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York County supervisors authorize implementation of compensation study to reach 70th percentile
Summary
After receiving a compensation-study briefing that found county pay at roughly the 50th percentile, the board approved a resolution directing the county administrator to implement recommendations to move pay to the 70th percentile; staff estimated the market adjustment at $8,040,546 and proposed phasing across budgets with $3 million in one-time carryover available.
The York County Board of Supervisors voted Dec. 2 to authorize the county administrator to implement the recommendations of a recently completed compensation study aimed at moving county pay levels to the 70th percentile of the identified peer market.
The vote followed a presentation by Dr. Russell Campbell of Management Advisory Group (MAG), who said the county’s overall pay sits near the 50th percentile and that a market adjustment to reach the 70th percentile would require an estimated $8,040,546. “If you implement the study as we’ve laid it out at the 70th percentile, the lowest paying position, whether full-time or permanent part-time, would be $20.04 per hour,” Dr. Campbell told the board.
Why it matters: Board members said the county’s recruiting and retention struggles—cited by department leaders and staff during the study—made the question urgent. Supervisors pressed staff for a funding plan and a clear implementation schedule before large-scale changes are made to annual budgets.
What the study recommended: MAG used an internal job-factor scoring system and a market survey (including nearby counties and federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data) to produce pay tables and assign each of the county’s roughly 338 job classes to pay grades. The consultant recommended retaining an open-range salary structure (minimum–midpoint–maximum ranges) and addressing salary compression and market gaps now, while postponing a performance-based pay rollout until the county completes required manager training and supporting policy work.
Funding and timing: County staff told the board they have set aside $3,000,000 in one-time carryover to begin implementation and recommended phasing the remainder across fiscal years so the full budgetary effect is felt by fiscal 2028. Board members raised concerns about long-term sustainability and asked staff to return with a detailed road map showing year-by-year impacts, proposed offsets, and whether any capital or service reductions will be needed.
Board action and votes: Supervisor Holroyd brought the resolution (R-25-177) forward; after discussion, the board carried the motion. The resolution authorizes the county administrator to take necessary steps to implement the study’s recommendations at the 70th percentile in the FY26 and FY27 budgets, with the expectation of staged funding and further budget review where required.
Next steps: Staff will draft an implementation plan showing the proposed staging, the use of one-time carryover money, projected annual baseline costs once fully implemented, and communications the board can use to explain the change to county residents. The board asked for that plan before approving any tax-rate changes or major capital-budget tradeoffs.
