Countywide : Top County Officials Won’t Get Pay Raise

The county sheriff, chief executive officer and the Board of Supervisors will not get a pay raise until at least next June.

The supervisors voted Tuesday to freeze their own salaries and those of their executive managers, marking the second consecutive year that the board has voted against a raise.

Last year, after rescinding a pay increase because of public outcry, the supervisors voted unanimously to freeze their wages. Tuesday’s decision also freezes the pay of elected officials such as Sheriff Brad Gates and appointed executive managers such as Chief Executive Officer Ernie Schneider.

Supervisors earn $82,056, plus bonuses for attending public meetings, said Russ Patton, county personnel director. Gates earns $110,136 and Schneider $134,160.

Last October, the board voted itself a 4% pay increase, raising the salaries of each of the five supervisors by $3,282 annually. The supervisors also approved a plan that would have given them automatic annual raises in step with other county personnel.

But just one week after approving the salary increase, the supervisors voted to forgo the raise in the wake of heavy criticism from the public and anti-tax organizations in the county. Although this year’s freeze was not a direct result of public pressure, people in the audience Tuesday urged the board to continue cutting government spending.

Among the suggestions were a plea that the supervisors to abolish their transportation allowance. More than 88 county officials are allotted a car allowance of $715 to $823 a month, Patton said, but Board Chairman Roger R. Stanton said he doesn’t know of anyone who is using the full amount.

“To have somebody stand up and say give up part of your benefits, I think is unfair,” Stanton said. “The fact is we’re trying to make conscientious decisions to be fiscally responsible.”

Tuesday’s action does not affect non-management county employees, most of whom will receive a 4% pay increase this year. Middle management may receive merit raises not to exceed 4%, Patton said.

“Those agreements were negotiated over a year ago,” he said.