After reading Gordon Salisbury’s column in the News-Herald’s June 28 issue, I wish to comment on his “first item…(regarding) large pay and compensation increases given to department heads at the county offices.” My problem with his analysis is that his calculations were based only on Cook County results.
To secure and retain qualified and above average personnel serving in Cook County, we should compare what the other six competitive Northeastern counties are doing.
Fortunately, the Association of Minnesota Counties and the League of Minnesota Cities conduct annual salary surveys of all public employees. Their Internet URL is www.openthebooks.com. Click on the map’s Minnesota and select County search.
My research shows that the top paid employees in the seven NE counties are predominantly 1) administrator, 2) treasurer-auditor, and 3) sheriff. These three Cook County positions have 2018 salaries above the low end for the seven NE counties. In 2018, our treasurer’s salary was in the middle of the treasurer’s range for the seven counties. However, our administrator and sheriff were only slightly above the low end of their position ranges for the same counties.
Recent Cook County salary adjustments should improve competitiveness during 2019 for the two latter positions but are estimated to continue to be in the low end of the NE counties’ respective salary ranges.
Douglas O. Sanders Jr.
Retired Actuary, Continuing Education in Health
Care and Climate Change
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