Pottawatomie County employees will get a slight mid-year pay increase following commission action Monday morning in Westmoreland.
Commissioners unanimously settled on a 3.5 percent increase, effective July 1 to help assist employees struggling to stay afloat amid rising inflation. The increase was agreed upon after an initial proposal Monday from County Administrator Chad Kinsley, seeking a 10 percent pay increase for employees, rivaling a 10.5 percent increase Riley County approved last month.
Kinsley was critical that commissioners have focused too much attention on having the state’s second-lowest mill levy at 28.647.
Commission Chair Pat Weixelman took offense to Kinsley’s comments. He says he has held in high regard the fact that the county strives to save taxpayer dollars.
Weixelman at first said he wasn’t interested in taking a vote, but came around to it, complimenting employees for their hard work and service to the county. Commissioners Dee McKee and Greg Riat also praised employees. Riat noted employees have earned some sort of compensation incentives, given the state of the economy.
Commissioners will consider a potential pay adjustment again in the 2023 budget as well, which will likely push salaries even higher.
