Coconino County moves mid‑year pay adjustments to address rising wages and retention
Summary
Supervisors approved a reallocation to fund a mid‑year compensation plan that gives a $1.50/hour flat raise for lower grades and a 3.5% increase for higher grades, effective Jan. 3, 2026 pay period, with detailed payroll impacts to be provided by finance.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a budget reallocation Nov. 24 to support mid‑year compensation adjustments for regular county employees.
Deputy County Manager Erica Philpott told the board the plan is two‑pronged: employees in grade 13 and below will receive a $1.50 per hour increase (moving the county’s entry pay from about $19 to roughly $21 per hour), while employees in grade 14 and above will receive a 3.5% raise. Where the flat amount yields a larger increase than 3.5%, employees will receive the higher amount. Philpott said the change is intended to respond to a rising Flagstaff minimum wage and help recruit and retain frontline staff.
Philpott said eligible regular employees hired before Dec. 20, 2025 will receive the increase; temporary employees are excluded. She also said law‑enforcement and detention pay plans received full adjustments earlier in the fiscal year and are not receiving additional increases now. Finance is calculating the total county payroll impact and will provide a department‑by‑department figure to the board.
Supervisor comments were uniformly supportive, with supervisors noting the board had previously set aside funds for a mid‑year adjustment and praising staff for preparing the scenario. Supervisor Begay moved approval and Supervisor Horstman seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
