was proofreading an article for last week’s edition, it was discovered that two formulas were used to factor Greenwood County department head raises for 2026.
In the spreadsheet above, it shows that six raises for department heads were figured by calculating both the 3% cost of living (COLA) and the up to 2% merit and adding the three together; while the other eight were figured using a formula where the COLA was figured and added to the current pay (2025) before calculating the merit raise increase. By using this formula, those departments received more than a 5% increase. During planning, the commission approved up to 5% payroll increases, including a 3% COLA for all employees.
After reaching out to the county clerk and two county commissioners last week, it was shared with The Herald that the formulas hadn’t been changed from prior years and must have been entered that way previously.
The annual rates for department heads totals $780,353.14 if adding the current pay to the COLA and merit raises; while the pay rate using the other formula totals $780,744.30, a difference of $391.16 per year. However, since different formulas were used in calculating the raises, the total approved by commissioners during the Dec. 31, 2025 meeting for department heads was $780,683.21 per year.
The Herald staff has reviewed various department pay scales, but not all, with those being reviewed using the formula where the merit is calculated after the COLA was added to the current pay.
The commissioners also approved an annual salary of $11,794.90 for motor vehicle; however, that isn’t PLACE LOGO HERE shown in the spreadsheet above due to the COLA and merit not being applied.
Discussion of the various formulas wasn’t broached during the Greenwood County Commissioner’s weekly meeting this week; however, the spreadsheet was shared with three of the county commissioners following adjournment.
