Washington County officials ponder employee pay raises

FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County's employees may see raises of 4% in 2021 if the Quorum Court adopts the recommendation of a compensation consultant.

The raises will be considered when the Budget Committee meets Oct. 13.

Blair Johanson with the Johanson Group told the justices of the peace Tuesday the county is about 6.8% below the market pay average this year. In 2019, the county was about 4.8% below the market pay average.

Johanson said his recommendations in past years has been to have the county about 3% below the market pay average. He said the county's retirement plan and other benefits make that pay level competitive.

"At 6.8% we're starting to move out of that comfort range," Johanson said.

Johanson said the regional average pay is projected to increase between 2.4% and 3.3% in 2020, based on a market study that includes regional governments and private businesses.

Johanson said the recommended raises would cost the county about $773,032 for 497 employees, not including benefits. Law enforcement employees in the Sheriff's Office are paid under a step system and not included in the 4% raises.

Johanson also recommended a separate compensation increase, a one-time 3% payment, for 75 employees who are at the top of their pay ranges. Giving those employees the 4% raises would push them above their pay grade maximum.

Several elected official spoke in favor of the raises.

Prosecutor Matt Durrett said his staff has worked through much of the past several months with reduced hours due to the pandemic. Washington County offices have been closed or reduced their activities because of the health restrictions recommended to curtail the spread of the virus. County officials made budget cuts when the pandemic began in March because it was uncertain how revenue might be affected by the pandemic.

Durrett said he cut the hours of his staff from 40 hours a week to 35, which cut their pay about 12.5%, for about two months.

"My employees are the reason we've been able to keep our heads above water for these last seven months," Durrett said.

Durrett said he understands the revenue forecast remains uncertain for the duration of the pandemic. He asked the justice of the peace to give the maximum possible amount in raises.

"Whatever you can give, give them as much as we can afford," Durrett said.

Sheriff Tim Helder, whose civilian employees and jail employees are among those who may receive the 4% raises, said they have been front-line workers during the pandemic.

"They have come to work every day through every shift not knowing if they are going to be exposed," Helder said.

Helder said he has 16 employees in quarantine because they have tested positive for covid-19 or have been directly exposed to someone who has tested positive. Since March, he said, the Sheriff's Office has had about 130 employees who have been required to miss work due to covid.

Circuit Clerk Kyle Sylvester said his office has lost six employees, out of 24, during the pandemic. He said those who remained have worked long and hard and have earned the proposed raises and even suggested a larger increase.

"We're almost 7% behind everybody else," Sylvester said. "We need to catch up. If that means giving everybody 7% let's do it. They deserve it."

Eva Madison, justice of the peace for District 9, said she would prefer to see raises on a scale with employees who receive lower pay getting larger raises. She suggested have raises of 2%, 3% and 4%, depending on the pay of the employees.

"If we're talking about 4% raises for people who make $90,000 and 4% raises for people who make $30,000, I can't support that," Madison said.

County Coroner Roger Morris said his staff has been working "lots of 20-hour days" during the pandemic. He said the office has worked on 149 cases of covid-related deaths. Morris also asked to justices of the peace to give the largest raises the county can afford.

"If elected officials are getting raises, I'll donate mine to my employees," Morris said.

The panel also discussed the budgets for the jail and the Road Department at Tuesday's meeting.