Raises for many Webster County employees who are not members of a union were approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.

Those employees will receive a 3.5 percent raise, plus an extra $1.50 per hour, according to Supervisor Mark Campbell.

But they will not be getting what are known as step increases which allow them to move from one level of the pay scale to the next higher level.

The raises go into effect Friday, which is the beginning of the county’s next fiscal year.

The plan to drop the step increases was opposed by Supervisor Bob Thode, who said the county has been working to increase pay so that it can recruit and retain employees.

“They got hired knowing they had step increases,” he said.

“There was no discussion that I recall that we were going to take away step increase,” he added.