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Coffey County adopts 15-step pay chart, applies 2.7% COLA; commissioners say budget can absorb costs
Summary
The Coffey County Commission voted 4-0 on Jan. 20, 2026 to adopt a 15-step salary chart and apply a 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment, with step increases to be applied in April on the new chart; staff estimated the nine‑month fiscal impact at about $144,000.
Coffey County commissioners voted unanimously on Jan. 20 to move the county from a 22-step to a 15-step pay chart for hourly employees and to apply a 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The board directed payroll staff to place hourly employees on the nearest step on the new chart that is equal to or greater than their current wage and to implement step increases in April on the revised chart.
The change passed 4-0. Commissioners said the county budget included a cushion intended for step increases and longevity pay and that the combined effect of the new chart and the COLA would be manageable. County staff estimated the difference between remaining on the old chart and moving to the new chart, including the COLA, at roughly $144,000 for the adopted period discussed during the meeting.
The COLA amount referenced during discussion was drawn from the November–December Consumer Price Index data for the Midwest region (2.7%), which commissioners used as the basis for the percentage increase. Commissioners discussed, and rejected for now, a previously proposed 12-cent-an-hour add-on that had been part of an earlier motion; they also debated whether to give a flat-dollar increase in future years to assist lower-paid employees but settled on a percentage COLA for this action.
Under the board’s motion, each hourly employee will be placed on the nearest step on the new 15-step scale that is equal to or greater than their current wage; the 2.7% COLA will be applied for payroll beginning with the January 30, 2026 pay period, and April step increases will be processed on the new chart. County payroll staff said they would update the official CP-4U pay forms and make the technical payroll changes.
Why it matters: moving to a shorter step schedule changes long-term progression and compression dynamics across pay bands. Commissioners said the updated chart will simplify progression and that the COLA protects employees from inflationary pressure; staff cautioned that some employees who have already reached a top step will rely mainly on COLA and longevity adjustments for future increases.
Next steps: county payroll will implement the chart and the 2.7% adjustment, update job step values in payroll systems and the CP-4U forms, and apply step increases in April on the new chart.
