Aberdeen staff propose 6% cost-of-living increase and $320,000 retention-bonus plan

Regina, the town’s HR presenter, briefed the board on workforce metrics and pay proposals at the March 7 retreat. She said the town has 118 full‑time employees and reported elevated turnover in recent years — roughly one-in-five employees leave annually — with 52 employees (about 44%) having less than two years’ service.

To respond, Regina recommended a 6% cost-of-living adjustment for the upcoming budget year and targeted market-pay adjustments, starting with police recruit pay to remain competitive with neighboring jurisdictions. She also described the retention-bonus program staff used previously and asked the board to consider a similar structured bonus this year: an estimated implementation cost of about $320,000, with individual bonuses ranging by tier (e.g., full-time $2,500 last year, part-time smaller payments). She noted the actual payout depends on acceptance rates; not every eligible employee accepts the payment, and there is a payback requirement if employees leave.

Regina said staff will propose a single planning‑technician full‑time position for the planning department to address workload that has grown with elevated permit volume.

Why it matters: Staffing and pay decisions are central to the operating budget and public services. The COLA and retention-bonus proposals would increase recurring compensation costs (COLA) and one-time costs (bonuses), and the planning technology/position request addresses permit-processing capacity that staff said is funded in part by permit revenues. The board will consider these proposals during the April/May budget work sessions.