Commission approves 2.8% COLA and funds half-time administrative position

Budget and finance officer Britney Phillips reviewed budget adjustments tied to a health-department reorganization and presented a draft pay scale. Commissioners debated alternatives — including differentiated COLA percentages for professional staff versus others and the effect of compression on recruitment — before approving a 2.8% COLA across the pay scale.

Commissioners also discussed a proposed administrative assistant/HR assistant position and voted to fund it at 50% beginning July 1 so the incoming county administrator has time to evaluate needs. The record shows both the COLA motion and the half-time funding motion were moved, seconded and passed; commissioners asked staff to return detailed 2027 baseline numbers at the next meeting.