Butler County is overhauling the pay structure for its workers.

The county salary board on Wednesday took the first step in the process by adjusting the base salaries of about 30 secretarial posts in various offices, including their own.

The additional compensation that county employees receive based on their seniority remains unaffected.

County Controller Ben Holland said the new pay rates, which rose for some jobs and decreased for others, would eventually save $25,000 annually.

The workers whose salaries rise receive that raise now while those employees whose posts decrease retain their current wages.

The decreases will take effect after a current worker leaves that post.

Until attrition occurs, the county will pay an additional $4,000 annually due to the altered salaries.

Under the administrative assistant I posts, secretarial staff at the prison, coroner’s office, park and recreation department, court administration and veterans services change from a base salary range of $17.58 to $20.20 to one rate of $19.2 an hour.

For administrative assistant II posts, which are in human services, adult probation, the public defender’s office and district judges’ offices, the current pay range of $18.99 to $21.85 converts to $20.30 an hour.

Administrative assistant III jobs, which are in the commissioners’ and county judges’ offices, switch from a range of $21.14 to $21.85 an hour to $21.40 an hour.

The salary board vote approving the changes was 3 to 1.

County Commissioner Jim Eckstein opposed the measure, saying any pay increase should be delayed until the reductions could occur.

Eckstein asked his fellow board members to make the net change revenue-neutral.

“This is just terrible,” he said.

Commissioner Bill McCarrier disagreed there is any problem implementing the full revisions.

“We’re not giving huge raises,” McCarrier said.

He stressed the new salary schedule eliminates inequity.

Eckstein said there is no way to know when the net savings kick in.

“The concept is ridiculous,” he said. “Let’s have the guts to do the right thing.”

Holland said the county has to start somewhere in adjusting salaries.

“Now, we’ve got a starting block,” he said.

Eckstein was not convinced.

“We’re going $12,000 in the hole, bing, bing, bing,” he said.

Eckstein said the annual cost would actually be $8,000 annually when benefits expenses are factored into the equation.

He said there are underpaid employees in other areas of county government, including three department heads, but changes are happening in the offices of the top brass.

McCarrier said the county would review what other salary adjustments need made based on the recommendations of a salary study.