Elected County Officials Get Raises

by Cat Urbigkit

Sublette County Commissioners approved a pay increase for county elected officials Tuesday.

Commissioners agreed that full-time elected officials should draw higher salaries than other county employees.

State statutes set caps on salaries for elected officials at $60,000 per year and $70,000 for full-time county attorneys. After proposals and counter-proposals back and forth Tuesday, the commissioners agreed to Commission Chairman Bill Cramer's proposal for raising the salaries of elected officials from the current $45,000, to $49,000 the first year; $50,500 the second year; $52,000 the third year; and to $54,000 in the final year of a four-term term.

The county attorney will also received a raise from $57,000 to $61,000 the first year; $62,500 in the second year; $64,000 the third year; to a $66,000 in the fourth year.

The increase in salaries applies to the commissioners as well. The commissioners will receive $600 per year increases over the four-year term, beginning with $15,000 in the first year and capping at $16,800 the fourth year.

The commissioners asked Sublette County Clerk Mary Lankford, who also serves as the county budget officer, to include a two-percent increase in salaries for county departmental employees in the draft budget. The commission will consider those budget figures in early June meetings as it prepares the budget for the next fiscal year.