DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Establishment Of 2025 Elected Officials’ And County Manager’s Compensation And Commissioner General Expense Allowance
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Establish 2025 Elected Officials’ and County Manager’s compensation and recommendation of Commissioner General Expense Allowance.
SUMMARY
Elected Officials’ and County Manager compensation is reviewed annually. Elected Officials’ 2025 compensation must be established before year-end due to statutory requirements that do not provide for retroactive compensation, and which specify that compensation must be set annually.
Proposed 2025 Elected Officials’ and County Manager Compensation
All proposed salaries for 2025 have been computed based upon the proposed 2025 Unclassified Merit Compensation Policy and Plan (Plan), relevant statutory provisions and other pay increases provided to County staff. The 2025 salaries are initially established based upon the Unclassified Merit Compensation Policy and Plan. The proposed salaries actually payable in 2025 are established taking into account the Plan’s policy which limits the salaries of the County Attorney and County Sheriff to the maximum compensation to be paid to the County Manager. The proposed Plan provides for a 0.0 percent to 8.25 percent base adjustment for 2025. For the purposes of elected officials’ pay, the annual salary will be issued in equal payments pursuant the number of annual pay dates in a given year commencing on the first Monday of the year through the Sunday proceeding the first Monday of the following year.
Further, by Resolution No. 24-577 (December 3, 2024), the Board has approved a one-time two percent base adjustment for all non-union staff to address the lump sum payments in lieu of base increases provided to staff in 2021 and 2022. The lump sum payments were established due to the economic uncertainty caused by the on-going COVID 19 pandemic. As a result of the lump sum payments, employee advancement through the salary the salary ranges were somewhat stagnated. Since wage increases for the County Attorney, County Sheriff and County Manager was previously based on the Unclassified Merit Compensation plan, it is recommended that this wage adjustment apply to the Elected Officials and County Manager as well.
In addition to the 2025 wage increases, the Human Resources Director is recommending the County Sheriff position be reclassified from paygrade 114 to paygrade 115 to align with that of the County Attorney’s pay grade. A standard five percent base wage increase customarily accompanies a reclassification. This base wage increase is recommended for the County Sheriff for 2025.
Under the Plan, a recommendation of the annual salary of County Commissioners for the next year shall be made by the Human Resources Director and County Manager and shall be based upon consistency with Dakota County’s compensation structure for unclassified positions and/or other metro-area market considerations. The average pay increases for other metro area County Commissioners in 2025 range from 2.8 percent to 7 percent, averaging 5.2 percent. Based on the metro area average increase of 5.2 percent, the recommendation for the County Commissioner 2025 salary is $103,582.
Under the proposed Plan the County Manager 2025 salary is $260,000, the County Attorney 2025 salary is $240,464, and the Sheriff is $221,115.
Process By Which A County Commissioner May Decline the 2025 Salary Increase
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners has established a process by which County Commissioners may individually decline their approved annual salary increase, in part or fully. The form to be used by a Commissioner to file an irrevocable notice to decline receipt of the proposed salary increase for 2025 is attached. Prior to December 26, 2024, 4:30 p.m., a Commissioner who wishes to decline the approved salary increase, in part or in full, should complete, sign and return this form to the Human Resources Director. This stipulation is included as a provision of the proposed 2025 Unclassified Employees’ Compensation Plan.
General Expense Allowance
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners has established a general expense allowance pursuant to Minn. Stat. 383D.05. County staff have reviewed expense allowances at other metro area Counties and the current federal reimbursement rates for mileage and per diems. Staff recommend a commissioner general expense allowance for 2025 in the amount of $6,300 per year per Commissioner.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends adoption of the proposed resolution.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
Funding is included in the County Manager’s recommended 2025 budget.
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the County Board will adopt the proposed the 2025 Unclassified Employee Merit Compensation Policy and Plan provisions; and
WHEREAS, the County established a process within that Plan by which Elected Officials’ and the County Manager’s compensation is determined and it is necessary that proper compensation be established for all Elected Officials and the County Manager, pursuant to relevant provisions of the proposed 2025 Unclassified Employee Merit Compensation Policy and Plan; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of Dakota County to provide equitable compensation and financial incentives.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby establishes in the context of and consistent with the proposed 2025 Unclassified Employees Merit Compensation Policy and Plan and other relevant provisions, Elected Officials’ and County Manager’s 2025 compensation as follows:
COUNTY COMMISSIONER *$103,582
COUNTY MANAGER $260,000
COUNTY ATTORNEY $240,464
COUNTY SHERIFF $221,115
* Prior to 4:30 p.m. on December 26, 2024, a County Commissioner may file with the Human Resources Director an election to decline part or all of their 2025 salary increase. For any Commissioner filing such a declination of part of their 2025 salary increase shall receive their elected portion. A Commissioner filing a declination of their full increase, the 2025 compensation level shall be *$98,461; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners, in accordance with Minn. Stat. 383D.05, hereby establishes a Commissioner general expense allowance for 2025 in the amount of $6,300 per year per Commissioner.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
24-577; 12/3/24
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Salary Declination Form
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Andy Benish
Author: Andy Benish