Gwinnett County employees will get a raise and residents will see some services restored after commissioners agreed to approve millions of dollars in new spending Tuesday.
As part of the county’s $1.4 billion budget, Gwinnett employees will get a 4 percent pay raise in 2015. Aside from a 3 percent market adjustment in 2014, salaries had been frozen since 2009.
Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said she hoped the move would help quell some of the attrition across departments.
“It certainly feels like a very positive step to be able to recognize the good work our employees have done,” she said. “It feels like we’re moving forward, as opposed to sitting still.”
The pay raise will cost about $7.3 million and will be effective on an employee’s anniversary date. Whether it will be repeated in 2016 depends on the availability of money to support additional raises in the future.
In emailed comments to commissioners, residents largely were in favor of the raises, while also asking that more money go to code enforcement, parks or the libraries.
Nash said a number of county employees reached out to her to thank you for the raises.
“I think it’s a significant effect,” she said.”It’s affirmation of our ability to move forward.”
Nash said this year’s spending was getting back to normal and meant that residents would not feel “the same level of austerity.”
In addition to raises, the county has budgeted money for a new fire station near Georgia Gwinnett College, added bus routes on Saturday and approved more than a dozen new positions in the courts and at the Sheriff’s office.
Some money is being restored to the library system, and funds are being added to enhance transportation services for seniors in the county.
The county also plans to increase the frequency of roadway mowing and sweeping. Nash said she was pleased the county had the money to do both more often.
“The looks of the community are important in terms of the image we project to the public,” Nash said.
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