Cole County commissioners review draft salary study showing $1.4M$1.49M potential cost

Commissioners spent the bulk of the May 19 meeting examining a draft countywide salary study that lays out several pay-adjustment options and the potential budgetary impact.

The draft includes proposals tied to market percentiles and equity adjustments; staff described initial options at 100%, 102% and 105% of market and later provided revised scenarios at 95% and 97.5% of market. A county staff member told the commission the 95% option would raise payroll roughly $1.414 million countywide, while a 97.5% plan would be about $1.488 million.

Why it matters: commissioners said those sums would materially affect the county's $24 million payroll and increase related costs, including workers' compensation premiums and benefits. One commissioner said a $1.488 million increase represents roughly a 6.2% uplift on payroll and would be difficult to absorb without trade-offs.

Commission discussion focused on how to target scarce dollars. Commissioners and staff discussed options such as: (1) systemwide adjustments, (2) targeted catch-up increases for employees farthest from market rates with equity adjustments for years of service, and (3) phased approaches timed to the FY27 budget cycle. Commissioners repeatedly noted the draft status of the study and emphasized the need to validate underlying staff rosters and assumptions before committing funds.

The county's emergency services departments were identified as major cost drivers. Staff said EMS and the sheriff's office (both high-payroll or overtime-heavy departments) contribute disproportionately to the total increase. Staff also noted an unexpected effect: a recent change in minimum-wage treatment increased costs for some EMS positions and may not have been fully captured in earlier calculations.

Commissioners asked staff to convert the PDF draft into an editable spreadsheet so elected officials and department heads can run scenarios, verify current staffing and identify employees farthest off market. Staff said the draft is an open record and that they will circulate materials to elected officials and department directors for review; no formal policy or funding decision was made at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will refine the data, provide department-level analyses and return to the commission during budget discussions. Commissioners signaled they expect further cost scenarios and recommendations before any salary adjustments are included in the FY27 budget.