Most county departments are facing increased costs, primarily due to more pay to attract and retain personnel. … Chairman David Lee said most of the requests were due to wages and benefits. Department heads requested 5% wage increases. Commissioners may ask them to reduce that number to 3% or 4%. “We’re going to have to see how finances are looking and if we can support those requests,” Lee said. “The resounding theme from department heads is that the cost of doing business has gone up over the past two or three years.” Lee said his priority is to attract and retain employees, and that could mean taking a comparative look at wages in nearby counties. “We need to make sure our wages are competitive with counties, cities and industries around us,” he said.
Source: The Iola Register
