Volusia County Council gives 5% raises to county manager and county attorney after annual evaluations; council members describe priorities

The Volusia County Council completed annual performance evaluations for the county manager and county attorney during the Jan. 9 meeting and approved 5% salary increases for each position, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2024.

Councilmembers delivered brief public evaluations into the record. Several members praised both leaders for responsiveness, improved intergovernmental coordination and continued legal support for county operations. Councilman Jake Johansen called the county manager and county attorney part of “the best team I’ve ever worked with,” and Councilman Troy Kent said the leaders had made the council’s work easier and urged more emphasis on constituent-facing outreach.

Vice Chair Matt Reinhart made the motion to award the county manager the same 5% adjustment general employees received; Councilman David Santiago seconded the motion. The council approved the county manager’s raise by a unanimous voice vote. The council then moved to consider the county attorney’s compensation; Councilman Kent moved and Santiago seconded an identical 5% raise for the county attorney, also retroactive to Oct. 1, 2024. That motion passed 6–1 (one dissenting vote recorded).

Why this matters: The raises align elected leaders’ top executive staff with the annual increases authorized for the county workforce and followed a formal review process. Council members used the public portion of the evaluation to express policy priorities — including improved responsiveness to residents with land-use and code issues, stronger intergovernmental collaboration with nearby municipalities and state agencies, and attention to staff morale and retention.

Next steps: County Human Resources will implement the raises and apply retroactive pay, per the council’s direction.