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Commissioners approve 3% wage increase for elected officials after questions about unpaid county surveyor
Summary
Jackson County commissioners voted to adopt a 3% wage increase for elected officials and certain board positions after a discussion that raised questions about why the county surveyor position receives no salary and why the medical examiner is listed with contracted services.
Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted to approve staff’s recommendation to grant a 3% pay increase for elected officials and certain board positions on Jan. 21, passing the motion after a roll-call vote.
The vote followed a discussion led by Commissioner Bair, who raised several questions about the list of positions included in the pay increase and historical decisions about which offices receive salary. Bair noted two people on the list were not elected officials and therefore ordinarily would receive pay tied to the elected official they serve, and said the county surveyor — an elected position, Bair said — appears to be listed as a no-pay office despite assigned responsibilities.
Bair asked whether the remonumentation program and maintenance of survey records were being performed and why the surveyor position received no pay. County staff responded that administrative support for the surveyor’s office is provided by Delaine Armstrong and that the controller’s office funds staff and office functions. The board described the arrangement as past practice: the surveyor maintains records through his private business while administrative staff perform and document remonumentation work funded by county administration.
Bair also questioned why the medical examiner appears on the same list as elected officials. County officials explained the medical examiner is provided through a contract (historically with the local hospital) and that the office is treated as an office, not an individual, for compensation purposes because the county contracts for the medical examiner service.
Commissioner Bair additionally recounted a prior decision to require board approval for compensation of the under sheriff and chief deputy to avoid pay inversion with the sheriff; the board described that as a historical practice adopted in the 2010s.
On the motion to concur with staff’s recommendation, the roll-call vote was: Commissioner Bair — yes; Vice Chairman Marjorie Walls — yes; Commissioner Corey Kennedy — no; Commissioner Ducham — (no individual vote recorded in transcript); Commissioner Pulaski — yes; Commissioner Willis — yes; Commissioner Williams — no; Commissioner Snell — yes; Chairman Shotwell — yes. The motion passed.
