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Highlands County grants county administrator 6.377% raise after public evaluation
Summary
After a public performance review with an average score near 90%, the Board approved a 6.377% salary increase for County Administrator Laurie Herner that raises her pay to approximately $190,000; one commissioner voted against the increase citing budgetary comparisons.
The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners completed its annual public evaluation of County Administrator Laurie Herner on Nov. 4 and approved a salary increase of 6.377%, moving her pay to a reported $190,000.
Commissioners publicly discussed narrative evaluations and numeric scores submitted as part of the annual review. Several commissioners praised Herner’s accessibility, improved staff relations and steady leadership. Commissioner Roberts summarized that commissioners’ aggregated scores averaged roughly 90 out of 100, indicating strong overall performance.
Commissioner Scott (S20) noted fiscal considerations when judging percentage increases at higher salary levels and said he favored a smaller percentage tied to county‑wide salary policy; Commissioner Kerouac (S19/S20) voted no on the eventual motion, stating the county should be cautious given comparative pay and benefit packages. Commissioner Elwell and others argued that Herner’s performance and local commitment justified a larger adjustment. Commissioner Don (S11) moved the 6.377% increase (a motion framed to bring the administrator’s annualized pay to about $190,000); the motion was seconded and carried, with a single dissenting vote.
Herner thanked the board and emphasized her commitment to county employees and services. Commissioners asked staff to better schedule the evaluation process earlier in the fiscal year and to provide comparative salary analyses of similar counties to inform future compensation decisions.
