James River Valley Library System approves pay raises for staff
Library workers will see raises in their next paycheck after a unanimous board vote that added about $25,000 to the 2026 salary budget.
The James River Valley Library System board gave staff pay increases a unanimous green light, setting up raises to hit employees’ next paycheck and reshaping the system’s pay structure at the same time. The 6-0 vote came June 10 at Alfred Dickey Public Library in Jamestown, with Jamestown City Councilman David Schloegel absent.
The board did more than approve a one-time adjustment. It also adopted a new pay scale for employees and signed off on a 2% step raise that will begin in 2027, a change that turns the compensation decision into a longer-term budget commitment. The 2026 budget is expected to carry about a $25,000 increase for salaries and wages.
That matters because the library system has to submit its budget to the City of Jamestown and Stutsman County by June 30. Jessica Alonge, the Stutsman County auditor and chief operating officer who also serves on the library board, has said the system’s 2025 budget was projected to be just slightly above break-even and funded through mill levies from the city and county.
The new pay plan arrives with a clear operational purpose. The James River Valley Library System depends on trained staff to keep circulation moving, answer reference questions, run children’s programming, maintain public computers and support community events. In that setting, even a modest raise can help the system hold onto employees who might otherwise leave for better-paying work.
That could shape more than payroll. Better retention can help preserve regular hours, reduce turnover and keep service steady for patrons who use Alfred Dickey and the broader library network for daily needs, school support and public access to information. The 2% step raise set for 2027 also creates a higher baseline the board will have to build into future spending plans.
The board meets regularly on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at Alfred Dickey Library, and its membership reflects the joint city-county structure behind the system. The city’s current listed members include Denise Waldie, Emaline Roorda, Gail Martin, Jacalyn Barnes, Joan Morris, Sarah Hellekson and Jessica Alonge.
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