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Commissioners approve collective-bargaining contracts with COLAs and step increases; county to raise health-insurance contribution
Summary
Polk County approved several collective-bargaining agreements that provide a January 1, 2025 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment and schedule further increases; the board also adopted a county contribution increase to employee health-insurance premiums that will raise monthly county contributions to $1,600.
Polk County commissioners approved multiple collective-bargaining agreements Dec. 3 that set wages and benefits for a number of employee groups and increased the county’s monthly contribution to employee health insurance.
The board approved contracts that include a 3.5% cost-of-living increase effective Jan. 1, 2025, and higher COLA steps in subsequent years (4.25% in 2026 and 5% in 2027 for the groups described in the packet). The agreements also lock county health-insurance contribution levels into a three-year arrangement: the county contribution will rise to $1,600 per month in 2025, with capped maximum premium annual increases (examples cited: 14.5% in 2026, and up to 15.5% in 2027 as a cap for budgeting). Staff told the board that Blue Cross Blue Shield remains the countywide carrier.
Commissioners approved agreements for the Teamsters (sheriff’s department), telecommunicators (dispatch), and the Local 49 engineering group; the board noted a small number of other bargaining units have ratified contracts and those documents will be brought forward when finalized. The board also approved travel and out-of-state conference attendance for a county official and ratified related items tied to human-resources and benefits administration.
Ending: The board approved the wage and benefits changes and directed staff to manage payroll timing (the county’s practice of making health-insurance contributions a month ahead affects December payroll accounting). Commissioners said they expect to bring remaining ratified contracts to the board for formal approval in the coming weeks.
