Flathead County employees and elected officials will get a 1.9 percent pay raise starting July 1.

The commissioners voted 2-1 to follow the recommendation of the county's Salary Compensation Board and give employees just half of the 3.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment for the coming year.

Although the state-mandated board makes salary recommendations for elected officials and sheriff's deputies, the cost-of-living increase typically is applied to all county employees "out of fairness," County Administrative Officer Mike Pence said.

The commissioners had considered a budget scenario that would freeze compensation at current levels, but preliminary budget figures look better than expected, Commissioner Dale Lauman said.

"They deserve the half COLA [cost-of-living adjustment] pay raise," he said.

Commissioner Jim Dupont agreed.

"You guys [department heads' did a great job of keeping us fiscally sound," Dupont said, noting that the actual adjustment was close to 4 percent.

Commissioner Joe Brenneman was the lone opponent, arguing that the pay raise isn't appropriate when the county continues to be hit hard by the recession.

"I can't support it," he said. "This is a year to say we recognize the people we represent are struggling."

Brenneman pointed out that last year the commissioners approved raises higher than the board's recommendation. They approved a 2.8 percent cost-of-living raise, then added another 1.2 percent raise. The commissioners last year also approved a significant boost in employees' dental program benefits, which are funded by a separate property-tax levy.

A survey of compensation given by other Montana counties showed that Cascade and Sanders counties approved the full 3.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment while Gallatin County froze pay levels.

Missoula County agreed on a 1.5 percent raise plus a $400 one-time lump-sum payment. But Missoula County department heads and elected officials got no raises, according to figures compiled by Flathead County Human Resource Director RaeAnn Campbell.

Flathead County's 1.9 percent raise will bump the commissioner salary up to $62,235, while the sheriff-coroner will earn $81,077 annually. The highest-paid official is the county attorney, who will earn $95,879 with the raise. The Clerk of District Court will earn $60,235.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at [email protected]