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County coroner asks commissioners to consider local pay increase as state action stalls
Summary
Glynn County coroner Mark Newg told commissioners he supports state legislation to raise coroner pay but asked the commission to consider a local raise because the state change has not taken effect.
Mark Newg, the elected county coroner, asked the Glynn County Commission on Tuesday to consider raising the coroner's local salary while state legislation that would increase pay remains unresolved.
Newg told commissioners his current salary is $32,224 and that the last local increase was established in 1994. He said the most recent state proposal would raise pay for counties with populations of 75,000 to 99,999 to $50,000. "The latest legislation ... would increase my salary to $50,000 and that's the population of 75,000 to 99,999. And that's what I would request," Newg said.
The coroner said the matter has been discussed repeatedly at the state level and described the effort as ongoing. He also provided the commission with an elected-official salary survey included in the meeting packet.
County staff told commissioners the county is authorized to increase the coroner's pay locally without waiting for state action. A staff member told the commission that while the county can "confirm that legislation, you are also authorized to increase it locally." The discussion did not produce a motion or vote by the commission; commissioners asked questions and received the information as a matter for later consideration.
Why it matters: coroner pay is set by a mix of state and local rules in Georgia, and the coroner described a long-running effort to secure statutory changes. Commissioners may consider whether to adopt a local salary adjustment to align pay with proposed state increases, or to wait for the state law to take effect.
The commission did not take formal action Tuesday. Staff recommended the board can adopt a local salary adjustment, and commissioners indicated they will consider next steps.
