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Council lays out salary-scenario plan, asks HR to model 2.4% COLA and cost to move employees to minimums
Summary
Boone County council members and staff agreed on a process for the 2026 budget: HR will age salaries to 2026 at a 2.4% cost-of-living adjustment and provide a separate calculation showing the cost to bring employees below minimum to the minimum; full salary decisions will follow receipt of a fiscal model from the consultant.
Boone County council members spent an extended portion of the meeting outlining a timeline and approach for 2026 salary and benefits decisions and directed county HR staff to produce specific scenarios ahead of the July 15 meeting.
John and Sherry (budget committee members) briefed the council on a proposed schedule. The council asked Amber in HR to run a set of scenarios and reports, including: an "aged" salary schedule for 2026 with all positions increased by a 2.4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA); a separate calculation of the cost to raise employees currently below their job minimums to the minimum; and scenarios that model midpoint and maximum adjustments for different employee groups. Council members discussed how new positions should be treated (new hires at minimum or midpoint) and noted that department heads will have input during liaison meetings.
Council and staff agreed that a fiscal model from the county’s consultant (Baker Tilly) is needed before finalizing salary orders. The timeline discussed calls for receiving the model in late July, using August 12 for full-day budget discussions on salaries and departments, scheduling remaining department reviews and the public hearing in September, and adopting the budget in October.
Council members emphasized that salary orders set maximum pay for positions and that department supervisors retain discretion within those funded limits when evaluating individual raises. The council reached consensus (not a formal vote) on asking HR to prepare the 2.4% and below-minimum scenarios and to provide the requested reports before the July 15 meeting so the council can review scenarios once the consultant’s model is available.
Separately during the meeting the council approved several salary- and personnel-related ordinance changes: moving drug court funds from fund 9987 to 9985 for the drug court coordinator; and adding a temporary part-time administrative position to an EMA salary line so the department could pay an outgoing employee for training duties without increasing the department’s budget allocation. Those actions were approved on voice votes. The council also discussed a request from the compensation committee that department heads provide job descriptions to meet state-board-of-accounts expectations; staff said they will follow up.
