Committee discusses tying commissioner pay to county-executive salary; cost estimate short of immediate action

Committee members raised commissioner compensation as a distinct conversation during the budget meeting, discussing two principal methods for increasing commissioner pay and asking staff to model costs for the full commission.

Two methods outlined: one straightforward approach would tie commissioners’ pay to the county executive’s salary via a simple divisor (county executive salary divided by 14 was the working example used). Staff estimated the approach would require roughly $76,772 in additional recurring annual funding across the board in the scenario modeled. An alternative idea floated was a committee-weighted pay model that assigns higher pay to commissioners who serve on heavier-duty committees, but members described that approach as more complex and better suited to a later, fuller discussion.

Timing and procedure: members reminded the group that any change in commissioner compensation enacted now would not affect the current election cycle’s pay immediately; implementation timing for changes would be subject to standard budget-cycle and statutory timing. Committee members asked staff to put modeled options into the resolution packet so the full commission could discuss and, if appropriate, vote at a later date. No formal action was taken at the special-call meeting.