Northampton approves one time bonus for employees; continues to mull raises and tax increases amid inflation crisis

This article has been corrected to show the bonus for part time employees is $200. A line saying the changes would take effect in the new fiscal year was deleted.

The Northampton County Board of Supervisors approved a one time $500 bonus for full time employees and a $200 bonus for part time employees at their regular monthly board meeting Tuesday night.

“This is a good faith effort by the Board to provide assistance to employees and recognize their efforts from the past year,” said County Administrator Charlie Kolakowski.

The total expenditure is $93,800 in County money, $13,800 for the Sheriff’s Department employees and $80,000 for the other County staff. The funds will come from vacancy savings.

During the County Administrator’s report, the Board had an in depth discussion about a proposal aimed at improving employee retention and attraction. Kolakowski was proposing a $1 per hour increase for all employees.

“Inflation is at a level we haven’t seen in 30 years, it is particularly hard on the lower half of our pay scale,” he said. “This is not easy for us to propose, it will have a large fiscal impact for this and future years.”

When asked if the increase, which is estimated to cost taxpayers $548,000 a year, would necessitate a tax increase, Kolakowski and County Finance Director John Chandler said they felt confident the increase could be covered this year without raising taxes. Chandler pointed to equipment auctions and excess interest income as a financial source.

“This isn’t the only budget issue we face,” Kolakowski added. “We have the renovation of the Middle and High School, health insurance and other inflationary issues.”

Chairman John Coker said the increase in salaries is essentially a 2 cent tax increase, because it wasn’t a one time bonus, but a raise in perpetuity.

“I guess for me, I’d like to have a feel of what this tax increase is going to be,” said the newly elected Chairman. “We are probably going to add this 2 cents plus some when we get to July when are talking about fiscal year 24.”

The Board will continue to hear more on the plan at the Work Session on January 24. 

“The need for salary increases is a direct result of the spending spree that Washington has been on,” said Dixon Leatherbury. “7, 8, 9% inflation is real… The short answer is, if you don’t like that, when the time comes to vote for a representative in Congress, vote for someone with some fiscal sense.”