Butler County’s nonunion employees will receive a 3 percent raise next year.

The county salary board on Wednesday approved the increase to the base salaries of management and supervisory posts, which include department heads.

The amount matches what most county workers will get in January under union contracts.

Although the three county commissioners supported the budgeted increases, the sole incumbent returning next year did so with a proviso.

Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, board chairman, said this would be the last such automatic pay hike he will back.

He said a study is needed to evaluate the pay scales of these jobs and determine which personnel should make more money or not receive an automatic increase.

“I’ve never been able to get it done,” Pinkerton said about not getting enough support from other officials to initiate such a study.

County Controller Jack McMillin, the lone salary board member who did not approve every 3 percent increase, agreed the study needs done.

He said nonunion employee salaries must match the level of responsibility, something not happening now.

Commissioner Bill Patterson said the county should make future pay hikes based on a flat dollar amount rather than a percentage, which benefits higher paid employees.

“The disparities start to show,” Patterson said of percentage increases.

He said those gaps only get broader as time progresses.

Commissioner Jim Lokhaiser sided with Pinkerton and Patterson for the vote.

McMillin objected to the 3 percent hike for county personnel director Lori Altman, saying another 3 percent added to the 20 percent hike she was given earlier this month isn’t fair to other employees.

“That sends a bad message,” he said.

McMillin stressed his concerns are not a criticism of Altman’s job performance.

Pinkerton reiterated the 20 percent pay increase for the post was enacted because of the scope of responsibilities attached to that job.

“We found the position of personnel director was underpaid,” he said.

Pinkerton said in an interview that McMillin had the opportunity to voice objections to the 20 percent pay hike during the Dec. 7 meeting, but chose not to send anyone from his office to cast a vote.

McMillin previously said there was no one from his office present at the Dec. 7 meeting because he was out of town and he wasn’t putting his deputy in the position of being the lone objector to that increase.

Commissioner-elect Jim Eckstein agreed with McMillin that a 20 percent pay hike is not realistic, particularly during current economic times.

“We have longtime businesses closing and people losing their jobs,” Eckstein said.

He accused the commissioners of pushing the 20 percent pay hike forward this month so there would be less opposition.

“They knew it wouldn’t pass,” Eckstein, referring to him and McMillin having the ability next year to block pay hikes in salary board votes not involving row offices.

Eckstein takes office in January.

For personnel salary decisions for row offices, the respective row officer also receives a vote. In the case of court positions, the president judge has a vote.

Eckstein said a large pay hike for one person is demoralizing to county workers.

Pinkerton said after the meeting that Eckstein’s accusation was unfounded. He said the commissioners believed giving the raise was the right action to take, so the vote was taken.

Pinkerton emphasized the personnel director is on call and must spend extensive overtime negotiating union contracts and handling personnel issues for Butler County Prison and Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which both operate 24 hours a day.

Izti Meztli, a Slippery Rock councilman, also criticized the 20 percent salary increase.

“I just don’t see how one department head can be singled out,” he said.

Although two other department heads, the director of community action and the Children and Youth Services director, received pay increases on Dec. 7, theirs amounted to roughly $2 an hour.

The 20 percent for the personnel director equaled $6 an hour, which will take her pay to $35 an hour from $29 an hour.