Consultants tell Dubois County Council that many pay grades lag local market; options proposed for raises, longevity and FLSA changes

Consultants hired by Dubois County presented a comprehensive compensation and classification study to the county council, concluding that many county job categories currently lag the external market and offering a menu of options to address internal pay equity.

“The primary finding of this study shows that the 2026 salaries for Dubois County do lag the external market,” a consultant told the council, outlining how positions were reclassified using a factor‑evaluation system and how pay ranges were developed from external midpoint data.

Why it matters: council members were shown spreadsheets that break pay into hourly rates (to reflect differing annual hours across departments) and costed scenarios for moving groups of positions to an internal base, an external low (10% below midpoint), or the external midpoint. The presentation is intended to help the council set a pay philosophy (for example, target midpoint, be a pay leader, or target a percent of midpoint) and prepare budget planning for 2027.

Major findings and options
- Market gap: Consultants reported that multiple categories fall short of market midpoints. Examples discussed by the presenters include: Comet (support) positions lagging the external midpoint by roughly 10.96%, LTC (labor/trades/crafts) by about 10.19%, PAT positions by about 13.11%, and the executive group requiring an estimated 8.67% overall increase to move to the external low. The consultants provided line‑by‑line cost estimates for each classification level.
- Longevity options: Two longevity structures were presented. Option 1 would pay $200 per year of service beginning after the first year and cap at $4,000 (20 years). Option 2 is tiered (3–5 years $500, 6–10 years $1,000, 11–15 years $1,500, 16–20 years $2,000, 21–24 years $2,500, 25+ years $3,000). Consultants recommended treating longevity as a separate payout (not rolled into base salary) to preserve implementation flexibility; they noted, however, that any longevity that is included in pay must be counted when calculating overtime rates.
- FLSA and chief deputies: The consultants recommended classifying appointed chief/first deputies as FLSA excluded based on the interplay of state law about appointed deputies and federal tests for exclusion; excluded status affects overtime eligibility and comp‑time practices.
- Job descriptions and factor points: Consultants said job descriptions were updated via questionnaires and interviews, and positions were re‑factored into categories using guide charts; having factor‑driven classifications will allow the council to defend pay decisions and to make consistent future reclassifications.

Council questions and implementation issues
Council members pressed for clarity on timing and budget impacts. Presenters recommended the council adopt the job descriptions, classification levels and FLSA status first (an ordinance can record those decisions), then phase pay adjustments by category based on council priorities and what the county can afford. For FLSA changes that reduce comp‑time eligibility, consultants suggested setting an effective date (for example, a mid‑year date such as July 1) and allowing employees a window (through December) to use or be paid out for accrued comp time.

Budget timing: Several department heads and council members noted near‑term budget deadlines and grant timelines; consultants offered to run targeted scenarios (e.g., moving categories to an internal base or to specific percentiles of the market) and to provide maintenance updates for future years.

Data and participation
Consultants said they surveyed other counties for benefits and staffing comparables (14 municipalities provided benefits data; 13 counties provided staffing comparables) and reported receiving survey responses from county employees and department heads (the spoken transcript lists 159 respondents). They also shared a market figure for entry‑level probation officers of $45,860, higher than the Indiana Judicial Conference minimum schedule for 2027.

Next steps
Consultants offered to supply ordinance language for adopting classifications and FLSA status, finalize the maintenance plan, and run budget‑year scenarios at the council’s request. Council members signaled a desire to prioritize classifications and to form a smaller group/subcommittee to work with staff and the consultants on budget‑sensitive decisions.

The meeting concluded with a motion to close after the presenters reiterated their availability for follow‑up questions and to provide requested spreadsheets and additional calculations.