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Adams County board amends pay plan for sheriff and clerk of courts, setting higher 2027 bases and 3% annual increases
Summary
After a lengthy debate about recruitment and fairness, the Adams County Board amended an elected-official compensation resolution to raise the 2027 base pay for the clerk of courts and the sheriff and to apply 3% annual increases through 2030; the amendment passed and the full resolution was adopted.
The Adams County Board of Supervisors voted to amend and adopt a resolution changing the base salaries for two elected positions beginning in 2027 and applying annual increases through 2030.
The board agreed to start the Adams County Clerk of Circuit Court at $83,003.66 in 2027 and the sheriff at $109,645.82, with 3% increases each year thereafter. The finance director read projected totals that would place the clerk of courts at $91,096.80 and the sheriff at $119,812.95 by 2030. The amendment to set the higher starting bases and 3% increases passed on the amendment vote (13 yes, 5 no) and the amended resolution later passed (14 yes, 4 no).
Why it mattered: Supervisors who supported the change said the county’s elected officials lag peer counties and that higher pay helps attract and retain qualified, locally based candidates. ‘‘The elected officials here in Adams County are significantly behind all of our comparables,’’ the sheriff said during the discussion, arguing the positions are demanding and often equivalent to department-head roles.
The clerk of courts urged a larger adjustment, arguing the office’s responsibilities grew with a recent added judicial branch and that court funding increases make a higher salary reasonable. In a prepared statement the clerk of courts said, “The current salary for the Adams County Clerk of Court is $74,084” and requested a start salary of $85,000 for the 2027–2030 term to better align with comparable two-judge counties.
Opponents cautioned about the near-term fiscal impact and noted that some peer counties that raised wages aggressively later reduced staff. One supervisor said a one-year 12% jump to reach the new base would be difficult to explain to constituents and advocated for a more gradual approach. The board ultimately compromised on the amended bases and the 3% annual increases agreed in the motion.
What the motion did not do: The board’s action set the pay schedule for the 2027–2030 term; it did not create midterm salary increases or change other employee pay schedules. Finance staff noted that some of the court-related revenues have increased (biannual court support payments increased from roughly $58,000 to about $88,000 twice per year), which the clerk of courts said can offset part of the salary increase.
Next steps: The amended compensation schedule was adopted as part of Resolution 9 and will take effect for the 2027–2030 term as specified in the board’s resolution.
