Posted: 1/2/07
County board sets
salaries for 2007
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Houston County commissioners approved 2007 salaries for non-union, appointed, and elected officials at their December 26 meeting.
The estimated salaries include a two percent cost of living adjustment effective January 1, and a three percent increase effective September 1. Here are the estimated salaries:
County attorney $78,662
County auditor $70,198
County commissioners $17,749
County recorder $48,804
County sheriff $63,620
County treasurer $48,804
The board had several options on where to set the sheriffís salary, since there is a new sheriff, Doug Ely, starting in 2007. The job has a lot of responsibility, Larry Graf said, but said that Ely wasnít in a leadership position with the county before as a deputy. He recommended step four or five. The board settled on step five with a motion by Dave Corcoran. Ely left the department in 1998. He was elected sheriff in November, and will replace interim sheriff Darryl Peterson.
Commissioners also increased their per diem rate from $30 for committee meetings to $40 for in-county meetings and $65 for out-of-county meetings. This puts per diem more in line with other counties, according to personnel director Tim Comstock, who distributed a comparison sheet. A commissioners "day is shot" for most out-of-county meetings, Graf said. "Basically you get compensated a little bit for your time," he said. Graf first made a motion to have the new rate be $50 for in-county and $75 for out-of-county, but he withdrew it after Ann Thompson amended it with the $40/$65 rate.
Five employees who are are at the end of the advancement steps also received a two percent step advancement. They are Nickie Folsom, Loretta Lillegraven, Heather Myhre, Lindsay Pierce, and Diane Sullivan.
"Itís a way to provide motivation," Comstock said.
The board also voted to give Myhre a two percent raise retroactive to the start of 2006. Her step advancement had been overlooked last year, Comstock said.
ï Drop-side supervisor: In other personnel business, the board approved hiring Jody Griffin as a dropsite supervisor to be used as needed.
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