VIENNA — Members of the Maries County Salary Commission voted this month to refuse their own state-mandated pay increases, citing the county’s ongoing financial strain and inability to provide similar raises to county employees.

The decision came during the commission’s biennial salary meeting, where officials discussed the county’s growing budget deficit, shrinking general revenue and uncertainty surrounding local tax measures. The members of the salary commission consists of the following elected officials: Angie Pasley, Beth Wulff, Dana Simmons, David Martin, Mark Morgan, Tony Skouby, Pat Kleffner, Vic Stratman and Doug Drewel. Skouby was elected chairmen at the start of the meeting.

Officials said revenues are flat, with only about a one percent increase over 2024 collections. The projected year-end total is expected to finish just five to six percent higher—insufficient to cover rising operating costs or employee cost-of-living adjustments.

“Another problem is with the valuation changes that the state forced us to do. That put us in the next bracket,” said County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers. “Which means that our salaries are going up by state law, not because we’re giving ourselves a COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment).”

Rodgers explained that state statute requires elected officials’ salaries to fall within specific brackets based on the county’s assessed valuation. When the valuation increases, as it did this year, every elected official automatically moves into a higher bracket under state law, resulting in a salary increase that local officials cannot override.

Elected officials agreed to defer those raises because they determined it would not be fair to the employees of the county, as they could not offer any salary increases due to budget issues and concerns over the upcoming vote on the proposed one percent 911 sales tax.

“We can’t afford to offer raises to our employees,” Rodgers said during the discussion. “It wouldn’t be right for elected officials to take one when they can’t.”

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman agreed with Rodgers.

“I don’t see how we can do that, especially since we don’t know what next week’s election is going to come up with,” said Stratman. “And even if that passes, next year is still going to be rough, because it’s gonna be a while before there can be any money accumulated into that account (911 Board).”

Other members echoed concern that even small state-mandated increases, some totaling $250 to $500 per official, would send the wrong message to staff who haven’t received a raise in two years.

Skouby noted the increases are required by statute and will eventually have to be paid as back pay if left unpaid, but the commission agreed to let the amount accumulate rather than implement it immediately.

“We’ll just let it build until we can afford to pay it,” Rodgers said.

“Our employees could make more at McDonald’s than they can working here,” Skouby said.

At one point, officials discussed possible alternatives to pay increases, such as additional vacation days, but agreed such a move would be difficult to justify publicly amid the county’s shortfall.

The county’s ongoing financial strain has been exacerbated by rising costs and limited revenue sources, with the salary commission noting that Maries County remains one of the smallest and least industrialized counties in the region. Officials said that without additional funding, particularly for 911 dispatch operations, the county could be forced to cut services or pass costs on to local fire and ambulance districts.

As the meeting concluded, Skouby urged department heads to show understanding toward their employees despite the difficult financial outlook.

“Be compassionate,” he said. “They need more money. They deserve more money. We just don’t have it right now.”

The committee’s decision means no raises will take effect for elected officials or employees at this time, and any future pay adjustments will depend on improvements in county revenue.

“I know that when we walk out of here, we’re going to feel like we did the right thing, but I’m not so sure that our employees are,” said Skouby.

Maries County Treasurer Angie Pasley made a motion to hold off on giving the required increase in salary to elected officials until the county can afford to pay it, or the official leaves employment. The motion was seconded by Stratman and passed 8-0 in favor.