Boone County officials approve a series of salary adjustments, approve budget

Boone County elected officials and staff on an extended session focused on salaries and budget lines, approving a number of specific pay adjustments and several budget moves while directing a future compensation review.

Boone County staff presented a memo summarizing outstanding pay-step questions and survey results; councilors and commissioners debated whether to apply flat increases or target positions to midpoint and whether first deputies should receive a fixed percentage of their elected official's raise. After more than an hour of discussion and several separate motions, the body approved multiple position-level raises, set the surveyor's pay, moved money within department budgets and approved the overall budget as presented.

The vote package included motions to: leave overtime funding at department-requested levels for the coming year; set the surveyor's salary to the midpoint adjustment recommended in the wage study (midpoint plus the established percent); grant mid-year increases to 4-H / extension assistant and an administrative assistant positions; raise the veterans officer and the coroner by the percentage applied to other elected officials; give the county council and county commissioners a 7% increase; and set new maximums for certain environmental health positions. The…