Will County to review full-time salaries
Board member says some officials get same pay but don't have equal responsibilities
Will County board member Ray Tuminello said he wants to review the salaries and duties of the county's full-time elected officials to make sure their compensation is “fair.”
The circuit court clerk, coroner, recorder of deeds, auditor and state's attorney each earn $93,000 a year. But Tuminello, R-New Lenox, said they all don't have the same size staff or equal responsibilities.
Tuminello said the review will not include county board members.
“Salaries should be based on data,” he said at a recent executive committee meeting.
Executive committee member Darren Bennefield, R-Aurora, questioned the need for a study “if the board does not have an appetite to lower salaries.”
“This is not about giving any raises or lowering the salaries. It's about getting independent information,” Tuminello said, adding that he would “have no issue with lowering pay,” if that's what the study indicated.
He said he does not want to hire a consulting agency because such businesses typically support pay increases.
County board member Denise Winfrey, D-Joliet, said she supports using “evidence-based criteria” to determine salaries.
Salaries have not been increased for 12 years, and slight raises were narrowly voted down in April, largely along party lines with Republican opposition.
Last week, the executive committee initially requested that John Greuling, president and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development, form a committee to do such a study but later decided that would not be appropriate because Greuling is a paid county employee.
Democratic minority leader Herb Brooks, D-Joliet, suggested the committee first review a previous study, comparing salaries in other counties as a “good starting point.”
Beyond that, the committee did not take any other steps to pursue the salary review.
“It's the responsibility of the county board to set salaries, not someone else,” said board speaker Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort Township. He noted that the compensation goes beyond salary and includes insurance.
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
