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Commissioner group to negotiate commission auditor's contract after public, divided debate
Summary
The board debated a request from the commission auditor for a salary increase (transcript references to $165,000) and whether to reopen the contract; commissioners split on reopening but three commissioners agreed to work with the auditor on a negotiated path forward and report back.
A lengthy, public discussion on May 12 centered on the commission auditor's request to re-open her employment agreement and increase pay. Commissioners debated an earlier compensation study (cited in the meeting at roughly $111,000 $114,000 for comparable roles), the county's prior application of COLAs, and whether to reopen a single contracted employee's agreement.
Commission Auditor Heather (identified in the discussion) told commissioners she sought an increase that the transcript references as $165,000 and said she would resign if the board would not consider the request. Commissioners described the situation as difficult and discussed process constraints: the contract allows the board to increase compensation in its sole discretion but reopening contracts has organizational implications.
Several commissioners recalled a 2023 compensation study that suggested a lower market figure (roughly $111K $114K, depending on the read) and observed that the county had applied COLAs in recent years. After debating alternatives, three commissioners agreed to form a small negotiating/working group to look at the auditor's request, review the prior study and bring back a recommendation to the full board rather than taking an immediate boardwide reopening vote.
Why it matters: The commission auditor performs financial oversight for the board and sits in a unique, contracted role; compensation and contract terms for this position affect governance, continuity and recruitment. The public debate was on the record and included pointed remarks about prior approach and process.
Next steps: A subset of commissioners will work with HR and the auditor to evaluate comparators and return with a recommended approach for the board to consider at a future meeting.
