Commissioners debated countywide personnel and compensation policy as they worked to balance the 2026 proposed budget. After discussion the board adopted several interim policy directions for the budget publication: do not include funding for new positions countywide, publish the proposed 2026 budget with no COLA increase for general fund employees, and prepare a hiring‑review resolution to require board approval for new hires going forward.

Why it matters: Personnel costs are a major driver of the general fund. Commissioners said a countywide approach reduces the risk of departments competing with one another for scarce funds and ensures a consistent, equitable posture across county programs while the county addresses large structural gaps in the budget.

What the board decided and why: Several commissioners argued for a blanket rule—no new positions and no compensation increases beyond the established COLA—so department heads could not fund ad hoc raises that would pit departments against each other. The group discussed whether to carve out human services but ultimately leaned toward a countywide policy; commissioners left a narrow door for further review of human services and other state‑funded programs if necessary.

The board also discussed restoring a preexisting “recession‑era” resolution (previously used by the county) that requires board review of all hiring. Commissioners supported returning a similar resolution so hires would be presented to the board for approval, at least during the budget cycle; some commissioners emphasized that active recruitments already underway would continue but new recruitments should pause until the policy is formalized.

On COLA and merit: staff presented a 2.5% COLA scenario and alternatives; commissioners chose not to include a COLA in the published proposed budget, citing overall fiscal constraints and the need to preserve fund balance for higher‑priority items such as EMS. Commissioners left merit/merit‑bonus programs and final compensation decisions to a follow‑up discussion after additional revenue and grant clarifications, telling staff to draft language for a uniform countywide approach to be considered at the next meeting.

Next steps: Staff was asked to draft the hiring‑review resolution for the board and to republish a balanced proposed 2026 budget without new positions and without a COLA for the general fund; departments may be asked to prioritize within existing budgets and identify potential cuts or reallocation.