Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trent Woods budget seeks 3% COLA for staff, 6% increase for elected officials as benefits costs rise
Summary
The proposed FY2025–2026 budget requests a 3% cost‑of‑living increase for all employees, a 6% increase for the mayor and commissioners, an upward step for Officer Anna Benton, and records mandated retirement rate increases and monthly health, dental and vision premium hikes.
Budget/Finance Officer Brenda Reece told the board the draft budget requests a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment for all full‑time and part‑time employees and a 6% increase for the mayor and commissioners. The presentation also requested a one‑step increase for Police Officer Anna Benton to remain in compliance with the town’s Career Development Plan and a salary adjustment for the Finance Officer to move closer to the state average for similar jurisdictions.
Reece outlined benefit and retirement cost changes driving budget pressure: health insurance premiums increased $86 per employee per month, dental increased $23 per employee per month, and vision increased $1 per employee per month while life insurance coverage decreased. Employer retirement rates were reported to rise from 13.67% to 14.42% for general employees and from 15.04% to 16.08% for law enforcement; Reece said the rate increases are mandated by the State Retirement system.
