Most of Osage County’s elected officials will receive a 5% raise, beginning with the next term of service, resulting from a decision last Wednesday by the Salary Commission. Those up for election in 2022 will get that increase in January 2023. Others, not elected or reelected until 2024 will wait until January 2025. This is the first raise these officers have received since January 2015. At that time, full-time elected officials received $36,900 annual salaries. Since then, it’s been $41,500. The salary commission consists of all elected officers in the county, including commissioners.

Osage County Clerk Nicci Kammerich noted that a neighboring county has paid raises of 2-3% biannually for the last six years. “They’re going with the cost of living,” said Kammerich, who favored raising the pay.

“I agree with [Nicci],” said Osage County Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin, emphasizing, though, all county employees must get an equivalent raise.

Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham announced Social Security recipients will receive a 5.9% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2022. This is a higher COLA than in any recent year. The impetus for the county’s salary increase is the first spike in inflation for decades. No COLA has ever been awarded to Osage County employees.  

While Bonham was firmly in favor of the raise, his pay is no longer under the authority of the salary commission. The Missouri State Legislature has passed a statute transferring that authority to the state court system.

“The cost of living is going to go up,” said Bonham. “We have high-quality people in here. Insurance used to be the big draw.” 

In his opinion, county employee insurance and benefits are no longer superior. He’s struggled to recruit and retain deputies with the pay and benefits the county offers. He believes, though, that elected officials currently in office are worth paying. 

While his salary is not affected, Bonham believes the commission’s decision could affect other county workers’ pay, including his deputies and other Sheriff’s Office employees.

Outgoing Osage County Assessor Jerry Baker was a big supporter of the raise. His feeling was the county could afford it. From his office’s figures, assessed valuation in the county is up 21.5% since 2019. That’s the last time the salary commission met. He was free to speak his opinion since he will never benefit from the increase. He has resigned from office, effective next month, due to health concerns. However, working together, the Osage County Commission and the Missouri State Governor’s office have yet to find a qualified candidate for appointment to serve until a special election can be scheduled. 

“What do we do as a county, hypothetically,” asked Baker, tongue in cheek, “if we lose an official and nobody wants to replace him because we don’t pay enough?” 

He believes trouble finding that interim assessor is at least partly due to pay.

Osage County Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner explained, with Kammerich’s help, the technical and legal formulas in place, limiting the commission’s options. Present county officials’ pay continues to meet mandated minimums but the commission was free to raise it. Such an increase was required to be across the board, except for Grellner and Bonham. Like the sheriff, her salary is tied to a state government formula. 

Osage County Collector Denise Nolte floated a 3% increase without making an official motion. She was curious, though, if projected budgets for 2023-24 would support it. Griffin asked Osage County Treasurer Tim Neuner if he could provide a recent trend. Revenues from sales, property and real estate taxes have all been well ahead of the final 5% number. 

Nolte mentioned Missouri state’s minimum wage is now $11.15 an hour. The base hourly pay for a county employee is currently $11.39.

The final number of 5% was suggested by Osage County Coroner A.J. Probst. “If this county can’t [do this], we need to shut down and be part of a different county,” he said. 

His motion was approved by a strong voice vote, although there were dissenters. Those dissenting, including Griffin, had no problem granting a raise. They only wanted more data on long-range projections they felt was lacking. He and Osage County Western District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes would like a better idea about projections through 2026. Grellner abstained from the vote. As previously noted, her salary is not affected.