Observer photo by Gregory Bacon Human Resources Director Deborah Makowski talks about the pay range increase proposal as Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon looks on.

Chautauqua County is moving ahead with a plan to increase the salary ranges of many of its managers, although elected officials insist it won’t impact the 2023 budget significantly.

During the county legislature meeting, lawmakers approved two local laws that will increase the salary ranges of 101 titled positions.

All legislators voted in favor of the first local law, except for Legislator Elisabeth Rankin, R-Jamestown, who abstained because the legislation will impact her husband. The second local law, which was to increase the salary ranges of the Human Resources Director and Real property Taxes director, was unanimously approved.

Before the vote, Human Resources Deborah Makowski discussed the proposed legislation. “The two proposed local laws are to increase the salary ranges, not salaries. Basically, the only financial impact from the proposed local laws is six individuals who would then fall below the minimum of their newly assigned range. … That total impact would cost $9,948,” she said.

During committee meetings, Makowski said the higher ranges would make the county more competitive for recruitment and retention.

After the vote, a West Ellicott resident noted that Makowski previously stated the local law would increase ranges by a three-salary grade. “It will be interesting to see what a three-salary grade is,” she said.

After the meeting, Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon contacted The Post-Journal/OBSERVER to address the legislation that was approved. “I have heard, and other legislators have heard, from members of the public who think that every manager is going to get a $25,000 or $30,000 pay increase immediately. … I think they’re getting that conclusion because when you go up three ranges, the top end of the salary increases by something of that neighborhood. They’re not understanding that because the top end of their range increases that doesn’t mean you’re getting a salary increase,” he said.

Chagnon went on further by giving some examples. “An individual currently in a position that is in salary range 4 has an annual salary range of $50,272 to $76,989. If that individual’s current salary is $70,000, after the local law goes into effect their position will then be in salary range 7 which has an annual salary range of $60,475 to $92,778 but their salary will remain at $70,000. Although the annual salary range assigned to the position is increased, the individual’s salary will not change.

“As another example, if the individual is currently in salary range 4 and has a current salary at the top of that range, they are not eligible for the 3% salary increase budgeted for salary increases in 2023. But when the local law goes into effect and the individual is in salary range 7, they will no longer be at the top of that range, and they will be eligible for the 3% salary increase budgeted for salary increases in 2023,” he said.

Chagnon did agree that in the long run managers will make more money than if the salary range wasn’t increased.

He also said the county needs to look at salaries of what county employees make compared to elsewhere. “Beyond 2023, we are going to be looking to adjust people within their range … doing another salary survey like Deb Makowski said, in a year or two, to see where the market really is,” she said.

Chagnon said for now, the vast majority of managers are looking at 3% pay increase in 2023, which was already planned for in the county budget.