GOLDEN — The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $474 million budget for 2015 that includes the potential for greater pay benefits for employees than the proposed budget in October.
The proposal planned for a 2 percent raise for all county employees based on merit, meaning that funds would be allocated for a 2 percent increase for every employee, however, the raises would be given at the discretion of each department head or elected official. Commissioners wondered how that figure was formulated and if it was enough to remain competitive in keeping employees.
The county added an additional 1 percent increase for each employee that totals $1.9 million in the budget, $1.5 million of which will be in the county’s general fund. Department heads will have to ask for approval of those funds from the commissioners. That 1 percent is specifically meant to help address retention issues.
in the past few years.
“We don’t want people to leave,” Commissioner Faye Griffin said. “We have the best and want to continue that pride.”
Another addition to the budget is a sheriff’s grant for a fuel mitigation project. The sheriff’s Tiburon Records Management System project was reduced as was the energy performance contract budget. The Table Mountain Animal Center building sale was moved from 2015 to 2016, and Buffalo Park/Brook Forest project was removed.
The 2015 total budget is down nearly $6 million from 2014 with most of that coming from a reduction in capital projects.
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or
