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Islamorada council backs ‘Scenario 1A’ for personnel: 3% COLA, up to 3% merit and current benefits for existing employees
Summary
Council agreed Aug. 4 to staff direction labeled “Scenario 1A”: a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment, an up‑to‑3% merit pool and retention of this year’s benefit split for current employees; staff will return with dependent‑coverage options for new hires effective Oct. 1.
The Islamorada Village Council on Aug. 4 directed staff to use the personnel assumptions in “Scenario 1A,” which combines a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment with an up‑to‑3% merit pool and keeps the village’s current benefit split for existing employees.
Mayor Don Horton, speaking during the council’s budget workshop, said he favored holding the millage at the previously proposed 2.8 and keeping benefits for current staff while allowing modest pay increases: “I personally would like to stick at our 2.8 that we set.” Jamie, the HR lead, told the council the scenario in the packet is the baseline for personnel modeling and that at a 2.8 millage the personnel assumptions would allow the village to put roughly $388,000 into fund balance under current projections.
Council members expressed concern about passing costs to employees through dependent‑coverage changes and agreed staff should keep current employees’ benefit share intact while developing options for new hires. Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney asked for concrete dependent‑coverage splits for consideration; Jamie committed to return with 70/30, 60/40 and 50/50 scenarios and cost impacts at the next meeting. The council’s direction was logged as staff guidance for drafting the tentative budget and related millage proposal.
Next steps: staff will return with the requested dependent‑coverage scenarios and updated personnel cost pages ahead of the first budget hearing.
