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County board approves $408,113 levy to fund 2026 salary adjustments amid debate over shifting health premiums
Summary
Chippewa County supervisors approved Resolution 27-25 to add $408,113 to the 2026 proposed budget for salary schedule adjustments, a decision that sparked extended discussion about how new employee health-premium costs will affect lower-paid staff.
Chippewa County supervisors voted to include $408,113 in the 2026 proposed county budget to fund salary schedule adjustments, approving Resolution 27-25 after an hour-long discussion about pay, market position and forthcoming employee health insurance premiums.
The resolution, approved Aug. 12 by the county board, directs levy funding to cover “salary schedule adjustments effective 01/01/2026 and 07/01/2026,” including proposed across-the-board wage increases for January and July and changes informed by a recent market analysis.
Why it matters: The raise package and timing were framed by staff as a response to a market analysis that shows the county lags roughly 5 percent behind comparable employers. Supervisors repeatedly pressed staff for clearer numbers on how much employees will pay for health insurance after the county begins charging premiums; several warned that lower-paid workers could face greater net losses if raises do not offset…
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