FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to give nonunion employees, including elected officials, a 2 percent raise this year. The increase will appear in the next pay period.

The move comes after the Franklin Budget Advisory Committee eliminated about $25,000 for a 2 percent increase from the 2016-17 budget in June.

Commission Chairman Clyde Barker of Strong and Commissioner Gary McGrane of Jay favored the increase while Commissioner Charles Webster of Farmington was opposed.

Webster had motioned for a 1 percent raise, but the motion died for lack of second.

People in the private sector are not getting raises, Webster said. People on Social Security received no increases this year, he said.

One percent or 2 percent is not a lot of money, Webster said. He said he looks at what is appropriate for Franklin County taxpayers.

“I think a 1 percent raise is a slap in the face,” Barker said. “Taxpayers of the county respect the county employees.”

“As do I,” Webster said.

A 2 percent increase amounts to pennies, Barker said.

“We aren’t asking for big money here,” he said. “It is cents, not dollars.”

McGrane wanted to wait until they saw what other counties are paying employees to make sure Franklin County employees are being compensated fairly. He also wanted to consider basing raises on whether or not they are deserved and if the raise is substantial enough.

People outside of government do not get this kind of money, Webster said.

Instead of waiting to review pay surveys and other information from other counties, he suggested moving forward with a raise this year. They would look at the wage information prior to next year’s budget process.

The money for the raise will come out of department operational budgets, county Clerk Julie Magoon said. Most of the department budgets have funds left at the end of the fiscal year, she said.

In other wage matters, commissioners approved Sheriff’s Office lieutenants to be moved to the next pay grade level to be compensated more fairly.

Commissioners also unanimously promoted Deputy Clerk/Deputy Treasurer Vickie Braley to finance manager at a wage of $21.54 an hour, an increase of $1.77 an hour.

She will keep her other two appointed titles. 

Braley has been doing additional work and has not been compensated for it. The duties are not covered under her deputy job descriptions. 

She works 37½ hours a week. 

McGrane said the county was getting a deal to have Braley providing the three services for $21.54 an hour. He said other counties pay an employee in similar positions more.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net