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Council finalizes amended 2026 salary ordinance, approves back pay and reclassifications
Summary
After presentations and employee comment the council approved an amended salary ordinance addressing the 27-pay issue, authorized back pay for four prior payrolls, and agreed to convert certain salary non-exempt positions to hourly where allowed; the Feb. 11 special meeting finalized the ordinance with a 5–1 vote.
The Washington County Council voted to amend and finalize the 2026 salary ordinance following a staff presentation and public comment on how a 27-pay calendar affects overtime. Katelyn Shaffer of Reedy Financial Group explained two approaches: the redivisor method (which preserves annual pay but changes overtime calculations) and the status-quo method (which results in an extra pay). Shaffer told the council that switching to twice-monthly pay would eliminate recurring 27-pay calendar complications.
Attorney Alyssa Cochran told the council on Feb. 11 that state law prohibits changing some positions (for example, probation officers) from salary to hourly. The council approved the amended ordinance in the Feb. 11 special meeting by a 5–1 vote with Councilmember Karen Wischmeier opposing. The council also approved making the first payroll of 2026 be paid at 2026 rates, agreed to apply back pay for the four previous payrolls referenced in the meeting, and converted one full-time 911 dispatcher position into two part-time positions. "No" was Cochran's answer when asked whether salary employees would receive an additional pay beyond annualized salary; the council confirmed salary employees will remain at 27 pays for annual salary calculation.
