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Washington County committee opens discussion on board pay increase after 26 years without change
Summary
Committee members debated whether to raise county supervisor pay for the first time in decades, weighing recruitment and equity arguments against timing and optics; staff will prepare a formal proposal for the full board.
Washington County Executive Committee members opened a detailed discussion on increasing county board supervisor pay — a matter not adjusted since 1999 — and instructed staff to prepare a proposal for full‑board consideration.
Chairman and committee members reviewed material showing that, if board pay had kept pace with inflation since 1999, the monthly amount would be far higher than the current rate. Several supervisors argued modest, structured increases would broaden the pool of candidates — particularly working-class residents who must take time off work to serve — while others cautioned about optics and the current budget environment.
Supervisor Kelly argued forcefully for an increase and linked pay to broader efforts to recruit working‑class candidates and make the chair position accessible to people who are employed full-time. "We need to make sure we've got the best available person. You want the best person, not just somebody who has the time to put into it," Kelly said, further supporting a modest raise and tying periodic adjustments to inflation or the budget cycle.
Supervisor Scholtes and others expressed concern about timing and the symbolic effect of raising board pay while staff budgets are under pressure. Several members supported drafting a formal proposal and reviewing it with the full board.
No motion to change pay was made at the meeting; the committee directed the chair and staff to work on a draft proposal to present to the full county board. Ideas discussed included a modest base increase, an extra stipend for committee chairs, a possible chair salary adjustment, and tying future adjustments to a biannual or budget-year review process.
