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Harnett County commissioners approve pay increases for Board of Elections leadership over objections
Summary
The board voted 4-1 to raise compensation for the Board of Elections chair to $800 and other members to $700 per month, after debate over whether the board of elections' executive committee should have been consulted and whether increases should await the budget cycle.
HARNETT COUNTY — The Harnett County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to increase monthly pay for members of the county Board of Elections, setting the chairman's stipend at $800 and other members at $700.
The motion prompted debate about process. One commissioner argued state law requires the elections board's director to consult the board and bring a recommendation; another cited North Carolina statute that sets a $25-per-meeting minimum and said the county has discretion to pay above that minimum. A commissioner who opposed the manner of the increase said the executive board had not met to consider the change and called the move "bargaining with one person."
During discussion commissioners offered two implementation options: one said the pay could be made effective immediately via a budget amendment; another suggested deferring changes to the next budget cycle. The motion as moved did not include an explicit effective date. After discussion the board approved the increase on a 4-1 vote.
County staff told commissioners they would research pay for similar boards in surrounding counties and provide recommendations during the budget process for other boards and committees that have not had adjustments in many years.
The board relied on statutory authority referenced in the meeting outlining a minimum allowance and the board of county commissioners' discretion to set additional pay. Commissioners who supported the increase cited the increased workload on the elections board after decisions to move early voting locations out of schools.
