Boone County Commission approves employee raises
The Boone County Commission approved the budget plan for 2019 last Thursday. The total spending from government funds for the year will be roughly $86.6 million.
A top priority for the County was continue giving competitive pay and benefits for the more than 500 County employees. The budget includes a budget increase of $276,000 for pay raises, a one percent adjustment to the salary range table and funding for the County to pay two percent of the employees required six percent retirement fund contributions.
Boone County Auditor June Pitchford wrote in the budget the employee contributions will be more consistent with other government agencies allowing the County to better recruit and keep employees.
The budget gives $21 million for the transportation network infrastructure, another priority for the County. Cities across Boone County and the Centralia Special Road District will get $3.3 million and the other $17.7 million will go to infrastructure maintenance, a subdivision concrete rehabilitation and replacement project and bridge replacements.
Primary revenue for the Road and Bridge Fund comes from the one-half cent sales tax approved 25 years ago and renewed through 2028. The budget says the tax will bring in roughly $14.4 million in 2019.
The commission also approved two Capital Project Budgets including $3.5 million for Tom Bass Facility improvements and $2.875 million for the Emergency Communications Center Support Services Building Project.
