Compensation for county employees was one of the top items members of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors instructed the county administrator to emphasize when preparing the next fiscal year’s budget.

The board discussed a number of suggestions in the late hours of its regular meeting that began Feb. 2 and continued until after midnight in the colonial courthouse.

“Compensation should be our number-one issue,” said Abingdon district supervisor Robert “JJ” Orth, for both school and county employees.

At-large supervisor John Meyer Jr. said the board should try to make the county and school system raises equivalent, but not mandate it due to slightly different circumstances between the two entities.

“I think the administrator should consider a two-tier pay system for the county, meaning that exempt and non-exempt employees be considered for different percentages,” Meyer added. He said the non-exempt would be the lower wage earners, whom...