The County’s top level and highest paid employees were given raises that elevate them to the top of the salary ranges for their positions.
Human Resources Deputy Director, Stephanie Nute’s report pointed out that the County Executive Officer (CEO), County Counsel, and the Human Resources Director are the only County employees that report directly to the Board of Supervisors, and they are due for raises.
“Upon completion of a year of successful service,” Nute’s report said, “each position is eligible to advance to the next step of the salary range in the applicable salary schedule. The Chief Executive Officer, County Counsel, and Human Resources Director are all currently at step 6 of the applicable salary range and are recommended to advance to step 7 effective June 21, 2026.”
The raises are as much as some folks earn in a year. “The estimated additional salary cost,” the report said, “of moving from step 6 to step 7 in the salary range in the applicable salary schedule for each of the positions under consideration in this item is as follows: $18,200 for the CE0, $16,244 for the County Counsel, and $12,251 for the Director of Human Resources. These amounts have been included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget adopted by the Board.”
In hourly wages the HR Director went from $112.14 an hour to $117.75/hr., according to the County salary schedule. That equates to some $20,410 a month or $244,000 a year.
County Counsel stepped up from $148.68/hr., to $156.11/hr. That’s just over $27,000 a month or $324,000 a year.
And the CEO jumped from $166.73/hr., to $175.97/hr. That’s a little over $30,000 a month and $364,000 a year.
At this top step of the salary schedule, these folks have no higher to go in terms of salaries until the Supervisors approve a new salary schedule that bumps up everyone’s pay. However, they could still get cost of living adjustments.
And since retirement benefits are tied into a percentage of salary, their retirement costs to the County will go up as well.
