Bonuses could be on the horizon for Dawson County government employees.
The county commission is expected to approve a one-time about $500 net bonus for full-time employees during Thursday's meeting. The board is also considering a stipend for permanent part-time employees.
For the fifth year, the 2013 budget, which was approved in July, does not include salary increases for employees, though commissioners acknowledge the cost of living has risen.
"It was a little painful that I couldn't recommend salary increases with [our]budget constraints," said commission chairman Mike Berg. "But I did say at that time to the department heads that if there were funds available toward the end of this year, we'd try to do a one-time payout for fulltime employees."
If approved, the amount of $132,409 to cover bonuses for the county's 246 full-time employees will be taken from the fund balance.
Commissioner Julie Hughes Nix said she wants the board to take a look at the county's roughly 47 permanent part-time employees and find a way to also compensate them.
As a whole, commissioners appear poised to approve the measure, which would put bonus checks in employees' hands in time for Thanksgiving.
Commissioner James Swafford said he suggested giving bonuses to employees last year.
"I'm glad that we'll be able to do that even though it has to come out of fund balance," Swafford said. "The folks that will receive this are the ones that work hard, that helped us get to the point that we have money in fund balance. This is a good thing and I hope it will help."