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Mason County approves raise for coroner to $17,000 after debate over long-standing pay levels
Summary
After months of review and discussion, Mason County Fiscal Court approved increasing the coroner's annual pay to $17,000 with deputy coroners to receive half that amount; commissioners framed the change as correcting a multi-decade oversight and voted 3-1 to adopt the increase effective immediately.
Maysville, Ky.
Mason County Fiscal Court voted on Sept. 10 to increase the coroner's annual compensation to $17,000, with deputy coroners to be paid half that amount, a measure commissioners said corrects a long-standing pay disparity.
Coroner David Lawrence appeared before the court to discuss the job's responsibilities and rising demands on the office. Commissioners noted the state average for coroner pay cited during staff research and described the prior lack of adjustment as an oversight.
"I just want to start off by saying...this was an oversight," one commissioner said during the discussion, adding that the coroner's duties often involve work at "the worst day of [a family's] life." Commissioners debated using the state average figure and the Consumer Price Index as guides before settling on a compromise figure.
After a motion and second, the court approved an immediate salary increase for the coroner to $17,000 annually and directed that deputy coroner compensation be set at half the coroner's rate. The roll call recorded three affirmative votes and one opposing vote; the motion passed.
Why it matters: County officials said the decision recognizes increased workload from local hospitals, hospice providers and residential-care facilities and aims to make the position more commensurate with regional expectations.
Budget impact: County staff estimated the change would increase the annual personnel budget for the coroner's office by roughly $25,000 when accounting for deputies, and commissioners discussed funding options, including use of existing budget lines and the county's occupational tax revenues.
Next steps: The court directed the pay change to be implemented immediately and to include the coroner in regular annual compensation reviews going forward.
