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Sweetwater County sets elected‑official salaries, including county attorney increase
Summary
The board adopted four salary resolutions setting commissioners at $45,000 (effective 2027 for incoming terms), county assessor/clerk/treasurer/clerk of district court at $125,000, sheriff at $145,000, coroner at $85,000, and county attorney at $153,700; a proposed 6% amendment to elected‑official salaries failed on a 3–2 vote.
At its May 5 meeting Sweetwater County commissioners adopted a package of salary resolutions for elected county offices covering the 2027–2030 term windows.
HR Director Gary Mlan explained the statutory requirement to set elected official salaries every four years and presented four separate resolutions: one for commissioners, one for county assessor/clerk/treasurer/clerk of district court and sheriff, one for the coroner, and one for the county attorney.
Key outcomes approved by roll call: - Commissioners: $45,000 annually beginning Jan. 1, 2027 (applies to the members whose new terms begin then). - County assessor, county clerk, clerk of district court, and county treasurer: $125,000 annually beginning Jan. 1, 2027. - County sheriff: $145,000 annually beginning Jan. 1, 2027. - County coroner: $85,000 annually beginning Jan. 1, 2027. - County attorney: $153,700 annually beginning Jan. 1, 2027; staff said state indexing tied the county attorney salary to circuit court judge pay and an additional state reimbursement pool of roughly $22,000 was intended to offset county cost.
Commissioner Richards and Commissioner Slaughter argued for modest increases to recognize inflation and recruitment pressures; an amendment to increase elected‑official salaries by 6% failed on a 3–2 vote. Commissioners noted different effective dates and statutory limits that determine when changes apply.
The board instructed staff to incorporate the approved figures into the next budget model. Votes on the four resolutions were conducted by roll call and carried.
Votes and motions (summary): - Resolution setting commissioners’ salaries at $45,000: motion Commissioner Jones; second Commissioner Tolman; unanimous. - Resolution setting assessor/clerk/treasurer/clerk of district court/sheriff salaries (125,000/145,000): motion Commissioner Jones; second Commissioner Slaughter; amendment to add 6% failed 3–2, final resolution passed on original motion. - Resolution setting coroner salary at $85,000: motion Commissioner Slaughter; second Commissioner Tolman; unanimous. - Resolution setting county attorney salary at $153,700: motion Commissioner Jones; second Commissioner Tolman; unanimous.
Staff will update budget models to reflect the approved salary changes.
