Carroll County supervisors approve mix of raises for elected officials and county staff

Carroll County supervisors approved a package of pay adjustments for elected officials and several county departments after extended debate over market comparisons and the effect on taxpayers.

The board voted to raise the sheriff's base salary by 5% and approved cost-of-living and targeted raises for other elected offices and staff. Supervisors said they weighed neighboring-county comparisons, population-based averages and concerns about retaining employees in a tight labor market.

The action followed separate motions over the morning and early afternoon session. On the sheriff's salary, the board approved a 5% increase after discussion about whether to use surrounding counties or population comparables. The board also approved a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for several elected offices: treasurer, recorder, auditor and county attorney. The auditor's board-budget stipend was increased to $4,000 annually.

Supervisors and department heads debated multiple factors: whether to use neighboring counties, five-above/five-below population comparables, the influence of outlier counties in averages, and whether to provide lump-sum or percentage increases. Supervisors repeatedly cited the need to balance competitiveness for recruitment and retention with the county's responsibility to taxpayers. One supervisor summarized the tone of the debate as: "An elected position is not a position you take to get rich. It is to give back to your community." — statement attributed in the meeting record to a supervisor.

Beyond elected-office requests, the board approved a set of department-level adjustments after managers outlined duties they said were growing in scope and complexity: - Ambulance: The director and the ambulance administrative assistant won raises after the director described added responsibilities (billing, regulatory reporting and grant pursuit) and the county capturing reimbursements that otherwise would have been paid to contractors. - Conservation: The county conservation director, office manager and a park ranger received increases after the director presented statewide salary comparisons for conservation boards and said the board had unanimously approved the request. - Secondary Roads: Supervisors approved a market-adjustment package for the department that included a raise for the superintendent, a raise for the assistant to the engineer, and a market adjustment for operators and shop staff. County engineering staff presented wage comparisons by surrounding counties and like-sized counties; the board approved increases in phases. - Sheriff's Office staff: Deputies received a 5% increase; jail staff received a 2.5% increase; the county communications center staff received a 3.5% increase after supervisors and department leaders discussed recruitment challenges and specialized training requirements.

Several motions failed earlier in the session; some larger asks were pared down. Supervisors emphasized that some of the employee increases were intended to reduce future turnover and to bring long-tenured employees closer to regional comparables. County officials repeatedly noted the county is absorbing health-insurance cost changes that affect net employee compensation and said the board considered that when evaluating raises.

Votes at a glance - Sheriff salary — 5% increase — outcome: approved. - Treasurer — 2.5% (COLA) — outcome: approved. - Recorder — 2.5% (COLA) — outcome: approved. - Auditor — 2.5% (COLA) and board-budget stipend to $4,000 — outcome: approved. - County Attorney — 2.5% (COLA) — outcome: approved. - Ambulance director & administrative assistant — raise approved (board action following request); amount approved as recorded in board minutes. - Conservation director, office manager, park ranger — raises approved (amounts as requested in the conservation budget submission). - Secondary Roads: superintendent, assistant to the engineer and operations staff — market adjustments approved (board approved phased increases presented by the engineer). - Sheriff deputies — 5% increase — outcome: approved. - Jail staff — 2.5% increase — outcome: approved. - Communications center staff — 3.5% increase — outcome: approved.

Discussion and context: Board members repeatedly said they wanted to avoid setting an unsustainable precedent while also acknowledging vacancies and hiring difficulties in public-safety and technical positions. Several supervisors said they had eliminated or reduced some budgets elsewhere to help fund targeted increases. Department heads provided comparisons showing some county positions lagging behind population-based averages or comparable counties; the board relied on those materials in voting.

The board also set fiscal-year compensation guidance for nonunion (non-elected) staff, continuing a countywide cost-of-living adjustment that supervisors had proposed earlier in the meeting.

What happens next: The increases take effect per the fiscal dates discussed during the meeting; payroll and budget staff were directed to implement the approved raises and to reflect the changes in the county's proposed fiscal-year budget documents. Supervisors also directed staff to include the finalized figures in notices tied to the county's upcoming tax-levy public hearing.