Raises for some Lake County elected positions

Lake County Board members and other elected officials are in line for raises.

At a meeting Tuesday, raises for county board members were approved for those with 2- and 4-year seats. Board members serve staggered terms, and state law prevented the elected officials from raising their pay in middle of their service. In addition, the county board chairman's salary will rise by 2.5 percent in 2017 and 2018 as well. The base pay will rise from the current $86,036 to $88,187 in 2017 to $90,391 in 2018, Lake County documents show.

County board Chairman Aaron Lawlor voted against a raise for the post he holds, along with county board members Nick Sauer of Barrington and Terry Wilke of Round Lake Beach. Lawlor said hiking the chairman's salary was a poor move in a time of a tight county budget and state financial woes.

"I just think it sets a bad example that the leadership is taking a raise larger than (employees) get," Lawlor said Wednesday.

Raises of 2.5 percent will be awarded to the county board members in 2017 and 2018, but no increases in 2019 and 2020, according to documents. Wilke, Sauer, Sidney Mathias of Buffalo Grove and Ann Maine of Lincolnshire voted against those raises.

The county board members' annual salary will rise from the current $40,945 to $41,969 in 2017 and $43,018 in 2018.

Lake County's recorder of deeds, coroner and circuit court clerk also will receive 2.5 percent raises in 2017 and 2018, but no increases in 2019 and 2020. Those positions have a current annual salary of $121,712, which will increase to $124,755 in 2017 and $127,874 in 2018.