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Dunn County commissioners approve $4,000 one‑time payment for all employees
Summary
The Dunn County Board of Commissioners voted to give all full‑time county employees a $4,000 one‑time payment, while keeping longevity pay and county‑paid insurance. The vote followed a lengthy debate about whether a flat payment or a percentage cost‑of‑living adjustment better serves pay equity and the county budget.
Dunn County commissioners voted to give every full‑time county employee a $4,000, one‑time payment and to continue longevity pay and county‑paid insurance, the board decided at its regular meeting.
The motion, made by Commissioner Klayman and seconded by Commissioner Pelton, passed on a roll‑call vote. Three commissioners voted in favor and two opposed.
Commissioners and department leaders spent more than an hour debating whether a flat payment or a percentage cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) better preserves the county’s pay structure. Those who opposed the flat payment said a percent‑based COLA better maintains market alignment built into the county’s pay scale and avoids compressing pay differences between entry‑level staff and department heads. Supporters argued the flat payment provides immediate relief to lower‑paid staff.
Human Resources staff reported they had compiled salary surveys from the Association of Counties and several nearby cities and were preparing a market comparison to guide future decisions. County finance staff warned the board that a flat $4,000 addition would raise payroll costs unevenly across pay ranges and could push some departments over their preliminary budgets. The auditor also noted that the county’s budgeted merit pool and the timing of salary decisions affect how payroll will be recorded for 2025 and 2026.
No additional merit increases were approved as part of the $4,000 motion. Commissioners asked staff to return comparative market data and revised budget impact estimates at upcoming department‑head and budget hearings.
The board’s action is effective for the current payroll cycle; payroll implementation details—including whether the county will treat the payment as a bonus or COLA for tax and retirement withholding purposes—were left to county payroll staff to implement according to state and federal tax rules.
Looking ahead, commissioners asked Human Resources to deliver a fuller market analysis and asked department heads to review their budgets for possible reductions ahead of final budget adoption.
