Compensation will be increasing for elected officials and county employees in Fiscal Year 2020 in Washington County. The Washington County Board of Supervisors considered the compensation board’s recommendations for wage increases for elected officials. Those recommended rates amounted to increases ranging from 3% for supervisors to just over 7% for the county attorney. The supervisors could consider accepting the recommendations or lowering them by the same percentage across the board. Supervisor Abe Miller said the compensation board rates were too high and he’d rather see it cut in half, “That’s a lot of increase, 4.58% overall increase is a greater increase than I think this county should even be looking at.”

An initial motion to cut the increases by 10% fell with a vote of 2-3. A motion to cut the rates by 25% was approved with a vote of 4-1, with Miller being the one nay vote. The raises range from $825 to $5,893.50.

Department heads were also given a directive for their 2020 budgets. For the third year in a row the supervisors approved a zero percent increase for budget operations, but during budget hearings departments may request additional funding for specific items. The salary will have an increase of 2.8%, to follow the cost of living increases.

Elected position: Comp. Board Recommendation, approved raise – new salary
Attorney: $7,858 (7.02%), $5,893.50 – $117,819.50
Sheriff: $3,816 (4.07%), $2,862.00 – $96,727
Auditor: $2,202 (3%), $1,651.50 – $75,062.50
Treasurer: $3,564 (5.18%), $2,673.00 – $71,457
Recorder: $3,533 (5.21%), $2,649.75 – $70,425.75
Supervisor: $1,100 (3%), $825 – $37,482