A salary study provided to Genesee County legislators has fueled raises of up to 5% for employees and management, which the county hopes will make it more competitive and help recruit and retain people.
Michael Misrahi of Evergreen Solutions, LLC of Florida, presented his findings during a Ways & Means meeting this week. He was asked about the shelf life of this study.
“So all this information has been collected in FY 24 essentially, and so, this is the recommendation (that the study is) intended for you to implement in the upcoming fiscal year. If you were unable to do so for whatever reason and delay it, you would really need to assume the market has moved in that time. So if you were to push this out a year and try to look at the recommendations there, you will essentially be passed by the market in that time frame. And there's no way of knowing exactly how much the market is going to move in this next year,” Misrahi said. “However, if you like a general figure, I would say somewhere between usually two and a half to three and a half percent is a safe bet. For your guys’ region right now, it seems to be about where the market has been each year. Obviously, it's hard to predict where the economy goes and tax revenue bases and all of that, but that's been about the average we've seen over the last few years.”
The study included a current compensation structure assessment, market comparison against peer organizations in other New York State counties, established competitive positioning and then gave recommendations to address what Misrahi believed to be existing market gaps.
Genesee County’s cost of living index was at 104.4, which wasn’t the highest — Ontario was at 107.9 — and higher than six other counties in the comparison. Key findings were that:
- All employee groups lagged the market throughout most of the salary ranges.
- AFSME and CSEA average actual salaries lagged by the market by just under 10%.
- Specific positions lagged the market by more than 10 to 15%, market position varied by role.
Misrahi recommended increases aligned with the cost of living index, giving AFSCME and CSEA 4% raises and management 3.5%. Evergreen also provided the county with a set of pay grade changes to close market gaps for roles more significantly off-market, which county administrators were to review and amend as appropriate to ensure internal and external equity was maintained.
The combination of the structural increases and new pay grades will close the county’s existing market gap and align it with the market average, the study stated.
Legislators reviewed the 2025 employee and management salary schedules after the presentation.
“Looking at the salary schedule, I see where some of the people have quite a jump,” Legislator Gary Maha said.
HR Director Anita Cleveland said that some of those employees are moving up the steps implemented a few years ago. The Evergreen study was used for the percentage increase, and the management salary schedule was based on it.
“Retention and recruitment is really hard, but this gives us an idea of what we can do … and those folks that are in public service are appropriately compensated,” Legislative Chair Shelley Stein said.
County Manager Matt Landers agreed, adding, "we are implementing the recommendations.”
The Batavian asked if he had an idea of how many employees actually leave their jobs because of pay issues on a regular or annual basis and whether it’s across all departments or in particular departments.
“With a workforce of 550 people, we have regular turnover in numerous departments, along with long-term open vacancies,” he said. “We try to conduct exit interviews as often as possible, and although we don’t have any official stats, the most common reasons I hear of people leaving is for more money or a more flexible schedule that private sector employers can sometimes offer.”
The new American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contract is as follows:
Wages have a 4% increase for 2025, 3% for 2026 and 4% for 2027.
There is the creation of a Step 7, with a 4% increase. Members with approximately 7+ years of service will be moved to Step 7.
Beginning Jan. 1, longevity will increase from $.10/hour to $.20/hour for every five years of continuous service, to a maximum of 30 years. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, longevity will increase to $.25/hour for every five years of continuous service, to a maximum of 30 years.
Health Care:
2025 – employees hired prior to 1/1/15 will have a 13% cost share with a cap of 9% of earnings.
2026 – employees hired prior to 1/1/15 will have a 14% cost share with a cap of 9% of earnings.
2027 – employees hired prior to 1/1/15 will have a 15% cost share with a cap of 10% of earnings.
The Civil Service Employee Association (CSEA) is getting a 4% increase and management is getting a 3.5% increase. CSEA grade adjustments will be negotiated with the union in the coming months. Management and union members also receive annual step increases until they reach the top of their grade.
