County staff to publish new general pay grades; commission to consider formal adoption next week

County staff presented a market study and a proposed general pay plan and asked commissioners for approval to finalize the grades and publish the ranges on the county website. Shruti, a staff member presenting the study, said, “So if this is officially approved today, then what I would like to do is send out to the department head or elected official. Here are all of your employees and here is their new grade based on this market.”

The presentation said the document shows peer organizations used for benchmarking, the minimum/midpoint/maximum for each grade, and which positions were matched to the market. Staff told commissioners that no employee names will be published, only positions and pay ranges.

Why it matters: staff said the published grades will be used for upcoming budget hearings so department heads and elected officials know where employees fall under the new schedule. Staff asked for commissioner approval to treat the pay grades as a consent item at the next meeting and to implement the general county pay plan in 2026.

Details: staff reported 175 employees would fall below new grade minimums and be raised to those minimums; most remaining employees would receive a 2% market adjustment under the chosen scenario. Presenters said six individuals currently earn above the new minimums and would instead receive the 2% adjustment. The sheriff—s pay plan was described as already implemented and effective Aug. 30; staff said the sheriff—s details will be handled separately but recommended formalizing both the sheriff and general plans on the consent agenda next week.

Commissioners and staff discussed budget impacts and prior estimates mentioned during the meeting: figures cited during discussion included approximately $2,000,000 for sworn positions and $1,000,000 for the remainder in one estimate, a combined alternative reference of about $1.5 million, and a draft that the presenter said "fell within there" though exact final budget numbers had not yet been plugged in. Staff said they will update salary lines in advance of budget hearings if commissioners approve moving forward.

Next steps: staff requested explicit approval to finalize the pay-grade document for publication and said they will place adoption of the general pay grades on the commission consent agenda next week. Commissioners indicated support and staff said they would return with pay policies and necessary implementation details.