Compensation Board freezes supervisor pay, recommends 4.5 percent raise for others

The Linn County Compensation Board recommended a salary freeze for supervisors Wednesday and a 4.5 percent raise for the county's five other elected officials.

The seven-member panel, with a nod to the politics that have dominated Linn County supervisors' salaries for the past two years, voted 5-2 to keep pay for the five members of the board at $70,098 per year.

The compensation panel voted 7-0 to give the Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder, Sheriff, county Attorney, and their 21 deputies a raise. The supervisors may reduce or eliminate the 4.5 percent increase, and will address the matter March 8.

The meeting lasted about 30 minutes, and included little of the public rancor that ruled last year's meeting. Three supervisors - Lu Barron, Linda Langston and Ben Rogers - told the Compensation Board they would be happy with a pay freeze.

Phil Klinger and Ray Stefani were the two Compensation Board members who voted against freezing supervisor pay.

“Their salaries were frozen last year, and the county was in the black,” Stefani said. “They deserve a raise. A lot of this is done in relation to politics. That's unfortunate.”

The county Attorney, who makes about $132,000 per year, won't get a 4.5 percent raise, because his salary is tied to that of district judges. If the supervisors OK the recommendation, he will get a 3.25 percent increase, and make about $136,000.

With the recommended increase, Sheriff Brian Gardner would make about $113,500. Recorder Joan McCalmant, Treasurer Mike Stevenson, and Auditor Joel Miller would make $91,200.