Portage County adopts 2026 general-fund appropriation, asks staff to analyze wage-scale increases

Portage County commissioners voted March 18 to adopt the fiscal-year 2026 general-fund annual appropriation and directed staff to produce a cost analysis of potential wage-scale revisions aimed at retaining county employees.

Internal Services Director Shannon presented a permanent appropriation measure required by the April 1 deadline and said the proposal was balanced chiefly by cutting non-personnel expenditures, re-evaluating health-benefit lines and applying targeted 5% trims to departments that cannot carry or order budgets. Commissioners emphasized staff pay as the board’s top priority as the budget moves from temporary to permanent status.

Commissioner Sabrina urged the board to prioritize employees who have gone years without increases and proposed updating the county wage scale annually and tying adjustments to the cost-of-living index (COLA). "We start there and we update it annually and we look to base it on COLA," she said. Several commissioners discussed the possibility of retroactive increases to January depending on final fiscal calculations. Commissioners also discussed using available special-revenue funds more deliberately rather than automatically diverting them to the general fund.

The measure passed on roll call. Commissioners asked staff to return with a detailed analysis of the cost to implement wage-scale changes and options for certification or cuts to cover any increased personnel costs.

Why it mattered: Commissioners said competitive pay is necessary to avoid losing experienced staff and that deferred maintenance has grown from past choices to protect personnel lines. The board framed the wage-scale analysis as a first-agenda priority following adoption of the appropriation.