Cole County approves 5.5% pay adjustment for employees of six elected offices, orders salary study

The Cole County Commission voted on Feb. 18 to approve a 5.5% salary adjustment for employees in six elected officials’ offices — the auditor, collector, treasurer, public administrator, recorder and county clerk — and directed staff to pursue a countywide salary study.

The raise, sought by the six elected officials, was presented as a targeted adjustment for small offices that, their spokesperson said, had received only cost-of-living increases in recent years. “Our request is a 5 and a half percent increase,” the group’s spokesperson told the commission, citing several offices’ lack of raises beyond COLAs and new responsibilities such as administration of a senior tax credit program.

Commissioners debated the size and justification for the increase for more than two hours. One commissioner said he had “settled on 3%” as a compromise figure after reviewing COLA history and longevity considerations, but an amendment to provide the full 5.5% was offered, accepted and carried. Budget staff reported the annualized cost of the approved 5.5% adjustment for the employees in the six offices is approximately $48,000 in base pay plus $9,600 in benefits, for a total near $57,060; the commission agreed to fund the change from a budgeted salary reserve.

Why it matters: commissioners and elected officials argued the adjustment responds to employee retention concerns and rising workloads; opponents urged caution because some capital projects and one-time reserve uses may tighten future budgets. The commission also agreed to pursue a formal salary study to create a longer-term pay structure and to review additional pockets of employees — including maintenance staff, emergency management and the prosecuting attorney’s office — at a follow-up meeting.

Details from the debate: supporters said the six offices have not received performance or market-based raises that other departments received and that several offices will take on new duties this year. One elected official noted that the county’s HR and financial analyses supported the request and asked commissioners to consider the message sent to frontline employees if adjustments were withheld. A commissioner urging a smaller increase said the request lacked a strong market-force justification and proposed a 3% adjustment tied to a longevity factor; the commission ultimately adopted the 5.5% figure by amendment.

Funding and next steps: county staff told the commission the general fund projection still shows a positive balance after the increase, but cautioned that early-year sales-tax receipts were soft and reserves are not unlimited. Commissioners instructed HR and budget staff to develop a scope and timeline for the salary study and to return with compiled data for the additional employee groups mentioned, with an intent to finalize those decisions at a future meeting.

The action as approved applies only to the employees of the six named elected offices; elected officials themselves were not included. The commission also recorded that some funding requests already placed in the budget reserve (including requests for other departments) will be revisited to manage remaining balance.