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Davis County panel weighs 0.5% COLA, merit pay and a compensation review for elected officials
Summary
Commissioners discussed a recommended 0.5% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA), shifting pay increases toward merit, and forming a committee to study broader compensation reform; a 2.5% adjustment for elected officials was proposed for review.
Commissioners and staff used part of the Nov. 7 budget session to discuss compensation strategy for county employees and elected officials.
Auditor Curtis Goh opened the compensation conversation and asked whether anyone wanted to speak to a proposed 0.5% COLA. "Anybody wanna talk about half percent COLA?" he asked (meeting discussion opened on employee compensation).
Several commissioners argued that a half‑percent COLA is minimal and recommended combining a modest COLA with stronger merit‑based adjustments. One commissioner said merit increases would help reward higher performers and recommended restructuring how ranges and market adjustments are applied. A proposal surfaced to give elected officials a 2.5% adjustment this year; staff said the draft budget projects elected officials into the COLA scenario but that any change for elected officials should be considered alongside market and merit choices.
Commissioners asked staff to form a committee or working group to study county‑wide compensation, including how merit, COLA and market adjustments interact and how to handle range adjustments if the county reduces regular COLA steps. The group would also model costs and timing so any pay changes could be explained in public outreach tied to the county’s broader budget conversation.
No final decisions were recorded; commissioners asked that the committee report back with cost estimates and a recommended structure for merit vs. COLA adjustments before the Dec. 3 public hearing on the tentative budget.
