Pratt County approves $1-per-hour raises for Community Corrections staff

The Pratt County Board of Commissioners on a voice vote approved $1-per-hour increases for Community Corrections employees after a presentation laying out funding uncertainty and rising supervision demands.

An agency official (speaking for Community Corrections) asked the commission to approve a flat $1 raise for all staff, citing an expected $90,000 funding hit from a state funding formula review and an anticipated increase in juvenile placements under recent state law changes. “I’m, I guess, requesting approval to give raises to my staff, a dollar raise per person,” the official said. Commissioners discussed the request and how prior funding practices effectively function as a pass-through from the Department of Corrections.

Commission paperwork named affected employees and a commissioner moved the motion listing Jennifer Edgar, Alan Hitz, Katie Hessel, Meredith Olds, Brianne Tilly and Joni Oldie; another commissioner seconded and the board approved the raises by voice vote. The chair confirmed the raises will begin with the next payroll cycle as staff requested.

Why it matters: Staff said the county’s community corrections program faces changing workloads and uncertain future state funding while also needing operational adjustments (vehicles and supervision resources) to handle an expected influx of juvenile placements. The commission approved the pay adjustment now while the state’s formula review continues.