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Lee County adopts FY2026 budget, approves retirement incentive and pay changes
Summary
Commissioners approved the FY2026 operations budget and set pay and benefit changes including a 2% classification increase and merit raise policy; the board also approved a retirement incentive program staff said could produce net savings if employees accept offers.
The Lee County Commission on Sept. 29 adopted the fiscal year 2026 operations budget and approved related personnel and capital measures, including a retirement incentive program, a 2% pay-plan increase, and a merit-raise policy tied to annual performance evaluations.
Miss Leverett presented the budget package. She said proposed FY2026 revenues total $70,099,286 (a 7.2% increase over the prior amended year) and proposed operational expenditures total $84,256,968 (about a 3.4% increase). Key personnel and benefit items included a 2% classification cost-of-living adjustment, a family coverage contribution change equating to an approximate $11 per pay-period increase for employees with family insurance, and a merit pool that could provide 1% to 3% raises based on performance.
Separately, staff described a retirement-incentive proposal for employees in the state's RSA system. Leverett said 438 employees are enrolled in RSA and 48 of those would be eligible for retirement by the end of FY2026; staff provided model take-rate scenarios and estimated a possible net savings (staff example: about $333,000 under a conservative estimate). Commissioners moved and approved the retirement incentive.
Capital and targeted allocations noted in the presentation include a $330,215 set-aside (P25 radio project/Cisco switch), $2,323,124 held for dirt-road paving formulas, and a $1,500,000 resurfacing program funded from gas-tax budget lines; the commission voted to designate capital funds totaling $4,188,339.
The board took four separate formal motions: adoption of the FY2026 budget, approval of a 2% pay-plan amendment (effective Oct. 4, 2025, as presented), authorization of the merit-raise framework (1% to 3% tied to performance), and designation of capital project funds. Each motion was moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff tied budget decisions to ongoing service delivery and capital work, including road resurfacing and the radio project. Staff framed the retirement incentive as a potential budget-savings tool that also would provide turnover opportunities for internal promotions.
What happens next: Staff will finalize paperwork to implement the approved pay-plan changes, circulate details of the retirement-incentive offer to eligible employees, and initiate procurement/contracting steps for capital projects included in the budget.