In addition, specific management positions were recommended for an additional one grade adjustment based on the Evergreen study. One grade adjustment equals an approximately 5% increase. Those positions are listed below:
- Director of Emergency Communications
- Compliance Officer
- Deputy Director Real Property
- Assistant DA-1st
- Director Children w/ Special Needs
- Environmental Health Director
- Clinical Services Director
- Director of Community Mental Health Services
- Deputy HR Director
- Systems Analyst I
- Clerk of the Legislature
- Director of OFA
- OFA Services Administrator
- Probation Director
- Public Defender
- Deputy County Manager
- Executive Assistant to County Manager
- Commissioner of Social Services
- Deputy DPW Commissioner
- Deputy Director Community Mental Health
- Human Resources Director
- IT Director
- Chief Deputy-Criminal
- Chief Deputy-Patrol
- Deputy County Attorney
- Sr Assistant Public Defender
- Jail Superintendent
- Undersheriff
The following are management salaries, including longevity pay, for 2025:
- Administrative Officer 77,067
- Administrative Officer 75,953
- Administrative Officer (Treas.) 89,193
- Adolescent Behavioral Coordinator 71,781
- Adolescent Behavioral Specialist I 47,930
- Adolescent Behavioral Specialist I Vacant -
- Adolescent Behavioral Specialist II 47,735
- Airport Supervisor 70,006
- Assistant County Attorney 88,790
- Assistant County Attorney 110,775
- Assistant County Attorney 104,669
- Assistant County Attorney 104,669
- Assistant County Engineer 108,137
- Assistant County Engineer - EIT 91,232
- Assistant District Attorney 88,790
- Assistant District Attorney 110,775
- Assistant District Attorney 88,620
- Assistant District Attorney 104,246
- Assistant District Attorney 90,011
- Assistant District Attorney 110,775
- Assistant District Attorney - 1st 104,079
- Assistant Public Defender 110,775
- Assistant Public Defender 110,775
- Assistant Public Defender 110,775
- Assistant Public Defender 98,561
- Assistant Public Defender 110,775
- Assistant Public Defender 111,975
- Assistant Public Defender 110,775
- Assistant Public Defender PT 47,441
- Assistant Public Defender 54,428 PT
- Assistant Public Defender PT 53,792
- Assistant Public Defender Vacant -
- Assistant Public Defender Vacant -
- Assistant Public Defender Vacant -
- Assistant Public Defender Vacant -
- Asst. Dir Of Emerg. Communications/Operations 76,282
- Chairperson 22,663
- Chief Deputy-Criminal Vacant -
- Chief Deputy-Road Patrol 113,175
- Clerk to the County Legislature 76,990
- Clerk/Machine Technician PT Hrly 21
- Clerk/Machine Technician PT Hrly 21
- Clerk/Machine Technician PT Hrly 21
- Clerk/Machine Technician PT Hrly 21
- Clerk/Machine Technician PT Hrly 21
- Clerk/Machine Technician PT Hrly 21
- Clinical Services Director 87,397
- Code Enforcement Officer I PT Hrly 25
- Commissioner of Public Works 137,048
- Commissioner of Social Services 119,689
- Compliance Officer 87,593
- Confidential Secretary-Co. Attorney 48,406
- Confidential Secretary - DSS 59,808
- Confidential Secretary-DA 67,357
- Confidential Secretary-MH 66,606
- Confidential Secretary-PD 67,706
- Confidential Secretary-Sheriff 67,357
- Conservation Education Program Coord. 65,057
- Coord. Of SPOA/CCSI 73,806
- Coroner (Paid Per Diem) 2,000
- Coroner (Paid Per Diem) 2,000
- Coroner (Paid Per Diem) 2,000
- Coroner (Paid Per Diem) 2,000
- County Attorney 144,830
- County Clerk 111,975
- County Historian/Archivist 65,521
- County Manager 149,279
- County Treasurer 110,219
- Deputy Commissioner of Public Works 106,876
- Deputy Commissioner of Public Works 89,090
- Deputy County Attorney 129,529
- Deputy County Clerk 95,736
- Deputy County Clerk 94,722
- Deputy County Manager 118,313
- Deputy County Treasurer Vacant
- Deputy Director of Community MH Services 88,290
- Deputy Director, Office of Emergency Management 69,977
- Deputy Election Commissioner 65,857
- Deputy Election Commissioner 66,657
- Deputy Fire Coordinator PT 7,500
- Deputy Fire Coordinator PT 7,500
- Deputy Fire Coordinator PT 7,500
- Deputy Fire Coordinator Vacant -
- Deputy Human Resources Director 92,722
- Deputy Jail Superintendent Vacant -
- Dir.Of Vet.Ser.Agency 85,300
- Director Of Community M H Services 121,582
- Director Of Emergency Communications 97,038
- Director of Financial Services 78,666
- Director Of Fiscal Oprerations & Child Support 74,996
- Director of Health Promotion 76,922
- Director of Information Technology 118,089
- Director of Office for the Aging 89,107
- Director of Planning 107,500
- Director of RPTS 74,852
- Director of Social Services 95,934
- Director, Office of Emergency Management 88,793
- Director-Children With Special Needs 93,409
- District Attorney 220,970
- District Attorney Investigator 86,793
- Election Commissioner 62,817
- Election Commissioner 62,817
- Electronic Health Records Program Specialist (MH) 63,507
- Emer. Management Training Tech. 54,723
- Empl. & Training Director II 86,910
- Empl. & Training Manager(WIB) 91,524
- Environmental Health Director 90,564
- Epidemiologist 66,684
- Epidemiologist 60,924
- Epidemiology Coordinator 80,956
- Executive Asst.-Co. Manager 89,060
- Fleet Maintenance Supervisor 71,831
- Gen. Justice Program Coord. 71,724
- GIS Analyst 62,808
- Health and Safety Coordinator 74,635
- Human Resources Director 123,729
- Human Resources Specialist 76,453
- IT Network Administrator 69,109
- IT Operations Analyst I 64,307
- IT Operations Analyst I 56,759
- IT Operations Analyst I 56,759
- IT Operations Analyst I 57,509
- IT Operations Analyst I 60,558
- IT Operations Analyst II 86,125
- Jail Superintendent 113,175
- Justice for Children Program Coord. 68,079
- Lead Program Coordinator 71,420
- Legislator 16,504
- MH Financial Program Specialist 50,802
- OFA Services Administrator 79,592
- PH Emergency Preparedness Coord. 82,292
- Probation Director (Group A) 107,900
- Probation Supervisor 77,882
- Probation Supervisor 81,927
- Project Manager Vacant -
- Public Communications & Web Design Specialist 65,109
- Public Defender 130,235
- Public Health Educator 67,256
- Public Health Educator 55,260
- Public Safety Systems Manager 74,347
- Purchasing Agent 65,637
- Purchasing Director 91,134
- Recycling Administrator 59,758
- Sheriff 124,529
- Specialist (Outpatient Clinic) 82,038
- Sr. Assistant Public Defender 124,529
- Sr. Assistant Public Defender 123,329
- Staff Psychiatrist Vacant -
- Systems Analyst I 73,806
- Transportation Coordinator - Health Dept. 59,611
- Undersheriff 118,713
