The Marion County Board of Commissioners meets Wednesday to consider pay raises for elected officials including commissioners, district attorney and sheriff.
Commissioners will consider accepting recommendations from the Marion County Compensation Board, which has three members “knowledgeable in personnel and compensation practices,” according to the agenda. The compensation board must under state law review compensation paid to elected officials each year and determine whether adjustments are warranted.
If accepted, commissioners will forward the recommendations to the Budget Committee.
The compensation board has recommended pay increases totaling $50,950 per year be included in the budget, as well as a small pay cut for the treasurer. Those include:
- Assessor: $6,900
- Clerk: $6,000
- Board of Commissioners: $17,300 total ($5,765 per commissioner)
- District attorney: $6,400
- Justice court: $5,600
- Sheriff: $8,900
- Treasurer: -$283
Commissioners will also consider adding $34.9 million to a contract with software firm Executive Information Services, Inc. for managing law enforcement records.
The funding for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s Records Department and Jail is intended to connect their management systems with the city of Salem’s new system.
Funds would be reimbursed under an agreement with the city and would help improve issues for deputies such as delays in typing reports, according to the agenda.
Angie Onyewuchi, president and chief executive officer of Travel Salem, will also present the nonprofit’s second and third quarter report for 2022-23. The tourism agency found Salem’s estimated economic impact from travel in 2022-23 to date is $782 million, compared with $676.3 million in 2020-21.
Commissioners will consider appointing Keith Bondaug-Winn as chair, Bonnie Sullivan as vice chair and Scott Gagner as a citizen-at-large to the Marion County Solid Waste Management Advisory Council.
Formed in 1989, the council has eight citizen-at-large positions and eight representatives from business and industry who make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners will also consider increasing the change fund at Marion County’s Browns Island Demolition Landfill from $350 to $500 to have more change available for customers paying with cash.
The existing fund isn’t sufficient for the number of customers paying with cash, according to the agenda.
Meeting details: The commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Senator Hearing Room at 555 Court Street N.E. Anyone can sign up to give public comment in-person at the meeting. The meeting is streamed live on YouTube.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
