Kent County budget work session sets 5% salary increase for employees; range movement proposed to raise starting pay

Kent County Commissioners and staff agreed in a budget work session to include a 5 percent pay increase for county employees in the draft fiscal-year budget. Staff described a companion plan to move salary ranges so the minimum of each grade increases (a portion of the total increase would be applied to the range minimums), improving hiring starting rates while also applying the full increase to incumbents.

Staff modeling presented to commissioners showed that applying a 5 percent increase and moving ranges under a 50/50 approach would raise the minimum for several entry-level grades — in one example the minimum for a Grade 2 position would approach $40,000 — helping recruitment without harming internal equity for long-tenured employees. Personnel and finance staff emphasized the mechanics as separate but complementary: employees receive the 5 percent increase, and the range movement raises the pay scale baseline.

Commissioners discussed affordability and retention considerations, including an expected 14 percent increase in health-insurance costs for the county and uncertainty about next year’s mandated expenses (speakers cited a forthcoming mandate labeled “Kerwin” as a budget risk). Staff said modeling shows the 5 percent increase offsets most employees’ net pay impacts when higher insurance costs are included and that nobody would see a net pay decrease under the proposal.

Human resources and finance staff described the 50/50-style movement as a practical tool used in prior years (range movement was used previously alongside multi-percent employee increases) to preserve internal pay equity, to support hiring, and to keep grade structures competitive with neighboring jurisdictions.

Commissioners indicated agreement to include the 5 percent increase in the budget documents; staff will finalize the mechanics of range movement and present final figures before the public hearing.