Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 27, 2015 3A
Polk County News
Commissioners say no thanks to pay raises
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WEATHER
RECORDED
HIGH LOW
May 19.............. 65
May 20.............. 69
May 21.............. 74
May 22.............. 63
May 23.............. 64
May 24.............. 69
May 25.............. 72
RAIN
54
56
56
54
53
52
50
.00
.T
.04
.03
.T
.00
.00
Rainfall during May — 0.68 in.
Rain through May 25 — 14.64 in.
After safety levy passes, committee agrees to increases for clerk, treasurer and assessor
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — Three
Polk County elected officials
will receive raises in fiscal
year 2015-16, while others,
including all three Polk
County Commissioners, will
not see an increase in pay.
The county’s budget com-
mittee made the decision on
May 20, along with offering
formal approval of the 2015-
16 budget.
Those receiving raises are
the Polk County clerk (6 per-
cent), assessor (2.5 percent),
and treasurer (6 percent).
Pay raises were not ap-
proved for Polk County
Sheriff Bob Wolfe and the
Board of Commissioners,
though Wolfe may see an in-
crease based on a state law
that requires him to be the
highest paid employee in his
office.
Also, Polk County District
Attorney Aaron Felton, who
is paid by the state, will not
receive a salary supplement
from the county.
The salary increases were
voted on after County Ad-
ministrator Greg Hansen
outlined how Polk’s elected
officials’ pay compared to
that of
those in
surround-
ing or simi-
larly sized
counties in
the current
fiscal year.
Polk’s clerk
Hansen
and treas-
urer were inching close to
being 19 percent behind
their peers in other coun-
ties — which include Ben-
ton, Lincoln, Linn, Tillam-
ook and Yamhill — while the
assessor was behind about
11 percent.
The commissioners lag
about 16 percent behind, and
the sheriff about 4 percent.
Hansen offered a couple
of options to close the gap
for elected officials: a one-
time fix that would have in-
creased the clerk, treasurer
and commissioners by 8
percent, sheriff 4 percent,
and assessor 5 percent; or a
three-year transition in-
creasing all by 3 percent an-
nually. In neither scenario
did the DA receive a supple-
ment.
Hansen said the county’s
goal is to stay within 4 per-
cent in either direction of
the five-county average.
“I’ve stated many times in
my memos that I believe our
elected officials are second
to none,” Hansen said. “Our
e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s, e v e n
though they have a lot of au-
tonomy, have always been
team players, staying com-
mitted to what Polk County
has tried to do in providing
services to its public.”
The compensation com-
mittee — which consists of
the three citizen members of
the budget committee — re-
jected both options. Instead,
the committee put forward a
proposal to give the clerk
and the treasurer a 6 percent
boost and the rest 2.5 per-
cent.
“We have to do some-
thing,” said Vern Wells, a
compensa-
tion com-
m i t t e e
m e m b e r,
offering
that all
elected offi-
cial receive
a 4 percent
Pope
increase. “I
think it’s something we can
justify to voters.”
Fellow compensation
committee member Norbert
Hartmann disagreed.
“I would agree that we
need to do something for
the clerk and the treasurer
because of how far down
they are relative to their
counterparts,” he said, not-
ing a “perception problem”
with giving elected officials
sizeable raises less than 24
hours after the county
passed a public safety levy.
“I’m just saying look at the
ones that are really out of
line, get them closer in line
and let’s not go overboard
on something we are going
to regret down the line,”
Hartmann said.
The full budget commit-
tee — which includes the
three commissioners — al-
tered that proposal, decid-
ing to help those who had
fallen behind the most, with
the exception of the com-
missioners.
“I’m not interested in a
raise,” Commissioner Craig
Pope said. “Thank you, but I
would prefer that doesn’t
happen. I’m not interested
in giving raises to the deci-
sion makers and, really, to
the beneficiaries of these
levy dollars (public safety
departments). We first have
to solve this problem of rein-
vesting in public safety.”
The committee voted 5-1
for the final proposal, with
Wells voting no.
Levy: 37 percent say yes to public safety tax
Continued from 1A
By the end of the fiscal
year, about $160,000 will be
spent on overtime in the jail
as staffing levels have de-
clined.
Polk County Board of
Commissioners Chairman
Mike Ainsworth said more
staff in the jail, 24-hour pa-
trol, and the county’s drug
team, POINT, are among the
critical services the levy will
restore.
Ainsworth is thankful for
the work of the political ac-
tion committee supporting
the levy — and for the voters
who marked yes on their
ballots.
“Nobody likes to pay
more taxes, but sometimes
you have to pay for those
services,” he said. “I have
sympathy for those who
voted no, but I think the
county is going to be much
safer.”
Music from the Redgate Winery & Fieldhouse
Measure 27-117
Co u n t y w i d e vo t e
tally: Yes: 9,059 (56 per-
cent) No: 7,013 (44 per-
cent).
