Supervisor chairman Richard Young (right) and vice chair Abe Miller discuss wages at Tuesday’s Washington County Board of Supervisors meeting. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

Departments in Washington County now have the official directive for their budget proposals – a zero percent increase for operations and a 2.5 percent increase for wages. With a vote of 3-1 the Washington County Board of Supervisors approved a 2.5 percent increase for elected officials’ salaries and wages for county departments.

Supervisor Stan Stoops said, he was in favor of the increase to take care of local employees. Supervisor Jack Seward Jr. was absent and supervisor Abe Miller was the lone nay vote. Miller was in favor of a 1.5 percent increase with no increase for the supervisors. The supervisors did vote to have their own salaries increase at a lower rate. They’ll increase by 1.5% and the chairman’s annual stipend will remain unchanged at $1,500.

Currently a Washington County Supervisor salary is $35,856 plus benefits. Washington County’s supervisors rank 23rd in the state’s 99 counties for pay, and 28th in population. The state average for a supervisor’s wage is $33,753. The supervisors have until March 15th to certify the county’s budget.