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Madison County board adopts 3% COLA, $10,000 sheriff supplement and $3,000 boost for elected officials
Summary
The Madison County Compensation Board voted to apply statutory additional apportionments, including a $10,000 supplement historically applied to the sheriff; it also approved a 3% cost-of-living increase and an added $3,000 raise across elected officials for FY 2026–27.
The Madison County Compensation Board voted Wednesday to apply statutory pay apportionments for elected officers, keep a historical $10,000 supplemental amount for the sheriff and approve two across-the-board increases: a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and an additional $3,000 annual increase for elected officials.
County Attorney David, who led the meeting’s legal overview, cited Montana Code Annotated 7-4-2503 as the statutory basis for setting uniform salaries for the county’s elected officers and described the specific statutory "additional apportionments" for certain offices. He told the board those offices include the county superintendent of schools, the sheriff, clerk and recorder, treasurer, justice of the peace, district court clerk and county attorney.
"The sheriff is the only elected official that must receive longevity," David said, summarizing the statute, and described the standard additional sums: $4,000 for the superintendent of schools (reduced to $2,000 if the superintendent holds a master’s degree), $2,000 for the sheriff (plus any board-determined supplement), and $2,000 for the clerk and recorder (if also elections administrator), treasurer, clerk of district court and justice of the peace.
After procedural appointments to the compensation board — the members Mr. Dorboss, Mr. Trelia and Mr. Walsh were nominated and approved — the board voted to "follow the statute" and continue the additional apportionments described by the county attorney. The board explicitly carried forward the historical practice of applying a $10,000 supplemental amount for the sheriff to address deputy pay implications.
Board members then debated a proposed cost-of-living increase. One commissioner moved to adopt a 3% COLA for elected officials and to mirror that increase for county staff; that motion was seconded and carried by a voice/hand vote.
Longer discussion followed about market pressures on staff pay. Multiple participants noted a recent market-driven increase for the county’s finance position and described difficulty competing with nonprofit and private-sector pay. One meeting participant characterized the pay gap between long-tenured elected officials and newly hired department heads as "a slap in the face," reflecting frustration among some present about recruitments and internal equity.
After that exchange, the board considered a separate motion to add $3,000 per year to the base salary of elected officials (in addition to the statutory apportionments and the newly adopted 3% COLA). That motion was seconded and carried by voice/hand vote. The board acknowledged that more precise budget figures will be known in August but proceeded with the increases as approved.
The meeting record shows motions were made, seconded and carried by voice/hand votes; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript. The board adjourned after approving the appointments and salary adjustments.
What’s next: The salary changes are recommendations from the compensation board consistent with statute; implementation steps and exact effective dates were not detailed in the transcript and budget availability will be clearer when county revenue estimates are updated in August.
