The Durham County Commissioners approved a 7 percent salary increase for approximately 1,876 county employees, bringing the living wage to $19.22 per hour at a cost of $9.8 million. The county also proposed a 33 percent stormwater utility fee increase to fund more than $67 million in water quality compliance costs over two decades, and requested funding for four new wastewater treatment positions plus a 10 percent consumption rate increase.
The salary increase came from a comprehensive compensation study showing the county ranks second-lowest on manager pay among comparable jurisdictions. Commissioners Wendy Jacobs and others emphasized the importance of following the study's recommendations rather than cherry-picking provisions. The study also highlighted that the county's SAP system is over 20 years old, and HR staff noted they need additional positions to implement the new pay structure properly.
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