Despite the recent economy, about 130 Freeborn County employees will receive annual step raises in salary on July 1.

The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners looked into the possibility of not having the increases, but that is not an uncommon debate, said Freeborn County Administrator John Kluever.

“It was pretty much business as usually in terms of commissioners considering it,” Kluever said.

The step raises affect about 130 of about 287 Freeborn County employees and will cost a total of about $130,000. The total annual payroll is about $11 million, Kluever said.

This step occurs around July 1 each year. That is usually when the 14th payroll period of the year, marking the beginning of the second half of 26 payrolls, Kluever said.

Each employee’s salary will step each of the first 12 years they’re employed, Kluever said. After that, the increases stop, he said.

Like the step raises, Kluever said wage increases are often discussed each year. He said the possibility of a wage freeze won’t be seriously discussed until August when the commissioners begin discussing the 2010 budget.