Madison County committee recommends 13% boost for county attorney pay to address recruitment concerns

A Madison County committee voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a 13% pay increase for the county attorney after reviewing comparative county salary data and citing difficulties recruiting and retaining attorneys and assistants.

Steve, who presented the spreadsheet and comparisons to the committee, said Madison County’s county attorney pay lags behind many comparable counties and that the differential makes hiring and retention difficult. "It's not me that you're giving them. It's the office," Steve said, arguing the pay affects the office’s ability to attract staff.

During the presentation Steve pointed to county-by-county data showing that, in general, county attorneys statewide earn more than sheriffs and that a common statewide pattern is for county attorneys to average a premium over sheriff pay. Committee members questioned Steve on his choice of comparables and on counts of assistants and paralegals used in the comparison; Steve said he used bordering Polk-area counties as touchpoints and cited differences in staffing levels as a key factor.

The committee chair noted that sheriff pay is constrained by statute and referenced "the blue law" and the county code as reasons the sheriff's salary follows a mandated calculation, while county attorney pay is not similarly mandated. Committee members also reviewed prior raises the committee had approved for other county offices, including a previously approved 23% increase for the sheriff, and discussed whether equalizing pay would require similar adjustments across other offices.

After discussion, Ross moved and Jennifer seconded a recommendation of a 13% increase to the county attorney’s salary. The committee took a roll-call vote; roll-call responses recorded affirmative votes from Jerry, Tim, Nate, Ross, Jennifer, Linda Oglesby and Linda Jackson. "Now the motion has been adopted, and that will be our recommendation going forward to the Board of Supervisors," the facilitator said after the vote.

The committee’s recommendation is advisory; the Board of Supervisors will consider the proposal and has the final authority to set salaries. The meeting adjourned following brief remarks thanking staff and committee volunteers.