argued that the role’s responsibilities align with the higher end of the county’s administrative-support classifications and that the county budget could accommodate a higher maximum. “So I move that we change the range to a low value of $21 even and a high value of $27 even,” the member said during floor debate.

Opponents and questioners pressed staff on whether the position would meaningfully address the workload of the county administrator and on potential effects during ongoing union negotiations. A board member asked whether the position would simply shift duties or raise pay expectations elsewhere; another asked whether the role’s night-meeting responsibilities meant the budgeted 40-hour base could be exceeded. County administration staff responded that the position was budgeted on a 40-hour basis, that meeting hours would be flexed, and that the job was intended to provide sustained administrative support across four buckets of duties including meeting support, public-facing documents and FOIA-related coordination.

Board members also discussed hiring practices for setting an individual’s starting pay within the approved range. A member said hiring rate would depend on qualifications, and staff noted the amended range remained within the county’s overall pay structure.

After questions and discussion, the amendment to set the range at $21–$27 passed on roll call. The board then voted on the resolution as amended; a majority voted in favor and Chair (S3) announced that the motion carries.

The resolution requires county administration to implement the new position and post the vacancy consistent with county hiring rules. The board did not set a specific start date in the meeting; staff indicated the position is budgeted and will be filled following normal recruitment procedures.

The board’s action follows earlier discussion in the finance committee and reflects both concerns about staffing for the county administrator’s office and recognition that the county needs sustained administrative support. The board’s vote also included statements that the new position should reduce production errors in public documents and help manage cyclical workloads for boards and commissions.