Clark County commissioners will likely give county employees raises and fund an economic development organization, but they have not reached consensus on funding for parks and recreation or for a new STEM school.

During a discussion Tuesday about the 2013 budget that at times became contentious, commissioners said they favored allocating $220,000 toward salary increases that would be spread across county departments.

Commissioners earlier this month discussed giving employees 2 percent raises across the board but said the new plan was a better option because it would give lower-paid employees larger pay increases than the higher-paid employees.

Commissioner David Hartley went further, raising his voice at points, saying officials need to do more for low-wage employees who he says were hurt financially by Commissioners John Detrick and Rick Lohnes’ 2-1 vote to increase employee health insurance premiums.

“If we give everybody a 2 percent raise, the fat cats make out and the people down below get 2 percent on their measly salary” Hartley said.

Detrick and Lohnes reiterated their position for increasing insurance premiums, saying most people pay more for health insurance than county employees.

“We had to show some ownership to the taxpayers of Clark County by making our people pay (a little more.) We’ve got the best health care there is,” Detrick said.

Administrator Nathan Kennedy is working to finalize a $37.4 million general fund budget that’s up about $1 million from the 2012 budget. The overall 2013 budget is up slightly at about $155 million.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the budget in January.

Detrick, Hartley and Lohnes also support funding the Dayton Development Coalition, an economic development group in which Clark County and the city of Springfield are members.

The coalition received $8,000 last year, but all three support increasing funding for the group to $15,000.

Commissioners, however, disagreed on funding for the National Trail Parks and Recreation District, which lost $280,000 annually from the county a few years ago.

Last year, Detrick and Hartley agreed to give the organization $80,000, but officials are currently far apart on a figure for 2013. Hartley wants to give NTPRD $240,000, while Detrick and Lohnes wants to give the organization $25,000 but said they would revisit the issue in July and could increase funding for the organization if the budget allows.

Lohnes previously opposed providing any funding for the organization but reached a compromise with Detrick, who wanted to give NTPRD $38,000.

Lohnes had said NTPRD didn’t need more money because voters recently approved a 0.6-mill, 5-year tax levy for NTPRD and the Clark County Park District.

The levy will generate $390,000 for the park district and $1 million for NTPRD.

Detrick also suggested commissioners provide $100,000 toward a new agricultural bioscience STEM school at the former South High School.

“This is a community involvement in a multimillion project, and if we can come up with helping them, it will return to this community numerous jobs … and lead to a very innovative program related to agriculture,” Detrick said.

Kennedy cautioned officials about pledging $100,000 toward the project due to the uncertainty of the economy, the potential for state local government fund cuts and a possible reduction in sales tax revenue.

“2013 could be a very good year for the county general fund, or it could be a bad year,” Kennedy said.

Hartley and Lohnes did not take a position on funding the STEM school, and the issue was dropped. The issue will likely be brought before the board at a later date, officials said.

In other business, commissioners voted unanimously in favor of contracts with unions that represent county dispatchers and nurses.

The deal for 16 Clark County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers includes 2 percent raises in 2013 and 2014. The contract for four county nurses includes step increases in 2013 and 2 percent raises in 2014.