Elected officials will not see a pay raise in 2021

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted, 14-7, Monday night against a resolution that would have raised elected official salaries in 2021 and 2022.

During their final meeting of 2020, the 21-member board considered a finance committee resolution that included a recommended 1% raise for countywide elected officials, including county executive, sheriff, prosecutor, treasurer, clerk, and water resources commissioner in 2021 and a 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) raise, spread out over two years, for the commissioners in 2021 (1%) and 2022 (1.5%).

The two recommendations were voted down by the board following extensive discussion and a resolution amendment put forth by Board Vice Chair

Marcia Gershenson (D-West Bloomfield Township). The amendment would have kept commissioner base salaries at $36,853 in 2021, but raised them 2% in 2022 to $37,570. The amendment was voted down by a 10-11 vote.

Several commissioners voiced their opposition to taking pay raises during a time when many Michiganders and county residents have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the loss of their jobs.

Board Chair David Woodward (D-Royal Oak), said the new salary administration plan will increase employee salaries around $12 million, at an average rate of 3.16%. The salary plan includes all non-represented full and part-time employees and will take effect Jan. 1. Woodward said the plan is a “major step” forward that will help recruit and retain talent that the

county needs to provide its services.

“We weren’t able to come up with a bipartisan solution on salaries, said Woodward. “As a result, there are no wage increases at all for any county elected officials from the very top including the board... This compensation study is way overdue. I want to applaud the (David) Coulter administration for rolling up its sleeves and getting it done and doing the heavy lift to make sure it happens.”

Salary recommendations are normally considered, approved, and included within the county’s next year budget, which is approved on Sept. 30. Dur-

ing the budget-making process this year, the county’s new salary administration plan was still being crafted, so commissioners decided to wait until that plan was ready for approval before considering salary recommendations for elected officials.

Historically, annual pay increases, or decreases, for the county’s elected officials are approved at the same level for all other county employees.

For example, if nonelected county employees receive a two-percent raise, so will elected officials.

Union-represented employees have a “Me Too” provision in their multiyear contracts, which means any salary increase approved for general, nonrepresented employees during the contract period will

also be given to them.

There was strong bipartisan support for the resolution’s third recommendation that involved increasing annual stipend payments in 2022 for four board leadership positions, including board chair, board vice chair, and the two caucus chairs.

The stipend increases include: 30% of base salary for the board chair, a 10% increase over 2020; a 15% stipend for the board vice chair, a 10% increase over 2020; and 10% stipend for the caucus chairs, a 5% increase over 2020.

“This is the governing body of Oakland County tasked with a whole bunch of responsibilities, none the less is managing and overseeing a $1 billion budget,” said Woodward. “(Being a commissioner) requires as

much time necessary to fulfill the statutory and constitutional responsibilities.”

Since 2015, the stipends have been issued annually to the four leadership positions that come with additional responsibilities. They are a supplement in the base salary with no restriction on use.

The stipend increases include:

• Board chair: $11,055 stipend, $47,908 total salary

• Board vice chair: $5,527 stipend, $42,380 total salary

• Republican and Democratic Caucus chairs: $3,685 stipend, $40,538 total salary

• Commissioner base salary: $36,853

Base salaries for the six countywide elected posi

tions will remain as follows in 2021:

• Water resources commissioner, treasurer, sheriff, and clerk/register of deeds: $157,893

• Prosecutor: $177,351

• Executive: $205,217