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Coffee County approves 3% pay increase for county employees, with department heads to allocate and report dispersal
Summary
Coffee County commissioners voted June 11 to approve a 3% pay raise for county employees. The board required department heads to allocate the increase and file dispersal schedules with the mayor's office for public disclosure; commissioners said the move aims to help lower-paid staff while keeping taxes unchanged.
Coffee County commissioners voted June 11 to give county employees a 3% across-the-board pay increase, with department heads charged to allocate the funds among their staff and to file the dispersal schedule at the mayor’s office for public disclosure.
The motion, introduced and later restated by Commissioner Malone and seconded by Miss Jones, passed after extended debate about whether raises should be uniform or targeted. Supporters argued the increase helps employees absorb rising costs; opponents warned about the long-term fiscal impact on the county’s fund balance if recurring deficits persist.
Proponents noted that the method used this year mirrors last year’s approach — giving department heads a pool to distribute — but the commission added an accountability requirement: each department’s dispersal schedule must be logged at the mayor’s office so the public can review how funds were distributed.
Commissioners discussed alternatives during the debate. Several suggested tiered or needs-based increases — for example, larger percentage increases for employees earning below the county average — but the commission opted for the 3% baseline and left distribution decisions to department leadership. Supporters said department heads are best positioned to assess performance and need, while critics warned some managers had previously split funds in ways that did not prioritize lower-paid staff.
Members cited budget figures and risk factors in the discussion: staff reported that, with the 3% raise, the revised projected total stood at $1,944,945. Commissioners also flagged nonpay costs — notably an insurance cost increase noted during the meeting — and one commissioner cautioned that sustained multi-million-dollar deficits could deplete the fund balance over time.
The chair confirmed the county will not raise county tax rates this year. The commission directed staff to implement the raise, collect department dispersal schedules, and make that information available to the public at the mayor’s office, as agreed in the motion.
The committee will reconvene for further budget work on June 18.
