Clark County approves wage increase for county workers

The Tribune Record Gleaner Although not the 3-percent increase recommended by the personnel committee, the county board agreed to a 2-percent base wage increase for all county employees, effective Jan. 14.

The wage increase, approved at the Sept. 21 county board meeting, will come with a price tag of $591,066, and will affect 475 workers, including 116 non-union employees, 222 union employees not employed at the health care center and 137 union employees employed by the Clark County Rehabilitation and Living Center (CCRLC).

A 3-percent wage increase would have cost the county $886,600, meaning the county saved $295,534 by lowering it to a 2-percent increase.

Julie Delikowski, Clark County personnel manager, said she recommended a 3-percent increase to keep up with inflation and surrounding counties.

“Our county has maintained static with the rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) nationwide,” she said.

From 2018 to 2022, the CPI increased year-to-year by 1.84 percent, 2.25 percent, 2.07 percent, 1.56 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively. The county matched or nearly matched its base wage increase to whatever the CPI percentage increase was each of those years.

However, for 2023, the CPI increase was 7.17 percent but the county only gave a 2-percent wage increase. For 2024, the CPI increase is projected to be 6.26 percent but the county is only giving a 2-percent increase. Comparing Clark to surrounding counties, for 2024, Eau Claire, Wood and Marathon counties are all proposing a 3-percent cost of living adjustment. Jackson County is proposing a 5-percent adjustment. Chippewa County had no adjustment as of when Delikowski collected data and Taylor County’s adjustment will be unknown until December.

“We are pulling from the same applicant pool as these surrounding counties so we need to be competitive,” said Delikowski. “Also, Vernon County is planning a 5-percent increase on Jan. 1 and then another 5 percent on July 1; they’re trying to catch up to the CPI. We don’t want to get so far behind that we have to drastically increase. We do have our wage study coming up in 2025. Marathon County went up 8 percent last year after their wage study.”

County board member Chuck Rueth, who proposed changing the wage increase from 3 percent to 2 percent, said it would be a fiscally conservative move.

“It’s the same as we gave employees last year. The finance committee is trying to balance the budget for 2024 and we all have to suffer to make it balance. If we save ourselves a couple hundred thousand dollars, it will help immediately. Last year, we went to 17 percent (of our annual expenses) in our fund balance,” said Rueth.

Jon Trautman, who did the county’s audit report, recommended the county strive to maintain a fund balance of 20 to 25 percent of its annual operational expenses. County governments use that benchmark because that would allow the county to maintain operations for about two-and-half months without any revenues during that time.

County board member Fritz Garbisch asked about step increases. However, Delikowski said that was a separate issue from the base wage increase, because step increases are based on education and experience, and employee tenure.

“Employees don’t just automatically on their work anniversary get a step increase; they have to prove that they earned it. And most other counties are all doing step increases as well,” said Delikowski. “This is a cost of living increase, not a wage increase. Everyone’s cost of living is the same. The employees on the bottom need this percentage increase,” added board member Randy Sebesta.

The county board had to pass three separate resolutions to authorize the 2-percent base wage increase for three different groups of workers. The resolution authorizing the wage increase for non-union workers passed 18-10 with one abstain, the resolution for union workers not employed by CCRLC passed 18-11, and the resolution for union workers employed by CCRLC passed 19-10.