It all comes down to dollars and cents when you are dealing with a budget.

But on Thursday, the board of commissioners chose to hold the line and not move additional funds into the already approved 2023 budget to cover the additional nearly $100,000 in salaries approved at the annual salary board earlier this month.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein, who also voted in favor of the additional increases in salaries for the 26 employees - 22 of those being under the courts - made two motions to authorize the transfer of funds within the budget to cover the increases of the alternate motions. Both motions died for lack of a second.

The fact that the motion to transfer these funds to cover these actions failed on Thursday now means that these positions’ salaries will remain at the 2022 rates until the next salary board meeting on Feb. 2 when they will be readdressed.

Commissioners Chris Lukasevich and Rocky Ahner had voted against these amended increases, which were higher than the recommended increases based on the new wage scale.

According to the chart provided at Thursday’s meeting, the 26 positions in question would have pushed up the annual cost for salaries up by $97,848.64 over what had been budgeted for the year.

During the annual salary board meeting, much discussion occurred between the board and President Judge Roger Nanovic, who said the wages the county proposed were too low.

He changed the exhibit for his departments to reflect salaries that he felt were adequate. After several motions for each position, the employees in question were approved for increases in a 3-2 vote, with Nanovic, Nothstein and Controller Mark Sverchek voting in favor.

On position on Thursday’s motion was the treatment court coordinator/court grant manager, which again brought discussion.

Ahner reiterated that he feels this position should not be combined and should be standalone.