FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County’s 500-plus employees prefer raises in 2012 over a bonus and the Quorum Court could oblige that preference later this year.
The Budget Committee of the Whole debated pay increases in front of about 40 employees Tuesday night.
The committee gave its tentative approval of a 50-cent hourly raise for all employees that could cost the county $761,832, according to documents from the comptroller’s office.
The committee also considered a $1,040 bonus that could cost $1.2 million and a 2 percent or 3 percent pay increase for all employees that could cost $464,077 or $692,264.
This year, full-time employees received a $500 bonus and part-time employees received $250. The county paid the taxes and benefits that went along with the bonus. In 2010, employees were given a 2 percent raise.
“I personally am in favor of a bonus because if I give you a $1,040 bonus, you get $1,040. If you get a $1,040 raise, at least 7 percent goes to Social Security,” said Tom Lundstrum, justice of the peace. “About 26 or 28 percent goes to the federal government and about 8 or 9 percent goes to the state government.”
The committee also learned from Nelson Driver, the county’s insurance consultant, they have to consider approving a 10 percent increase to the health insurance premiums paid by employees.
Ann Upton, an information technology employee, was among the 40 employees at the meeting.
“I’ve been working for the county for 13 years and I feel like every time we get a raise, our insurance goes up,” Upton said. “There’s been many years we haven’t even gotten raises.”
County employees were given a survey last month, at the request of the Quorum Court, asking what type of pay increase they preferred: a 50-cent flat raise or a $1,040 bonus. Of the 472 respondents, 87 percent, or 420 people, preferred a raise over a bonus. The remaining people preferred the bonus.
Blair Johanson, a salary consultant for the county, last month said the cost of items such as food, gasoline and clothing increased 3.6 percent during the past year, according to Towers Watson, a human resources consulting company.
The flat raise equals to a 4.4 percen increase for employees earning the least amount and a 1.5 percent for the county’s highest pay grade.
“I support a dollar-type increase as opposed to a percentage because with gas prices going up, the people making $60,000 can handle it a little bit better than the people making $24,000 per year,” said Eva Madison, justice of the peace. “So this is nothing but a cost of living increase.”
Justices of the Peace Candy Clark, Butch Pond, Ann Harbison, Mary Ann Spears, Barbara Fitzpatrick, John Firmin, Eva Madison and Lance Eads voted in favor of the 50-cent raise. Lundstrum and Joe Patterson, Rex Bailey and Rick Cochran voted against the flat raise.
The Quorum Court will give its final budget approval later. On Monday, the committee will hear more concrete financial costs associated with increased health insurance costs.