The Seward County Commissioners set their salaries and the public defender’s salary during their latest meeting.
On Jan. 12, the commissioners adopted a resolution that changed the terms for when the commissioners vote on the board’s raises.
Before, County Clerk Sherry Schweitzer said the commissioners’ salaries were increased on staggered terms.
Three of the commissioners were elected in 2014, and their salaries were set two years ago for a four-year period.
The salary discussion this year was for the two other commissioners, which would also be set for a four-year period, according to Schweitzer.
The two commissioner positions, currently filled by Commissioners Diana Garske and Mike Luebbe, are up for election in 2016.
During the meeting, Schweitzer suggested the commissioners keep the salaries the same for the next two years to get all the commissioners on the same rotation. At that point, the salary would be increased for everyone every two years.
Commissioner Whitney Fleischman agreed, stating it wouldn’t be fair if two new commissioners were elected with a higher salary than commissioners with at least two years of experience.
For 2016, the commissioners’ salary is set at $25,585, according to Schweitzer.
The same resolution approved a raise for the public defender that spans four years.
The public defender would receive a raise of four percent in 2017, three percent in 2018, three percent in 2019 and another three percent in 2020.
At the end of these four years, the public defender will make $76,950 per year.
The public defender position is an elected office that serves a four-year term. Tina Marroquin is the current public defender. The position is up for election in 2016.
Schweitzer said salaries for elected positions have to be set by Jan. 15 of the year there is an election for that office so those who are filing for office will know what their salary could be.
