Lake County Council rejects 2% across‑the‑board pay increase, approves elimination of vacant positions

The Lake County Council voted down a proposal to amend the salary ordinance to grant a 2% across‑the‑board pay increase, and then approved motions to eliminate long‑vacant positions as a budget offset.

The 2% amendment, proposed during a second‑reading budget hearing as an amendment to the 2026 salary ordinance, would have excluded noncontract and nonmandated positions and been offset by a reduction in the county's operating balance. County staff said the 2% increase would add about $2,000,000 in recurring cost; staff estimated that making vacant positions vacant effective Jan. 1, 2025 would recover about $1,000,000, leaving roughly $1,000,000 unfunded under the combined approach discussed.

Why it matters: council members framed the votes as balancing competing priorities: employee compensation and maintaining operating reserves in light of legislative changes flagged in the hearing.

Discussion and votes

At the start of the substantive discussion a council member moved to amend the salary ordinance to reflect a 2% increase for all employees, excluding noncontract, nonmandated positions, to be offset by reductions in operating balance. Council discussion focused on whether to draw on operating cash, whether additional savings could be found elsewhere (for example, in professional services), and whether eliminating long‑vacant positions could sufficiently offset the increase. One council member said, "I personally am not in favor of that. . . I don't wanna start setting a precedent of dipping into our cash," expressing concern about reducing reserves for future years.

Roll call on the 2% amendment produced two yes votes and three no votes (motion failed). The council recorded the vote as 2 yes, 3 no.

After the failed amendment, the council considered a separate motion to eliminate positions that have been vacant since Jan. 2025 as a budget offset. That motion passed on roll call by a 3‑2 vote. The council then approved a separate motion to make positions previously eliminated (vacancies from Jan. 2024 and earlier) effective immediately; that motion also passed 3‑2.

Council members and staff emphasized that eliminating vacant positions does not preclude creating or funding a position later if a critical, qualified candidate is available and the council approves the funding. County staff and at least one elected official (the assessor) raised concerns that eliminating positions without notice could disrupt hiring pipelines in offices where promotions or level changes depend on openings.

Implementation and next steps

Council members and staff said the county remains balanced under the adopted ordinances and levies (other budget motions were approved separately). Members noted the county is preparing for fiscal impacts from recent state legislation referenced in the hearing and urged departments and constituents to discuss the legislation with state lawmakers.

Ending

Council leadership closed the budget portion of the meeting after the votes and moved on to several second‑reading ordinances and a number of unanimous consent items recorded later in the session.