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 The mood was bitter outside the Government Services Center in Hamilton, as county employees trickled out on break

Friday, May 9.

The consensus among the dozen Butler County employees interviewed (they all asked not to be named): County commissioners were punishing them for exorbitant pay raises given to a few.

Commissioners froze employee pay raises and promotions Thursday directing the county administrator to conduct a salary survey to determine if county employees are overpaid.

Commissioner Donald Dixon said many employees get automatic 7 percent pay increases every year, plus several more increases with any promotion.

Commissioners weren't the only ones concerned. West Chester Twp. resident Mark Haverkos chided commissioners Thursday for approving 20 pay raises — ranging from 3 percent to 6.3 percent — before implementing the freeze.

"Tell agencies no to their spending habits," Haverkos said.

Commissioners said those pay increases had backed up over a few weeks. To address employee concerns, they said any pay increases approved after the freeze will be retroactive.

But personnel directors for the affected agencies, totaling roughly 600 workers, said most raises are driven by union contracts.

"We want to be ... competitive and attract the best workers," said Children Services Personnel Director Thomas Nowel.

Workers in that department get a 3 percent increase plus a 3.35 percent increase annually until they hit their maximum salary, then they get only 3 percent unless they're promoted and get two more pay hikes.

This is common in Butler County, but not everywhere. Employees in Hamilton County generally get 3 percent annually, but received no raise this year. In Warren County, workers get as much as a 3 percent raises every year.

The average private sector American earned a 3.8 percent pay increase in 2007, according to New York-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

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