Board suggests three percent pay raise for county employees

Despite a decrease in revenue and a sagging economy, Montgomery County’s employees stand to receive a three percent pay raise pending approval by the Board of Supervisors.

Montgomery County’s Board of Compensation made the pay raise recommendation following their meeting Monday in the courthouse. The three percent increase would take affect July 1, for fiscal year 2010-2011.

Compensation board member Sandy Krcilek said compared to similar sized counties, and considering employees didn’t receive a raise last year, she made the motion for the three percent increase.

“As soon as the economy changes, and there are positions open, those individuals who have had no increase for a number of years will go look for another job,” she said.

Board member John Baker reiterated Krcilek’s assertion that despite the struggling economy, its important to keep wages competitive.

“Even with our financial considerations, my view on this has always been, even in tough times, you have to find ways to treat employees fairly and equitably,” Baker said. “Often times, we think everything lives and breathes on how its doing this year. But if we lose good employees because their salary schedule falls too far behind, you aren’t doing yourself any favors.”

During the meeting, elected county officials described their office’s responsibilities and various operational improvements in the past year.

Auditor Joni Ernst though shared one significant change that affected all employees.

“There was a $21 a month increase in insurance this year, after an increase last year too,” Ernst said. “It continues to rise, even though our salary is not going up, so there is less take home pay.”

County Collector Carol Strovers said while county tax receipts are on pace with a near 50 percent collection rate midway through the fiscal year, total revenue will be down thanks to Gov. Chett Culver’s 10 percent reduction in state funding.

Despite that, the board of compensation voted unanimously to request the three percent raise for county employees, except for the board of supervisors, which wouldn’t receive a raise, as per their request.

However, just because the compensation board recommended the raised, it doesn’t mean the county employees will be receiving it.

“The thing we are supposed to do is make a recommendation to the supervisors,” Board Chair Barb Ray said. “Ultimately, the supervisors come up with what is done, so we are just making a recommendation to them.”

The compensation board made an identical recommendation a year ago. However, the board of supervisors rejected it, and gave no raises.