Union County Board of Supervisors voted to increase 2016-17 wages for elected courthouse officials Monday.
The vote came after the supervisors received a recommendation by the 2016 compensation board to give a 3 percent wage increase across the board for Attorney Tim Kenyon, Sheriff Rick Piel, Auditor Sandy Hysell, Recorder Paula White, Treasurer Kelly Busch and Union County Board of Supervisors.
“I feel ilke they are very good employees, and that they do a very good job,” said Supervisors Chairperson Ron Riley.
The compensation board’s proposal also included a $4,000 comparable wage increase for Kenyon and $2,000 increase for Piel. Statewide, Kenyon ranks 41st and Piel ranks 76th in salary for their respective positions.
“I felt like we compared with comparable positions in other counties of like size, and also positions in our area,” Riley said. “That does compare to other jobs, and we thought a 3 percent increase was a fair increase for this year.”
Riley and Dennis Brown voted in favor of the wage increase, but Board member Lois Monday voted against it.
“I wanted it to be fair for both of them (Kenyon and Piel), and not to split it $4,000 and $2,000,” Monday said. “I think they (compensation board) chose, and I don’t like that.”
Monday voted against the 2015-16 wage increase for the same reason, when a motion passed to increase the wages at 2 percent, plus a 1.5 percent cost of living increase, but a stipend to include a $500 adjustment for the auditor, recorder, treasurer and supervisors; $2,000 for sheriff; and $3,000 for attorney was scratched.
Last year, county officials received a 2 percent wage adjustment and 1.5 percent cost-of-living increase.
For fiscal year 2014-15, the board suggested and the supervisors approved a 3.5 percent wage increase for the attorney and sheriff. The auditor, recorder, treasurer and supervisors had a 3 percent wage increase. All elected officials also received a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment.
The compensation board, chaired by Katie Turner, has seven members total: Turner, Vice Chairman Jim Norman, Dorothy McNaught, Linda Marley, Mike Duckworth, Marlin Neisemiar and Tom Hartsock. Neisemiar was unable to attend the meeting.
McNaught, the only board member to vote against the 3 percent increase this year, did remind the compensation board Jan. 7 that they should consider comparable wages in the private sector.