Committee endorses pay raises for exec, sheriff

Ulster County’s Periodic Compensation Review Committee on Tuesday endorsed pay raises for the county executive and sheriff.

The committee voted unanimously to endorse a report that recommends the executive’s salary be increased by $4,000 per year (3 percent), to $137,570, and the sheriff’s salary rise by $2,500 per year (2.5 percent), to $103,212.

The salaries for both jobs have been unchanged since 2009, when the county charter went into effect.

The committee recommended the salaries of the county comptroller, clerk and legislators remain at their current levels.

The committee’s action came after a hearing that drew no comments from the public but at which County Clerk Nina Postupack and Sheriff Paul VanBlarcum defended their jobs.

VanBlarcum had submitted a request for a pay increase. Postupack did not, and neither did County Executive Michael Hein.

In her comments, Postupack challenged a previous statements by one committee member that the jobs were secured in “popularity votes,” and by another who suggested the committee consider in the future recommending the positions be filled through appointments, rather than elections.

“Are you trying to take away the will of the people?” Postupack said. “It is an insult to the voting public, and it is an insult to the position of county clerk to say this ... is based on popularity.”

Postupack also said that despite statements by committee members to the contrary, the county clerk’s salary hasn’t been raised since 2005, and she took exception to the contention that she is among the highest paid clerks in the state.

“So … when you are quoted … saying that I am one of the highest paid clerk’s in the state, I emphatically disagree with you on this point,” she said.

Van Blarcum said he currently has subordinates who make more money than he does, who are paid a uniform allowance and who get longevity pay hikes.

“I’m the longest guy there and I don’t get longevity [pay],” the sheriff said.

Following the public hearing, committee member Brian Cahill said many of VanBlarcum’s concerns are a “consequence of being an elected official.”

“This sheriff happens to be the longest-tenured employee in the Sheriff’s Office,” said Cahill, a former county legislator. ““The next one, this might be his first day on the job.”

Committee Chairman Glenn Noonan, also a former legislator, said he will deliver the report to the county executive and Legislature clerk for consideration by the end of the June.