Decision Tool · Cost to Close the Gap
Model what it costs to fix the County's pay gap.
The County's own 2021 study found employees averaging 7.4% below market minimum, 9.0% below midpoint, and 9.9% below maximum. Pick a target, choose who to fund and over how many years, and see the all-in cost (base plus the VRS employer rollup). This is the live tool the Board and HR Director operate during adoption; at engagement award it runs on the County's actual roster.
Target market position
Bring pay to the middle of the market (2021 finding: 9.0% below).
Workforce
Phase over
Positions affected (est.)
582
All-in annual cost at full implementation
$3,448,531
Base + VRS employer rollup
Year-1 cost (phased over 2 yr)
$2,273,582
Public safety + first general tranche
Phased implementation
Year 1
$2,273,582
Public safety + first general tranche
Year 2
$1,174,949
General workforce tranche
| Functional family | Positions est. | Avg base | Pension class | Δ Base | Δ Pension | Δ All-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheriff's Office (sworn LE) | 96 | $69,429 | Enhanced Haz. Duty | $599,863 | $98,977 | $698,840 |
| Emergency Services / Fire & EMS | 62 | $61,500 | Enhanced Haz. Duty | $343,170 | $56,623 | $399,793 |
| County Administration & Finance | 57 | $67,500 | VRS Hybrid | $346,275 | $38,090 | $384,365 |
| Public Works & General Services | 57 | $55,500 | VRS Hybrid | $284,715 | $31,319 | $316,034 |
| Constitutional Officers' Staff | 51 | $56,667 | VRS Hybrid | $260,100 | $28,611 | $288,711 |
| Public Utilities (Water & Sewer) | 51 | $56,500 | VRS Hybrid | $259,335 | $28,527 | $287,862 |
| Community Development & Inspections | 45 | $63,000 | VRS Hybrid | $255,150 | $28,067 | $283,217 |
| Parks, Recreation, Tourism & Library | 42 | $49,000 | VRS Hybrid | $185,220 | $20,374 | $205,594 |
| Social Services (state-supervised) | 40 | $51,000 | VRS Hybrid | $183,600 | $20,196 | $203,796 |
| Information Technology & GIS | 25 | $72,000 | VRS Hybrid | $162,000 | $17,820 | $179,820 |
| Emergency Communications (E-911) | 25 | $49,000 | VRS Hybrid | $110,250 | $12,128 | $122,378 |
| Voter Registration & Animal Services | 17 | $46,000 | VRS Hybrid | $70,380 | $7,742 | $78,122 |
| Economic Development & Extension | 14 | $0 | VRS Hybrid | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total | 582 | $3,060,058 | $388,473 | $3,448,531 |
Illustrative model grounded in the County's 2021 study market gap (7.4% / 9.0% / 9.9% below minimum / midpoint / maximum; Isle of Wight via Evergreen Solutions, reported by the Smithfield Times, April 2022). Position counts and average base are illustrative; at engagement award the model runs on the County's actual incumbent payroll, filled-vs-vacant status, longevity step, FLSA eligibility, and VRS plan distribution, reconciled against the VRS valuation and the comparators' adopted pay plans.