If prosecuting criminal cases isn’t enough, Faribault County Attorney’s Office may have some say on whether commissioners get paid more this year.
“If I am asked for a legal opinion I will provide that,” says County Attorney Cameron Davis. “I have done some background research in the event that I am asked.”
At this point, Davis hasn’t yet formulated an opinion or recommendation prior to the County Board’s meeting scheduled Tuesday, Feb.7.
Last December, each commissioner voted to give themselves a 5 percent pay hike, raising their annual salary to $23,314.
However, the board failed to pass a resolution as required by state law and a warning in a memo “Avoiding Pitfall” issued by the State Auditor’s Office.
“Any increase in compensation for 2023 must be adopted in a resolution by the county board before the end of 2022,” says the memo. “The resolution must state the new salary on an annual basis.”
At their last board meeting in January, Commissioner Greg Young told the other commissioners that he had researched the issue and thought a pay increase might still be possible.
If commissioners do not get a pay raise it will be the third straight year that they will earn an annual salary of $22,205.