Flathead County employees will see a 2% bump in their paychecks next year after county commissioners approved a mid-year wage increase.  

The wage increase was months in the making as some county officials advocated for higher salaries for staff. Sheriff Brian Heino, County Attorney Travis Ahner and County Treasurer Adele Krantz have heavily pushed for a pay bump, arguing employees make less than those in comparable positions in the private sector and across the state. 

But for county commissioners, it's a fine line between offering competitive wages and keeping the county's cash reserves above water. The reserves have dropped in the last two budgets, said Commissioner Randy Brodehl in June, when conversations for the wage increase began.  

“The public has limited resources,” Brodehl said. “This has an impact on our employees in terms of a raise, but this also has an impact on our community through taxes.”   

After revisiting the matter recently, however, officials found enough room in the budget for a 2% raise, which will be reflected in paychecks after Jan. 1. Commissioners approved the increase on Nov. 18.  

“Even though I don’t like growth, growth is the reason we have a little more money to give, because there’s more people out there paying the taxes,” said Commissioner Chair Pamela Holmquist during the Flathead County Compensation Board’s Nov. 17 meeting.  

Board members include all three county commissioners, Heino, Ahner, Krantz, Clerk of Court Sara Smith and citizen representative Jim Trevino. The board makes recommendations to the commissioners on wage adjustments.  

Commissioners set the base salary for elected officials, and a matching salary increase for county employees. State law dictates that county employees' salaries are based on the salaries of elected officials.  

At the board meeting, Heino said if a 2% bump is a viable avenue, he encouraged county officials to support it.    

“I know we’re balancing a lot of financial portions on this point,” Heino said. “But I think the highest rate we could possibly give to our staff and employees allows us, as employers, to attract competent individuals, hopefully retain those individuals, so we don’t have to increase costs in training.” 

Ahner echoed the sheriff’s remarks, noting how the county continues to fall behind city employers and the private sector.  

“The county has come in, year after year, lower than the average, lower than that consumer price index,” he said. 

The wage increase is entirely separate from the public safety bond passed by voters earlier this month, emphasized by County Administrator Pete Melnick, and will not impact taxes as it is being absorbed by county reserves.  

“People will not pay more for this,” Melnick said.  

The pay increase will cost the county $434,489 for the remainder of the 2025 fiscal year, and $868,978 in the 2026 fiscal year.  

The sheriff’s salary will be $120,264; the two justices of the peace increase to $105,069; the county attorney’s salary increases to $147,160; and the county commissioners, clerk of district court, county treasurer, county clerk and superintendent of schools all increase to $91,027.  

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].