Supervisors keep pay link to judicial salaries and defer compensation change until January

Human Resources presented comparable-county salary data and internal alignment notes on Aug. 25, showing that board compensation is approximately 12% below a defined comparable market. County HR staff laid out options: no adjustment, cost-of-living increases only, or combined COLA and equity adjustments, and recommended discussion about whether to keep the historical linkage to superior-court judicial salaries.

Public comment urged retaining the judicial linkage to avoid the appearance of self-setting pay and to depoliticize the process; Becky Steinbruner urged keeping the connection. After discussion the board voted 4–1 to maintain the current linkage and to continue the item to the second meeting in January, giving the incoming supervisor a chance to weigh in and allowing staff time to assemble additional comparative and fiscal information. Supervisor Koenig cast the lone vote against the continuation.