Howard County panel recommends 2.5% raise for council in 2027, ties later increases to county COLA; same approach recommended for county executive

The Howard County Compensation Review Commission unanimously recommended on Tuesday that County Council salaries increase by 2.5% in 2027 and that raises for 2028 through 2030 be tied to the cost-of-living adjustments awarded to general county employees.

The commission made the same recommendation for the county executive — proposing a 2.5% increase in 2027 and that future annual adjustments follow the general-county COLA — and voted to keep existing chair, technology and phone stipends and the current benefits package unchanged.

Why it matters: commissioners said the recommendations aim to balance workload realities, fairness and budget optics. Commissioners cited survey results indicating council work can be cyclical but commonly exceeds 20 hours per week and, in some cases, approaches much higher levels. “Everybody agreed that the average is going to be more than 20 hours per week,” a commissioner summarized during the meeting. That survey result shaped discussion about whether the role is effectively part-time or closer to a full-time position.

Commission debate and votes: the panel opened discussion after reviewing survey responses and a historical COLA table for county employees. Some members argued for a larger immediate increase; one commissioner urged “5% across the board” for council pay. Other members urged restraint given fiscal uncertainties and potential optics, especially because the county executive’s salary is already among the highest in the state. “I think 2% is a good place to start,” another commissioner said during the discussion.

Concluding the deliberations, Scott Houghton moved the council recommendation and Maura Dunnegan seconded; the commission approved the council proposal without recorded opposition. Houghton later moved the county executive recommendation, which was also seconded by Dunnegan and carried unanimously. Earlier in the meeting commissioners had similarly voted to leave stipends and benefits at current levels.

Draft language and next steps: staff said they will draft the specific legislative language tying future council and executive increases to the general-county COLA (which excludes separately negotiated police and fire contracts) and will post the commission’s preliminary recommendations and hearing notice on the commission website to solicit public comment. The commission plans a public hearing for comments on the preliminary recommendations before finalizing its report.

Numbers and other clarifications: the commission recorded a $150-per-month telephone stipend in its materials and discussed county population and budget context; one speaker referenced a county population figure of about 325,000 during the discussion. Commissioners asked staff to confirm the precise definition of “general county employees” used to determine COLA and to identify any drafting constraints. Staff said it would review legislative history and provide specific language at a later meeting.

What was not decided: the commission did not reclassify the council as a full-time position or alter benefits beyond holding them in place. Members noted that the council and the county executive have different pay schedules and that police, fire and other negotiated groups are excluded from the “general” COLA calculation the commission intends to reference.

The commission adjourned after agreeing to post the recommendations and prepare for the public hearing.