On Monday August 31, 2026, Council members met to continue their discussions for the 2027 budget.
The meeting focused on raises and how to follow the salary study. An ongoing conversation of the meeting was discussing how to bring those below the salary stated on the study to what the study recommends at the same time recognizing and compensating those above the salary study.
Judge Day and Judge Bailey appeared in front of the council explaining what their limited number of staff handle in their office compared to surrounding counties that were used in the study. They spoke about the need to compensate their department appropriately because it would be difficult to recruit and train new hires.
Council members expressed strong support for the county workforce, agreeing that employees deserve fair compensation for their service. However, discussions repeatedly returned to the financial limitations unique to local government. Council members spoke about upcoming changes in the next few years from SB1.
Unlike private companies that can adjust pricing or expand business lines to cover rising labor costs, county officials noted that local government must operate within a fixed revenue. Handed a set allocation set by state tax limits and local collections, the council must fund all essential public services from roads and public safety to judicial operations out of that single pot of money.
The council will continue working on the 2027 figures ahead of formal public notices. A final budget adoption vote is scheduled for later this fall following mandatory public comment periods.
