Council weighs 2.4% cost-of-living increase, pay-equity moves and benefit changes

County staff presented detailed compensation scenarios and the Boone County Council discussed how to balance a proposed 2.4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), internal pay equity (minimum and midpoint funding), and benefit changes including HSA and long-term disability coverage.

Amber, a county staff member, walked the council through a spreadsheet that showed three nested scenarios: (1) a 2.4% across-the-board COLA applied to presently funded salaries; (2) adding funds to bring positions now funded below the job minimum up to the minimum and then applying the 2.4% COLA; and (3) bringing positions to midpoint plus applying the 2.4% COLA. "If you look at the spreadsheet...there is the column that's just the 2.4% COLA," Amber said; the spreadsheet showed that a 2.4% increase alone would cost roughly $528,500 (staff’s figure). Bringing everyone currently below minimum up to minimum, and then giving the 2.4% COLA, added roughly $43,007 to that total; moving all positions to midpoint plus 2.4% was a larger jump (Amber’s sheet showed an approximately $711,000…