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Commission approves undersheriff pay increase; discussion highlights role and pay comparators
Summary
After hearing a market‑rate comparison and role description, commissioners approved a salary adjustment for the undersheriff; commissioners also requested a broader countywide pay review in upcoming meetings.
Sheriff Hutchinson asked the Eddy County Board of Commissioners to approve a salary adjustment for the county’s undersheriff, saying the current pay is below market for chief law enforcement positions in the region.
“I'm wanting to show that any county has, you know, currently an undersheriff that has a very vast knowledge of experience,” Hutchinson said, listing comparative ranges for chiefs and undersheriffs in nearby cities. He described the undersheriff as the sheriff’s chief operating officer who manages day‑to‑day operations, personnel and can sign and swear deputies in the sheriff’s absence.
Commissioners pressed for context on how the adjustment would set future expectations. One commissioner voiced concern that raising the pay based solely on qualifications could leave future incoming sheriffs with an unvetted salary benchmark; Hutchinson said his request reflected market value within a 70‑mile radius, including Hobbs, Carlsbad and Roswell.
County Manager Mike Gallant told the board the item had been under development during a transitional period and said the request is part of broader conversations about competitive county salaries. Several commissioners said they supported the undersheriff’s qualifications and the pay adjustment but asked staff to return with a countywide review of pay scales for department heads and other positions at an upcoming meeting.
A motion to approve the undersheriff pay adjustment carried unanimously. Commissioners also directed staff to pursue a more comprehensive county pay analysis for future meetings.
