A staff member at Greene County's year-end huddle summarized recent statutory changes to Missouri's minimum wage and explained how the county intends to respond.

"Historically, under state law, local government, municipalities, and other similar entities have been exempt from the minimum wage law. And that actually changed in August, so they revised the statutes," a staff member said, adding: "The minimum wage in Missouri on January 1 will be $15 an hour, but we're already ahead of the curve. Our starting rate in 2026 will be $16.68 an hour."

Attendees noted the county's planned starting rate is higher than the new state minimum. The meeting recorded no formal vote or ordinance; presenters described the matter as an internal personnel/pay-schedule update tied to statutory changes. Details such as whether the $16.68 rate applies to all job classes or to specific roles were not specified in the huddle comments.