Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County clerk revises election budget; board removes requested AP and payroll positions from clerk budget
Summary
Sheridan County Clerk Eda Schunk Thompson revised the elections budget to add separate tabs for temporary election hires (16–20 estimated), remove a requested 5% COLA, and reduce contract estimates by $10,000; the board voted unanimously to remove requested Board AP & Payroll employees from the Clerk budget.
Sheridan County Clerk Eda Schunk Thompson presented a revised County Clerk budget on June 2, 2026, highlighting election-related changes tied to a new statutory hand‑count audit. Thompson said the budget now separates regular clerk employees from temporary election staff, estimates 16 to 20 additional temporary election employees, removes the previously requested 5% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for clerk employees, and corrects an employee formula error.
Thompson also reported a $10,000 reduction in the election contract expense after former trained staff returned, noted the removal of a $45,000 placeholder for a special election because no notice had been received, and clarified election postage was updated in the fixed costs budget. On the personnel question of moving Board AP & Payroll employees into the Clerk's budget, Chairwoman Christi Haswell said an existing memorandum of understanding (MOU) prevents that reallocation now.
Commissioner Nick Siddle made a motion to remove the requested Board AP & Payroll employees from the Clerk budget; the motion passed unanimously. The board took no further action on salaries and benefits for the County Clerk at the meeting and deferred final staffing changes (including filling the vacant Lead Election Deputy position) until offer letters and further confirmations are finalized.
The County Clerk's revisions and the board's removal of the AP & Payroll line affect how payroll and administrative costs will be allocated in the county's overall budget; the board indicated it may revisit allocations if the MOU changes in the future.
