Committee forwards proposed 5%–8% salary adjustments for sheriff, clerk to full board amid debate

The Dodge County Human Resources Committee voted to forward a draft resolution to the full county board recommending adjustments to salaries for the elected positions of sheriff and clerk of circuit courts for the 2027–2030 term. Human Resources staff said the proposal was based on a McGrath compensation review that showed those positions were below market and that the committee settled on a mix of 5% and 8% adjustments to move the roles closer to comparables.

At the meeting Tanya summarized the comparables and explained the committee's goal of narrowing the gap to market rates. A committee member pressed where the 8% came from; another member objected to that level of increase, saying, "That's crazy." Tanya and others said the figures were the result of internal and external comparisons presented to the committee and that the committee’s recommendation is only a starting point for the full board.

The committee voted to move the draft resolution forward; the chair noted the full county board may further amend the figures on the board floor. The committee record shows at least one email from a county board member raising concerns about the 8% figure prior to the discussion. The vote at the committee was to forward the draft resolution; any final pay changes would require board adoption and will affect the 2027 budget cycle if approved.

The committee packet listed comparables for elected officials and internal placement recommendations from McGrath. Tanya said the intent was to bring the sheriff and clerk positions closer to market, not necessarily to fully match market rates in one step.