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Weber County commissioners consider covering part of URS public-safety rate increase
Summary
At a June 22 work session, Weber County staff outlined a URS pension change that raises the employer pick-up for public safety by 1.25% while overall employer contribution rates slightly fall. Commissioners directed staff to draft a resolution to pick up a portion of the increase so employees would pay an equalized 0.49%, pending legal confirmation and URS notification by June 30.
Emily Wild told the Weber County Board of Commissioners that a URS actuarial update proposes a 1.25 percentage‑point increase to the employer pick‑up portion for Tier 2 public‑safety employees and a separate 0.49 percentage‑point increase for public employees. "Public safety is going up 1.25%," Wild said, and she explained the county is allowed by statute to pick up the public‑safety portion but not the public‑employee portion.
Wild said the county’s share of URS contributions will slightly decrease overall next year (a roughly 0.5% drop for public safety) but the employer pick‑up portion is increasing. She identified the figures used in the meeting: a 0.5% reduction that will save the sheriff’s office about $146,000 annually, and a 1.25% requested pick‑up that would cost about $260,000 — producing a net increase in the low six figures depending on how much the county elects to cover.
Commissioners discussed options including (a) not picking up the increase, (b) picking up the full 1.25%, or (c) picking up a portion. Several members said they favored partial pickup to reduce the employee burden while limiting county cost. Commissioners asked whether a partial pickup is legally permitted; staff indicated a portion can be elected but that any elected pickup percentage is typically irrevocable year‑to‑year. One commissioner suggested equalizing employees by ensuring both public safety and other county employees pay the same out‑of‑pocket percentage for this change.
The commission asked staff to prepare a formal resolution for next week that would specify the county’s election and to confirm numbers with legal counsel and URS; commissioners noted URS must be notified if the county elects to pick up any portion effective July 1. No formal vote on the resolution was recorded at the meeting; the board directed staff to bring the resolution and necessary calculations back for final action.
Background and context: Commissioners compared Weber County’s options with nearby jurisdictions that have taken varying approaches (some cities and counties pick up the full public‑safety increase, others decline). Staff also noted that if the county elects to pick up a percentage for hybrid plan participants, an equivalent contribution would be required for defined‑contribution participants, which would add to the county’s cost calculations.
Next steps: Staff will confirm the legal limits, finalize the cost calculations, draft the resolution, and present it for action before URS’s July 1 effective date if the board chooses to proceed.
