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IT director says market adjustments, experience drove pay increases; department operating costs fall in FY26
Summary
Wicomico County IT director told the council his department requested above‑base increases to move experienced staff closer to market midpoints; operating and capital spending drops overall because of timing and subscription cycles.
John Olinar, director of information technology, explained why his department requested larger increases for many IT titles and why the IT operating budget overall declines in FY26.
Olinar said he compared county job classifications with nearby employers and found Wicomico County’s midpoints lagging. He told the Council his staff is experienced — “one of our staff members is 34 years of service. I'm 26” — and that many positions sit “basically at the bottom of the scale.” To reduce turnover and move long‑tenured staff closer to the midpoint of the M scale, Olinar recommended market‑based adjustments for particular titles rather than a flat percentage across every line.
“Most of his positions on his scale are in a light green color,” Pam Olin (finance director) explained when describing the position control document; the color keyed positions that required more than the standard 5% in some cases because of market conditions, Bolton review, or years of service.
Olinar also said IT’s total operating budget falls because this year’s capital and one‑time needs (firewalls, authentication servers, other hardware) were addressed in FY25 and are not repeated next year, and because the department has shifted many purchases to subscription models with different timing. “So most of that model has gone away in the IT industry. So now everything is basically subscription services,” he said.
Why it matters: IT’s pay adjustments respond to local market comparisons and long tenure among staff; the operating decline reflects timing and contracting choices rather than fewer services.
Follow‑up requested: Council members asked for totals for positions with special market adjustments; finance staff and IT said they would provide the details.
