Town of Fountain Hills employees will likely see an increase on their paycheck beginning July 1.

The town council gave its preliminary endorsement for the wage increase at a special session Monday, May 6.

The council unanimously agreed to provide all employees with a potential 2.5 percent merit salary increase for the coming year. The raises will be distributed with 1 percent effective with the new fiscal year on July 1, with up to an additional 1.5 percent distributed to each employee on their anniversary date.

The council also approved an additional salary increase for Deputy Town Manager/Finance Director Julie Ghetti.

Councilman Dennis Brown praised Ghetti for her hard work leading the town and finances the past four years, assisting the town manager and the period in which she served as acting town manager.

Ghetti is to receive a 4.5 percent increase, which will take her annual salary to $97,837.

The Town Council completed its round of budget talks Monday evening with an additional discussion regarding the plan for $19 million in capital improvements for the coming fiscal year.

The council voted to add $40,000 specified for sidewalk projects in the downtown area. That money will come from an expected surplus after the Avenue of the Fountains median project is bid.

The CIP plan includes $8.2 million that relies on voter support of a November bond proposal to reconstruct Saguaro Boulevard.