West Chester Township taxpayers will fund up to $435,945 in merit-based pay raises for 91 non-union employees, with increases effective in July 2026.

The Board of Trustees approved the raises, the Journal-News reported Wednesday, July 8. The exact vote tally was not published. Trustees Ann Becker and Amanda Ortiz voiced support; Trustee Lee Wong's position was not recorded in available reporting.

The raises are capped at 6.65% per employee and tied to performance evaluations completed earlier this year, township administrator Lisa Brown told the Journal-News. Not every employee will receive the full amount. The spending represents 6.65% of the township's total non-union payroll and 1.6% of its overall salary budget, according to a report prepared by Tonya Pointer, director of administrative services.

Included in the $435,945 pool: $35,297 earmarked for part-time firefighters and fire inspectors not covered by the union contract. Those employees will receive a flat 6.65% bump.

The raises are the second phase of a compensation study completed in 2025 by McGrath Human Resources Group. That study compared West Chester's pay and benefits to 31 other public and private organizations and led the township to adopt a range-based salary structure pegged to the 60th percentile of the local public-sector market. Job title changes and additional benefits were also part of the overhaul.

Becker, a trustee since 2017, said the township has lost staff to higher-paying employers. "We can't have the government that we have and the work that we do here, without having good people to back it up," she said. "Just to be able to keep folks on the team, we do have to make sure they have the raises they need to stay competitive."

Trustee Amanda Ortiz said she supported the move to keep employees focused on their work by ensuring competitive wages and benefits. The township said the raises aim to reduce turnover and improve recruiting.

The next regular Board of Trustees meeting is Tuesday, July 22, at 5 p.m. at Township Hall, 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road; agendas and meeting videos are available at WestChesterOH.org/Trustees.