Council weighs flat dollar raises vs. percentage increases as budget uncertainty grows

Noble County’s leadership devoted substantial time on June 1 to preliminary decisions about employee raises and the county’s budget posture. Human resources/payroll staff said they will send department heads multiple cost scenarios—flat dollar raises (examples given: $1,000–$1,500) and percentage raises (3%–6%)—so departments can choose preferred options and submit budgets.

HR noted that an across‑the‑board flat dollar increase benefits lower‑paid employees more than a uniform percentage, while percentage increases raise higher earners’ pay by a larger dollar amount. "If you give $1,500 across the board, the people who do the majority of the work in the county do better than a 3% increase," the HR official said, urging the council to consider equity and recruitment needs. Several council members expressed support for a flat dollar approach; others favored advertising a higher ceiling (5%) to preserve flexibility should revenues be stronger than projected.

Members repeatedly raised uncertainty stemming from pending state changes to the local income tax (LIT) and dependency on grant funding for infrastructure; staff and commissioners asked for updated cash balances and projections to guide final decisions. The council agreed HR should advertise more ambitious scenarios for departments to use in planning while final adoption will follow receipt of updated fiscal projections from the county fiscal advisor.

No final raise rate was adopted at the meeting; staff will prepare cost worksheets and proposed budget language for council consideration during budget hearings.