Carbon County employees will see their pay rise in 2024 by 3.5%, however, the board of commissioners didn’t shut down the possibility of an additional bump in salary as they reopen the 2024 budget.

During the annual salary board meeting last week, the board approved several motions raising employee salaries by 3.5%. Commissioner Rocky Ahner made a motion to alter the raise, saying he felt the county could afford a 5% raise, but the motion was not seconded.

The board approved the raises in all departments under the board of commissioners jurisdiction; as well as in the offices of the clerk of courts, controller, coroner, public defender, recorder of deeds, register of wills/clerk of orphans court and treasurer.

Some officials, including the district attorney, prothonotary and sheriff requested executive sessions to further discussion the employee salaries before action was taken. The salary board meeting will reconvene on Thursday on this matter.

It was noted the requests deal with the matter of some employees in these departments are moving from nonunion to union status.

The commissioners said that with reopening the budget, which is allowed following election years when a new board is elected, they are hoping to look at a number of things, including if Ahner’s suggestion is feasible.

The county has until mid-February to adopt a new budget.