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Pulaski County council approves 2.8% cost-of-living raise amid $1.7 million shortfall
Summary
Council members debated how to close a roughly $1.7 million budget gap and voted to set a 2.8% cost-of-living raise for county employees while urging departments to limit new hiring and contain operating costs.
Pulaski County Council members reconvened budget talks after several departmental reviews and acknowledged an estimated $1,700,000 shortfall in next year’s budget. Council Member 6 moved to set a cost-of-living raise at 2.8%, Council Member 3 seconded, and members voted in favor of the motion.
The vote followed a lengthy discussion about whether to ask departments to constrain spending to 2025 budget levels or to preserve raises for employees. One council member urged restricting department requests and keeping pay increases to 3% to protect morale and retention; another warned that restricting budgets to 2025 levels could reduce departments below what they need to operate.
Council members noted recurring patterns in county budgeting: departments frequently overestimate line items, some year-end surpluses roll into the next year, and the county has used County General to cover shortfalls. The council discussed a roughly $400,000 ARPA obligation that will affect next year’s available funds and referenced prior fiscal projections showing continuing use of reserves if trends continue.
Arguments for a raise centered on employee retention and morale. One council member said employees lose incentive and morale when they do not see pay increases; another argued that asking departments to manage within constrained operating funds was preferable to cutting pay. A separate line of discussion focused on whether the council should revert departmental lines to 2025 budget levels as a baseline.
The motion to set a cost-of-living raise at 2.8% passed after a second and an aye vote. The council continued to discuss individual departmental budgets and next steps to reconcile operating shortfalls.
The council did not finalize a full, adopted budget in the segment covered by this transcript; members continued to vote on individual departmental budgets and to revisit remaining items.
