The Finance and Audit Committee voted to send a draft resolution that would raise salaries for countywide elected offices to the full county board for consideration. The committee vote on item 9.1 was recorded as a majority yes and the measure will move to the county board for final action.

Committee members debated the measure at length, focusing on when increases would take effect, the effect of automatic cost-of-living indexing and the county’s near-term budget shortfall. Scott (Deputy administrator/finance staff) said the last countywide salary resolution was adopted in 2021 and that the proposal would apply to officials elected at the next election, not to incumbents in office now. He also said the sheriff’s proposed increase would move that office from the statutory minimum (80% of the state’s attorney’s salary) toward parity with the state’s attorney.

Proponents argued the increases are intended to keep countywide offices—such as circuit clerk, coroner, auditor, clerk/recorder and treasurer—competitive with comparable county department-head pay and to avoid losing qualified internal candidates to higher-paying private or municipal jobs. Several speakers urged viewing the proposal in the context of personnel retention and the county’s capacity to deliver services.

Opponents and cautious members said the county is facing an estimated $3 million gap in the current budget (and a larger projected shortfall next year), and recommended taking the board’s wider budget strategy into account before enacting ongoing salary changes. Several committee members called for separating or removing automatic CPI indexing from the resolution so future adjustments require explicit board action.

The committee recorded a motion to approve item 9.1 and forward it to the county board. The motion was seconded for discussion; roll-call votes were recorded in committee as “yes” by John, Eric, Carolyn, Brian and the chair, and the motion carried. The committee noted statutory and procedural limits: any salary changes tied to elected offices cannot affect current officeholders until the next term and must follow statutory timelines for effective dates.

The full county board will receive the resolution and supporting materials next; committee members said they expect further debate there and recommended the board consider the measure together with the county’s budget priorities for the coming fiscal year.

Ending — The committee vote forwards the proposal to the county board; the board will take the final policy vote and determine whether to adopt salary changes, to alter indexing, or to make other adjustments before any increase becomes effective.