Madison County Board approves 2.25% raise for nonunion staff and re‑appropriates $15.4 million after heated debate

The Madison County Board on Jan. 16 approved a 2.25% pay increase for non‑bargaining unit employees, effective Dec. 1, 2018, and adopted a set of budget re‑appropriations that move $15,404,625 of unspent FY2018 funds into FY2019 accounts.

The pay resolution, presented by the Executive Committee, was adopted by roll call (AYES 25, NAYS 2). Chairman Kurt Prenzler and Finance Committee members said the increase was included in the FY2019 budget passed in November and described it as a cost‑of‑living adjustment to be funded within the approved budget.

The re‑appropriations package — which lists general fund, special revenue and capital items across dozens of departmental line items — prompted extended debate on the board floor about whether particular re‑appropriations (notably portions of the personnel and information technology budgets) complied with county guidance on one‑time carryovers.

County Board member Mike Parkinson argued against re‑appropriating two specific line items (personnel administration: $196,228; IT administration: $145,170), saying the departments already had sufficient budget authority and that the requested carryovers resembled ongoing expenses rather than one‑time items. Administration officials, including County Administrator Doug Hulme, said the re‑appropriations restore reductions made late in the budget process and are meant to make the departments operationally whole after a year of deliberate belt‑tightening.

Madison County Auditor Rick Faccin challenged the administration’s presentation during the debate and sought floor time to address unresolved fiscal questions; his remarks became a point of contention on the floor. After motions to amend failed (an amendment to zero out the two contested line items resulted in a 13–13 tie with one abstention and the chairman voting to defeat the amendment), the board adopted the full re‑appropriations resolution (AYES 16, NAYS 10, ABSTAIN 1).

Separately, the board granted immediate emergency appropriations totaling $1,199,156 to address specific FY2018 deficits (including jail administration, food and utilities, IMRF and health department grants). The Finance & Government Operations Committee reported that sufficient funds were available for those emergency appropriations.

The board’s votes also included an appropriation of $36,000 for county participation in the Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor for FY2019, authorizing the county’s continued participation under the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Act (725 ILCS 210/1 et seq.).

What’s next: Board members said the budget matters would be revisited in committee as needed; several members called for clearer itemization of future re‑appropriation requests so the board can track one‑time versus recurring expenses.