Oklahoma County elected officials approve their own pay raise

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma County Funds Board voted to approve raises for every of the members of the board. It’s the second elevate the board has given themselves in two years.

That board consists of all of the county elected officers aside from the District Lawyer. The Board deliberates on allocation and spending of County funds and the planning of annual budgets.

On the assembly, outgoing District 3 Commissioner Kevin Calvey launched an merchandise to boost the salaries of every of the Funds Board positions. The plan would stagger the salaries of the elected officers based mostly on when their time period started, leading to a spread from $122,637.50 to $135,087.50.

At present, the salaries all sit at $122,637.50. That charge is the results of a 2020 vote by the identical board to offer every place a $17,000 elevate.

In accordance with County Treasurer Butch Freeman, that was the one elevate within the 14 years earlier than.

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The ‘why”

Throughout dialogue of the merchandise, Court docket Clerk Rick Warren talked concerning the charge of inflation and the difficulties that creates for sustaining a life-style. He identified that county staff got an 8.5% price of dwelling elevate not too long ago, and that they deserved each penny of it. 

Warren went on to say that if inflation doesn’t proceed to rise or if it diminishes, the elected officers gained’t must have a elevate subsequent time.

By legislation, elected officers in county authorities will not be allowed to pay staff greater than the officer to whom they report. 

County Assessor Larry Stein has identified that capping that wage makes recruitment and retention for prime positions troublesome, saying that the wage is just not very aggressive.

District 2 Chief Deputy Michael Taylor, sitting in for Commissioner Brian Maughan, voiced issues concerning the staggering of the salaries. He mentioned that the plan lacked parity for departmental staff. Stein countered that on this explicit state of affairs, state legislation prevented parity.

Calvey, within the closing Funds Board assembly of his tenure as Commissioner, requested this merchandise for the agenda. On the assembly, he identified twice that he wouldn’t profit from this elevate. 

Calvey voted towards the final elevate, and claimed he would give the rise to charity. This time round, as an alternative, Calvey moved the merchandise, which was seconded by Stein.

The vote handed 6-1, with Taylor voting no on behalf of Maughan.

Maughan opposed

Free Press spoke to Commissioner Maughan through cellphone to debate his workplace’s vote towards the elevate.

Maughan mentioned the primary purpose he was opposed is that he promised when first elected that he would by no means vote for a pay elevate. The truth is, two years in the past when the Funds Board voted for a $17,000 elevate, Maughan voted towards it.

This time, Maughan defined to Free Press, there was extra purpose to be towards it.

The purpose of a pay elevate is much less concerning the elected officers, and extra about recruitment and retention of senior workers members. For the reason that legislation prohibits workers from being paid greater than the elected official who supervises them, there’s a potential draining of expertise from the County into different sectors.

Maughan informed us that this elevate causes half of the elected officers to be paid greater than the opposite half. Officers being sworn in on January 3 (and the winner of the particular County Clerk election in March) will make $13,000 greater than different sitting officers. The opposite 4 seats will probably see a elevate in two years after the following election cycle.

Maughan defined that might imply senior workers from totally different departments will even give you the option to earn more money, whereas their friends in the identical positions with different departments gained’t have that profit.

“It’s simply luck of the draw in the event you get that elevate.”

Maughan specified that this elevate doesn’t mirror on the rank and file staff of the county. Maughan not too long ago voted in favor of an 8.5% elevate for county staff.

In distinction, Maughan’s personal Chief Deputy is leaving the county to be the Assistant Metropolis Supervisor of Nichols Hills.

“That’s fourteen years of institutional data,” mentioned Maughan.

“Everyone knows that is public service. If you wish to make company cash, go work within the company world,” Maughan mentioned.

The Funds Board meets month-to-month and can reconvene on January 19, 2023.

Final Up to date December 16, 2022, 10:24 PM by Brett Dickerson – Editor