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Spencer County Fiscal Court raises magistrate pay, county attorney and coroner salaries after debate
Summary
After extended discussion and competing proposals, the fiscal court approved a 15% salary-only increase for magistrates, raised the county attorney’s salary to $40,000, and set the coroner at $12,000 while keeping the jailer at the current pay.
Spencer County Fiscal Court adopted multiple salary changes for elected offices on April 20, 2026, following a debate among court members about timing, optics and amounts.
The court approved a 15% salary-only increase for magistrates — raising the salary portion (not the expense allowance) to $13,761.36 per year — after a motion that carried by voice vote with recorded ayes and nays. The court also voted to raise the county attorney’s salary from $30,000 to $40,000 per year and to increase the coroner’s salary to $12,000 while leaving the jailer’s annual pay at $55,199.30.
Discussion at the meeting included objections to elected officials voting to set their own pay. County Judge Executive Scott Travis said such votes can “put a bad taste in the public’s mouth,” and other members recorded differing views about appropriate levels and timing of increases. Esquire Cotton argued for larger increases and proposed a 15% raise for magistrates and a $10,000 increase for the county attorney; that proposal ultimately succeeded for the county attorney and a 15% magistrate increase was adopted in a later motion.
Votes were taken by voice; the minutes record the ayes and nays for motions and show some members abstaining or not voting on specific items where absences were noted.
The salary-setting actions will take effect as required by statute for salaries adopted by May 1 in the election year and will apply to terms beginning January 2027 according to KRS guidance discussed during the meeting.
