HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Hill County Compensation Board convened last week and voted to recommend to the County Commission that elected employees receive a five percent cost-of-living-adjustment increase to their pay for the fiscal year that begins July 1st.
Included in the motion was an additional one percent longevity increase for employees.
If ratified, the increase would move the universal base wage to $51,218.42. This is still lower than base wages in other similarly sized counties in the state, but helps shrink the gap.
The vote was 6-1. Auditor Kathy Olson cast the dissenting vote, while Commissioner Diane McLean abstained, stating that she only needed to vote in case of a tie. The recommendation is expected to be voted on at the Commission’s business meeting on Thursday, and since Commissioners Jake Strissel and Mark Peterson voted in favor of it at the Compensation meeting, it should pass.
The Compensation Board cannot take action regarding non-elected officials. However, Commissioners said at the meeting they want to take the same action for those employees. Peterson stated that they will also vote at a business meeting for the same COLA increase for those employees.
There was significant discussion at the meting about the need to raise wages to incentivize recruits, as well as make sure employees with many years of service are taken care of. The possibility of a mill levy on the November ballot to allow the County to have more money for employee wages was mentioned. Language would have to be finalized by August 1st.
