Austin justice of the peace asks county to equalize judge pay; commissioners table decision for more data

Judge Gandolfo, the justice of the peace in Austin, asked the Lander County Board of Commissioners on May 8 to raise his annual compensation to match a higher salary that the commission recently approved for another justice of the peace. Gandolfo presented his years on the bench, continuing legal education and repeated coverage of other courts as justification for parity, and asked the commission to adopt the same salary level for the next fiscal year.

Why it matters: The request would substantially increase the judge's pay from the current $46,154.64. Commissioners expressed sympathy for addressing a long-standing disparity but said they needed more data before approving a large increase, and they agreed to table the matter so staff can assemble budget numbers and historical senior-judge costs before the board sets final pay as part of the upcoming budget process.

What the judge asked for: "I'm simply applying as an elected official in Lander County to be put on that same level," Judge Gandolfo said, referring to an earlier commission discussion about bringing elected officials to parity. The packet presented to the board states a requested figure of $89,307 for the upcoming fiscal year; Judge Gandolfo said he was raising the figure because the board had previously indicated a desire to keep elected-official pay levels consistent across the county.

Commissioners and stakeholders weigh in: Supporters on the record included Judge Spencer Roberts (Argenta justice court), who said Gandolfo "has been a total asset" and covered many sessions, and Sheriff's Office representative Robert Quick, who said the sheriff's office relies on Gandolfo and would support comparable compensation. The county's court administrator, Jenny Martin, said Gandolfo's regular coverage of other courts had reduced the county's use of outside "senior judges," saving the county money. Former judge Denise Fortune and county prosecutors also spoke in favor of the judge's professionalism and coverage.

Questions from commissioners centered on fiscal impact and precedent. Deputy District Attorney Mike McConnell explained the statutory framework for setting justice-of-the-peace pay and noted the board has discretion to increase compensation above the minimum established prior to an election; he also proposed a narrower approach as an example: giving Gandolfo the same percentage increase (27%) the commission gave to another judge would raise his pay to roughly $58,616.39, an $12,461.75 increase from his current salary.

Tabled for more information: Commissioners asked staff for additional numbers, including historical spending on senior judges (the record cited $36,550 paid to senior judges over a prior multi-year period) and the court budget's current allocations for training and pro tem coverage. By consensus the commission agreed to defer final action and asked staff to return with detailed backup in time to consider any change before the final fiscal-year budget is approved.

Ending: The commission did not adopt a salary increase at the May 8 meeting; commissioners directed staff to compile senior-judge expense history, estimated fiscal impact, and a proposed memorandum of understanding to clarify coverage agreements among the county's justice courts. The board will revisit the request at a future meeting before the final budget vote.