County officials here and across the state are getting a pay raise this year.
Compensation for most county officials is governed by state law which establishes the minimum for Assessors of Property, County Clerks, Clerks of Court, Trustees, Registers of Deeds, County Mayors, Sheriffs, and Highway Officials. This law provides for an automatic increase in the minimum salary each year based on the percentage increase given to state employees for the previous fiscal year. The state commissioner of finance and administration certified on October 6, 2016, that state employees received an average increase of 6.38 percent for the fiscal year 2017-2018.
The salaries of the county officials are partly based on the population class of the county and the office. Not all office holders earn the same amount of pay.
Under state law:
*The County Mayor’s compensation shall be at least 5% higher than the salary paid to any other county constitutional officer.
*The Sheriff’s salary shall be at least 10% higher than the salary paid to the general officers of the county.
*The Road Supervisor’s compensation shall be at least 10% higher than the salary paid to the general officers of the county.
*The salary of the General Sessions Judge is to be increased annually in the same manner as state court judges, which is the actual percentage change in the consumer price index. The salary of the General Sessions Court Judge will increase by 1.3% for the coming fiscal year.
*The Administrator of Elections salary is 90% of the base salary of the Assessor of Property.
The new salary schedule as set by the state for DeKalb County is as follows:
General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge: $92,158 per year, up by 1.3% from $90,975
County Mayor: $79,326 per year, up from $75,329.
Road Supervisor: $75,550, up from $71,743,
Sheriff: $75,550, up from $71,743
Trustee: $68,682, up from $65,221
County Clerk: $68,682, up from $65,221
Circuit Court Clerk: $68,682, up from $65,221
Clerk and Master: $68,682, up from $65,221
Register of Deeds: $68,682, up from $65,221
Assessor of Property: $68,682, up from $65,221
Administrator of Elections: $61,633, up from $58,699
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