County HR consultant recommends market-aligned salary structure; initial cost to bring below‑market positions to minimum estimated at $580,000

Deputy HR Officer Melissa Wood and consultants from Valiant Consulting Group presented a market-based compensation structure to the commission and described the estimated cost to align below-market positions with new grade minimums.

Stacy Jackson of Valiant, a certified compensation professional, said the proposed system replaces the county’s rigid step system with a market-aligned salary matrix meant to balance external competitiveness and internal consistency. The consultants plotted current pay against the proposed market midpoints and recommended prioritizing employees paid below the new grade minimums.

“We recommend prioritizing that group,” Jackson said, explaining that bringing below-minimum employees to the new minimums would address retention risk and pay equity. Valiant estimated the one-time base-pay cost to bring all affected employees to the new minimums at about $580,000, representing roughly 1.7% of total payroll.

The presentation included both nonexempt (hourly) and exempt (salaried) grade structures, an implementation plan, and suggested policy edits to align pay decisions with the new structure. Consultants proposed department-level cost breakdowns and a phased implementation to help the county budget the change over time; they also recommended ongoing benchmark reviews every 18–24 months to keep the structure responsive to market shifts.

Commissioners asked about livable wages and how the structure would affect lower-paid frontline employees; consultants said the market-aligned approach aims to improve affordability and retention but noted that implementation and prioritization would determine immediate impacts.

No formal action was taken; the study and recommended pay tables will return for further review and possible future adoption.