The Clay County Commission approved a transfer of funds to pay stipends to deputies who perform occasional supervisory duties after a countywide classification study removed a formal corporal rank.
Captain Amy Agderian of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office asked the commission to approve a fund transfer to cover stipends for personnel who fill temporary supervisory roles. The item, listed as 2025-224, moved $39,000 “to finance an annual $2,750 stipend for 21 deputies and officers holding corporal designation with an extra responsibilities for the remainder of 2025,” according to county staff.
Agderian told the commission the county’s compensation and classification study did not retain a formal corporal rank but that the sheriff’s office still needs staff who can step into supervisory roles on a 24/7 operation. “I am asking on behalf of the sheriff's office for you to approve this transfer for the remainder of this year to address our stipends for corporals,” Agderian said.
Discussion focused on how the stipend differs from past pay for the position. Commissioners noted that prior to the study corporals received a 5% pay increase; Agderian and HR Director Kim Callahan said the sheriff elected not to continue a permanent 5% increase and instead use a stipend to compensate employees for intermittent supervisory duty. Callahan said the stipend can be assigned to different employees as needs arise and that next year the sheriff’s office expects the stipend to be incorporated into the regular budget and pay codes.
Commissioner Johnson moved approval. The motion passed on a recorded roll call 6–0 (Yes: Johnson, Wagner, Thompson, Carpenter, Whittington, Lawson). County staff said the auditor assisted in preparing the transfer documents and that the stipend will be paid through an identified pay code rather than a permanent base-salary increase.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to include the stipend plan in next year’s budget documents so the county can review how the payment is implemented and tracked.