Boone County commissioners on Dec. 1 voted to set salary-ordinance lines at the maximum budgeted amounts for 2026 and to move the executive-administrator position to exempt status.

Counsel reminded the board that official action outside a noticed meeting is improper and that some payroll decisions must be finalized on a tight schedule to meet council and payroll deadlines. After discussion of exempt versus nonexempt classifications and a built-in window for compensation adjustments, the board voted to set positions to their budgeted maxima so payroll forms and Gateway entries will reflect the necessary limits.

Commissioners also voted to make the executive-administrator position exempt; staff noted a payroll-change form will be required and that the change would affect how PTO and federal withholding are calculated. The board asked department heads to identify exempt/nonexempt status and finalize information by midweek to meet payroll processing needs.