Council approves IP&G salary changes to fill planner, GIS and code-enforcement gaps
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Summary
Bill 54-25 passed 9-0 to amend 2025 salary ordinance for Infrastructure, Planning & Growth: reduction of one planner slot, salary upgrades for planners and an economic development specialist to $72,060, code enforcement to $62,000, GIS manager to $84,000 and GIS technician to $67,000 to improve recruitment and match market rates.
The Saint Joseph County Council on July 8 approved Bill 54-25, an amendment to the county salary ordinance for 2025 affecting positions in the Infrastructure, Planning & Growth (IP&G) department.
Bill Shelio, IP&G economic development director, told the council the department seeks to reduce three planner positions by one as part of the budget season and to raise one planner and one economic development specialist salary to $72,060 so they are aligned. He also proposed increasing two code enforcement positions from $56,500 to $62,000, raising the GIS manager from $66,941 to $84,000 (an increase of $17,059) and moving the GIS technician from $63,130 to $67,000 (an increase of $3,869).
Shelio said the requested salary changes are funded from existing salary lines that were underspent because of prolonged vacancies; the department said it had been short-staffed for months but expected a GIS technician hire before the end of the week. “These salary changes ... are gonna be a good help to get us a good candidate for this position,” Shelio said of the GIS technician increase.
Council members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the hearing. A public hearing produced no speakers for or against the bill. Councilman Tanner moved to pass the bill; Councilwoman Hess seconded. The roll call vote was 9-0 in favor.
The ordinance amends Ordinance 76-24 (the county’s salary ordinance for 2025) and takes effect as recorded. Implementation will proceed through the county payroll and human-resources processes and is intended to make key IP&G positions competitive in local hiring markets.
