Utah County commissioners say they will decide Monday whether to give the county's elected officials a $5,000-a-year raise.
Commissioners are proposing that the salaries of the sheriff, assessor, clerk/auditor, recorder, treasurer and commissioners be increased for the first time since 1985.Under the proposal, the salary of each commissioner would not increase until after that seat is again up for election. Commissioner Gary Herbert's seat is up for election in 1992, and the seats held by commissioners Malcolm Beck and Richard Johnson are up for election in 1994.
No raise is being recommended for the county attorney or surveyor. The county attorney's salary was increased to $63,518 Jan. 1. The surveyor's annual salary was reduced to $1,000 when the position of public works director was created.
Wednesday, the commissioners held a public hearing to hear comment on the proposed raises.
John McMullin, president of the Utah County Employees Association, said the elected officials deserve a raise but should not receive a raise to the level recommended when county employees are not receiving the raises recommended by a recent salary study.
"To me this should be across the board, and our feeling is that we ought to be in the same boat," McMullin said.
County Assessor Ron Smith and Recorder Nina Reid said they would not feel good about receiving a raise if the county-employees' salary study were not given equal consideration. Smith said he would prefer not to receive a raise until the start of the next term.
Treasurer Leonard Ellis and Clerk/Auditor Bruce Peacock said they don't have the same purchasing power they had six years ago because they have not received a raise since first taking office.
"In the private sector it would be pretty hard to retain an employee if you didn't give him a raise in six years," Ellis said.
Deputy County Attorney Guy Burningham and former county employee John McGinn said the elected officials have been dedicated and loyal and deserve a raise.
"I think it's horrendous that any employee would go six years without a salary increase," Burningham said.
Former Commissioner Sid Sandberg said raises for elected officials should be more periodic and should be given whenever county employees' salaries are increased.Two residents said the elected officials already are making too much and should not get raises at a time when the economy is struggling.
The commissioners for more than a year have been considering increasing the elected officials' salaries. The proposed raises would bring the officials to a salary level comparable to officials in Weber and Davis counties.
If approved, the five officials other than the commissioners would earn about $1,200 more for the remainder of 1991.
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Proposed pay
Salaries for Utah County's elected officials:
Current Proposed
Commissioners $44,616 $49,616
Clerk/auditor 42,614 47,614
Treasurer 42,614 47,614
Assessor 42,614 47,614
Recorder 42,614 47,614
Sheriff 42,614 47,614
Attorney 63,518 63,518
County commissioners on Wednesday adopted new grade scales and job classifications for non-elected employees but allowed each department only 1.8 percent of its personnel budget for raises. (See story on Page B9.)