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Benton County commissioners do not approve extra 1% employee raise
Summary
A proposal to add a 1% pay increase on top of a previously budgeted 3% raise failed on a tie-like roll-call (7 Aye, 7 No, 1 Abstain and 3 Absent). The measure was sponsored by Commissioners Rocky Presson and Debbie Bain and would have cost $64,396.
Commissioners Rocky Presson and Debbie Bain sponsored a resolution to provide county employees an additional 1% salary increase, bringing the planned FY25/26 raise from 3% to 4% and appropriating $64,396 to cover the cost. The detailed appropriation listed line-item increases across dozens of county departments.
On a recorded roll-call vote the minutes list 7 Aye and 7 No votes and one abstention (Commissioner Holland), with three commissioners absent; the minutes record the motion as failed. The minutes also list the seven commissioners recorded as voting No: Douglas, Miller, Burke, Furr, Melton, Ward and Murphy.
The resolution sponsor argued for additional support for county employees; opponents cited budget priorities in the recorded motion text. The minutes do not include extended floor debate excerpts or direct quotes beyond the motion and the recorded tally.
Because the resolution failed, the previously budgeted 3% raise remained in place and no additional appropriation was made.
