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Coroner seeks statewide salary change; will ask county for successor pay plan if state legislation stalls
Summary
Dawson County Coroner detailed efforts to secure statewide legislative changes to standardize coroner pay and said he may request a local minimum starting salary for the coroner position if the state measure does not pass.
Coroner Ted told commissioners he has been carrying legislative efforts through the coroner’s association to standardize pay for coroners and deputy coroners across Georgia. He said a salary bill has passed the House previously and that Senator Gooch planned to carry a version in the Senate; he added that the measure has been blocked from floor action by a single senator in past sessions and that he has been working with the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and other legislators to secure floor time.
The nut graf: if the state bill does not pass, the coroner said he will return to the commissioners next year to seek a county-level policy setting a starting salary for his successor. He stressed that his request would be for a baseline for the office rather than additional pay for his current incumbency.
The coroner also suggested the county examine fee structures for removal and crime-lab trips to address uncompensated travel related to evidence collection; he said deputies sometimes make lengthy trips (e.g., to GBI labs) that are not fully accounted for in current billing. He praised county support for his office and said an additional deputy hired last year has materially improved operations.
No board action was taken; the coroner’s remarks were informational and flagged as potential future budget discussion should state legislation fail.
