Following a review of the Washington County Compensation Board’s recommendation for elected officials’ maximum salary increases of 12 and 10 percent for fiscal 2023-24, supervisors Tuesday, after some discussion, cut the increases by 25 percent.  

The Compensation Board recommendations were a 12 percent raise for the sheriff, from $138,028 to $154,591, and 10 percent raises for the county attorney, $149,207 to $164,128; auditor, $94,356 to $103,792; treasurer, $90,356 to $100,019; and recorder, $89,629 to $98,569.   

With the one-quarter cut made by the supervisors, the resulting increases were 9 and 7.5 percent. For the supervisors, the recommended 4 percent raise from $47,116 to $49,001 was accepted, as was keeping the stipend for the supervisor chairman unchanged at $3,500.   

During the discussion it was noted that last year the raises were seven percent.  

For the non-elected county employees, the board approved a flat $1.75 per hour across the board that factored out at 5.75 percent.  

Hourly wages currently range from $18 to $27 with an average of $22 per hour.  The salary and hourly wage increases were approved by a 3-2 vote.

The Compensation board recommendations were for a maximum salary for each county official; supervisors could only lower, not raise, the increase.

Board members, in reviewing the recommendations, noted that the employee wages are in competition with similarly sized counties and were discussed, even debated, in work sessions prior to Tuesday’s action.

In the public comment segment that opens the regular sessions, a county resident asked the board to consider “the nice increases” recommended to it, stressing that the county needs to remain competitive in attracting qualified trained personnel, especially for the ambulance services and “not lose them to other counties.”

In other business, the board:

•Received a request from Main Street Washington for a slight inroad in the county’s allocation from approximately $6,800 to $7,000 to the award-winning MSW for economic, employment and downtown revitalization efforts.

•Accepted the semi-annual and quarterly reports from the treasurer that showed 4th quarter fees collected total $77,994.37.

•Learned that guidelines for veterans and general assurance have not changed in 30 years and likely will be addressed at a meeting in September.  In the last quarter there were three applications from veterans for rent, utilities and burial assistance with two approved for a total of $430.

*Approved hiring Keaton Zear as a casual part-time jailer at $21.50 hourly, effective January 17.

•Approved a pay change from $17.50 to $18.15 for Darren Dennler and Richard Conrad, county jail transport officers, effective January 12.