Judge Hill proposes shifting county pay target to 50th percentile; motion fails for lack of second

Judge Hill proposed a new compensation policy that would set county pay targets at the 50th percentile rather than the current 75th percentile, arguing the 75th-percentile target is unsustainable. "My motion is that we adopt a new compensation policy that aims for the 50th percentile, as a compensation plan, rather than the 75th percentile," Judge Hill said.

Commissioner (unnamed) and Commissioner Hale opposed moving immediately to that standard without further analysis, saying it could harm recruiting and increase turnover, particularly in law enforcement positions that require academy training. The motion failed for lack of a second; commissioners asked staff (HR) to examine current percentile placement and provide data for later consideration.

The discussion emphasized the tradeoff commissioners face between budget control and retaining trained employees, with no policy change adopted at this meeting.