Salary panel holds the line on pay for officials

For the second year in a row, Whitman County’s elected officials will receive no pay raises. The county’s citizen salary commission decided Tuesday night to keep 2011 salaries of elected officials at the same levels as 2010, which is the same level as 2009.

County Commissioner Greg Partch wrote a letter to the commission, asking salaries to remain frozen. That letter almost caused some members of the pay panel to give elected officials a raise.

“This is purely a political move on his part,” said Susan Weed, salary commissioner from Pullman.

Other members of the commission expressed a similar sentiment.

Chair Paul Eichenberg, Palouse, stressed several times they should not consider the budgetary impacts of pay raises and should instead make sure salaries are competitive with other counties.

But, citing the impacts the recession has had on the salaries of employees of other public agencies, the commission decided to hold the line.

“I hate to do it, but they’ve got to remain the same,” said Weed, who noted Pullman School District has decided not to give raises next year. She added Supt. Paul Sturm gave up a $10,000 scheduled pay raise.

“Without that letter would we have made the same decision?” asked Randy Schlee, salary commissioner from Uniontown.

Pay in 2011 for county commissioners will remain $57,024; auditor, assessor, clerk and treasurer $57,283; sheriff $73,869; and prosecutor $116,875.

Nearly half of prosecutor Denis Tracy’s salary is paid by the state.

Coroner Pete Martin’s 2011 salary will remain at $59,388. That number is $2,105 more than the salaries of the auditor, assessor, clerk and treasurer. Martin’s pay figure is the result of doubling his pay check when the panel converted the position from half time to full time.

The commission decided not to cut Martin’s salary but instead freeze it until the other elected officials receive raises that level pay for electeds.

Salaries were set in 2008 at the average rate of five comparable counties. That number will be re-evaluated next year.