Elected officials in Gunnison County to receive pay raise mandated by state

No salary increases since 2007

By Adam Broderick

According to state law, elected officials in counties across Colorado will soon receive a 30 percent salary increase.

The governor, attorney general, secretary of state and all other elected officials will get a raise. In Gunnison County, two commissioners will get their pay raise in 2017, then other elected officials—the county sheriff, treasurer, clerk, assessor, coroner, surveyor, and the third county commissioner would get their raises in 2019.

County manager Matthew Birnie wrote in an email, “The system in Colorado has the legislature set the salaries and prospective elected officials know that going in, including that they won’t be eligible for any increase during their term of office.”

Commissioners agreed in a meeting on August 11, 2015 that the new pay raise is appropriate, given their workloads. Commissioners currently make $58,500 each year for their roles on the board and the new raise will bring their annual salaries to $76,050.

The treasurer, clerk and assessor will also earn $76,050, the coroner will make $43,030, the surveyor will make $4,290 (not a full-time position) and the sheriff will make $98,800. No county elected officials have received a salary increase since 2007.

“We don’t get raises, we don’t get raises, we don’t get raises, then we get a big raise. But if you break it down over the years…” commissioner Jonathan Houck said at the meeting.

“We do a lot more than a lot of big counties do, and with a lot less resources,” Birnie added.

As for benefits, the board went along with commissioner Paula Swenson’s suggestion to take the new raise but to also look at the compensation package as a whole, and maybe change the benefits package to be equal to that of other elected officials. A specific work session will be held in the near future to discuss the benefits package with other county employees.