Voter turnout: 37
percent.
Thanks to an extension of
the Secure Rural Schools
program payments (aka fed-
eral timber payments) the
cost to taxpayers will be
temporarily reduced.
County Administrator
Greg Hansen said during
May 20’s budget committee
that the county is anticipat-
ing a payment in June of
about $750,000. The county
also should receive a second
payment, which would
lower the tax rate in 2016-17.
“That would require us to
modify our levy from 45
cents per $1,000 (of assessed
value) down to (between 30
and 31 cents per $1,000),”
Hansen said.
The budget committee
approved that tax rate for
the levy in approving the
county’s 2015-16 budget.
Hansen noted it’s possible
to receive both of the pay-
ments this June, which
means further adjustments
would need to be made.
The commissioners could
make those changes when it
adopts the budget next
month.
The rates set by the budg-
et committee are caps,
meaning the board couldn’t
legally raise them, but it
could lower the levy rate if
necessary.
Like Ainsworth, Felton ac-
knowledged that even the
lower tax could be a sacrifice
for some taxpayers.
“I will work twice as hard
to honor that,” he said.
Monmouth~Independence Rotary Club
STRAWBERRY SALE
From the same club that has been doing this for over 25 years.
30 lb. containers of fresh
locally grown strawberries
$
48
Yummy, stemmed,washed, sliced,
ready to eat, freeze or cook.
DEADLINE TO ORDER JUNE 1
PICKUP: INDEPENDENCE, DALLAS, or CORVALLIS
To place your order email:
strawberry@mirotaryclub.org
or call: 503-838-6687
www.mirotaryclub.org
Please leave your phone or email.
We will notify you when they’re ready.
TO BENEFIT ROTARY YOUTH PROGRAMS
Fri. May 29, 6-9 PM
featuring Ellen Whyte
with Orvil Ivie
& Garry Meziere
$5.00 cover • Must be 21
Food Available
Tasting fees & glasses of wine $5.00
8175 Buena Vista Road
Independence • 503-428-7115 • www.redgatevineyard.com
2015 Relay for Life
of Polk County
Not A Runner? Neither Are We!
Furniture Upholstery
All types: for homes, offices, equip-
ment. Also, repairs, RV cushions,
slipcovers, High Quality since 1966
Stephen
Winters Sewing
503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266
Emmy
Joseph
440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351
Serving Polk County 16yrs
www.polkio.com
www.winterssewing.com
Pencil
us in!
RECYCLE
A little effort.
A big difference.
www.polkio.com
I recently asked a local business owner, who donated a gift
to our survivor dinner, if she’d ever been to Relay. She
didn’t think she could come since she’s not a runner, not
on a team, and had not raised money. She had no idea
Relay is a community event, free and open to the public -
and NOT a run! You’re all invited to come join us as we
Celebrate our survivors, Remember loved ones we’ve lost,
and Fight Back in a big way against this enemy we call can-
cer. SEE YOU AT RELAY FOR LIFE!
SEE YOU AT RELAY!
Please join us in thanking our three most recent sponsors,
along with the following businesses, health care profes-
sionals, families, and organizations for their commitment
to Relay For Life and its mission to find a cure:
Team Perrydale • Dallas Fire Dept. • Huggins Ins.
• West Valley Hospital
• West Valley Physicians & Surgeons Clinic/Dr. John Hadley
• West Valley Surgical Specialty Clinic/Dr. Alison Smith
• Monmouth Medical Center/Dr. Charles Essex
• Polk County Itemizer-Observer
• The Majestic
• Rabbit’s
• Bollman Funeral Home
• Dallas Retirement Village
• Dutch Bros. Coffee
• Eola Hills Wine Cellars
• First Community Credit Union
• Hancock Forest Management
• South View Medical Arts
• James W. Fowler Co.
• OREPAC Building Products
• Bookey Strong
• Dallas Aquatic Center
• Dallas Rotary Club
• Les Schwab Tire Centers
of Dallas, West Salem, & Independence
• Mitch Ratzlaff State Farm
• NW Natural
• Partnerships In Community Living, Inc.
• Polk County Association of Realtors
• Siletz Trucking Company
• Royal Flush
Relay For Life 2015
• Salem Sand Club
will take place
• Western Days
May 30-31,
• American Outdoors
10am to 10am
• Central Lions Club
at LaCreole
• Dallas Family Medicine
Middle
School
• Dallas Glass & Window
in Dallas
• Dallas School District
• Elkay Manufacturing
• H & R Block of Dallas & Monmouth
• Limeberry Frozen Yogurt
• Michelle Hasbrook, DDS
• Monmouth-Independence Rotary
• Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Center
• R & J Mobility Services
• Republic Services
• Van Well Building Supply
• Washington Street Steakhouse & Pub
• White’s Collision Service
• Woolsey Family Dental