Kane County committee recommends four-year pay schedule for county clerk and treasurer

KANE COUNTY — An ad hoc Kane County committee on elected‑official salaries voted to recommend a four‑year pay schedule for the county clerk and treasurer ahead of the 2026 election, setting year‑one pay at $113,654 and staged increases to $115,927 in year two, $118,825 in year three and $121,796 in year four.

The recommendation, moved by Leonard and seconded by Sanchez, passed by recorded voice roll call with affirmative responses recorded for Leonard, Sanchez and Allan. Chair Deborah Allen said the schedule is intended to synchronize pay with other county offices that will receive preset increases in the coming cycle and to give the board a fixed, transparent salary schedule for the incoming officials.

The committee emphasized timing constraints. A staff member explained the sheriffs salary is governed by an existing county ordinance that fixes it at 80% of the state's attorneys salary and that the state's attorney amount is adjusted each July 1, which in turn updates the sheriffs pay automatically. "Yes, that is changed on July 1st each year and then we automatically adjust the sheriff's salary accordingly after we get the state's attorney's adjustment," Jamie said.

Committee counsel also advised the group that, by statute, pay for an elected officials four‑year term must be fixed at the start of the term rather than changed while the person is seated. "You do have to set that prior to their election. You can't change their salary while they are seated," counsel said, noting that the committee can set a schedule that includes fixed annual increases built into the four‑year term.

Members reviewed a comparative table of neighboring counties, noting Lake and DuPage counties are projecting higher starting salaries using 3% compounded increases. Staff said the county clerk and treasurer currently earn $111,426, reflecting prior practice of a roughly 2% year‑over‑year increase across a term. The proposed schedule would place the incoming clerk and treasurer at $113,654 for Dec. 1, 2026, then $115,927 on Dec. 1, 2027, $118,825 on Dec. 1, 2028 and $121,796 on Dec. 1, 2029.

The committee instructed staff to draft the resolution formalizing the recommended schedule and circulate it for review; staff was asked to prepare the item for placement on the county board agenda with the posting deadlines in mind. The transcript records the recommendation will be drafted by staff (referenced as Miss Labrillo/Labrillo in the meeting) and routed for legal review before being put on the county board agenda.

The committee also discussed administrative steps: using a budget placeholder until the state's attorney figure is published on July 1 and whether to synchronize first‑two‑year increases across different elected‑office cycles so pay remains comparable between offices. The meeting concluded after approving the recommendation and briefly addressing prior minutes and follow‑up logistics.