1. New Employee Pay Structure and Job Classifications Approved
The Board approved a restructuring of employee compensation and job classifications tied to the 2026 budget year. The new system establishes five distinct field job classifications (Irrigation Specialist, Light Equipment Operator, Construction Worker, Heavy Equipment Operator, and Mechanic), plus existing Foreman and a contemplated Lead Person level, all with step-based pay scales. This represents about a $97,800 increase to the 2026 budget (under 1% overall), with field staff budgeted for roughly a 10% overall wage increase and management increases already included at 4% in the adopted budget. The change responds to competitive wage pressures from neighboring agencies and is intended to improve employee retention.
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