Committee member moves to approve 4% pay increase for elected officials; motion passes

A Committee member moved and the body approved a 4% pay increase for elected officials at a Toole County meeting, following discussion of comparable county adjustments and benefit cost increases. The motion passed with 11 ayes and no recorded opposition.

Why it matters: The increase affects base pay for elected offices and, where statutes set internal percentages, will change related positions' pay (for example, undersheriff and chief deputies are paid as percentages of the sheriff’s salary). Officials also discussed this year's roughly 11% increase in health insurance costs and the county contribution toward employee coverage.

At the meeting the Committee member who led the discussion reviewed prior action on the topic, saying the last motion had been for a 4% increase and that a previous participant (Mary Anne) had seconded it. The speaker summarized the financial impact: “4% equates to $2,592.67 a year” on the base elected official salary and broke the change down to hourly terms to illustrate the effect.

The Committee member also explained how the sheriff's pay scale interacts with other positions, noting the sheriff’s base salary of $70,416 and that the undersheriff is required to make 98% of that amount; chief deputies and sergeants are paid at lower statutory percentages. “So at the 4% increase… the undersheriff would make $71,007.13,” the speaker said.

On benefits, the Committee member reported the county’s health insurance costs rose about 11% this year and that the county contributes $1,025 per month toward eligible employees’ coverage through the Mako Trust. Participants discussed differences in paid-time-off rules and Mako's approach to leave administration, including bereavement and sick leave practices.

Members noted procedural limits: the meeting had to be held twice by law and, if adopting the increase would require raising taxes, they agreed to reconvene after revenue figures are known (anticipated in early August). One attendee characterized the process of elected officials voting on their own pay as awkward, and speakers observed public comment attendance on such items is typically low.

Before voting, one Committee member asked whether the 4% applied to all county payroll; the group clarified the 4% being considered applied only to elected officials, not to county employees generally. The motion to adopt the 4% increase was moved and seconded and put to a voice vote; the clerk called for ayes and recorded 11 votes in favor. After the tally the chair and clerk exchanged thanks and closed the meeting.

What’s next: Officials said they will not finalize any resolution that would increase taxes until the August revenue numbers are available; if the increase would push the tax rate higher, they will reconvene to reconsider the action.