Elected county officials health benefits updated

Changes will help offset the budget

By Olivia Lueckemeyer

At a Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners meeting on February 16, benefit packages for elected officials were updated to address recent state-mandated salary increases.

Given their workloads, a 30 percent salary increase for elected officials was deemed appropriate by the commissioners last August. County elected officials had not received a pay increase since 2007. The treasurer, clerk and assessor will now earn $76,050; the coroner will make $43,030; and the sheriff will earn $98,800. Commissioners’ pay will increase from $58,500 to $76,050. Pay increases will not take effect until each position is up for election or re-election.

At the August board meeting where salary increases were initially discussed, it was suggested that, in order to help offset the hit to the overall county budget, benefits be made equal to that of other county employees. Based on that decision, elected officials will no longer receive additional monthly health insurance premium contributions from the county. Instead, the county will now cover 75 percent of an elected official’s premium and 25 percent of their dependent portion—the same as county employees.

Previously, an elected official and his or her family, for example, would receive an additional $806.77 per month from the county toward their premium. As a result, an elected official with family coverage would pay $9,681 per year less for their health insurance than a county employee.

“Previous commissioners decided that elected officials should get better benefits because they did not receive cost of living increases and were at the mercy of the state legislature to get any raise,” commissioner Paula Swenson explained.

However, given the salary increases mandated by the state last year, the commissioners thought it reasonable to level their benefit packages with those of county employees.

“This past year the state legislature gave local elected officials the big raise and ensured that, in the future, elected officials will get cost of living increases, so it does make sense that elects receive the same benefits,” Swenson said.

Swenson told the board she has spoken with elected officials in neighboring counties and there is a significant disparity in pay and benefits when compared to Gunnison County. Though their health insurance plans will now cost more, the salary increase should help ease the financial burden.