Some county officials may see six-digit salaries by 2011

After weeks of debate, a McHenry County Board committee Monday endorsed a proposal to give several county officeholders pay hikes that will boost their annual salaries past the $100,000 mark by 2011.

In a unanimous vote, the board's human resources committee approved annual 4 percent raises for the county's auditor, coroner, clerk of circuit courts and recorder of deeds starting next year. The measure now goes before the full county board Oct. 1 for possible final approval.

The raises won support despite concerns about the spiraling increases in salaries of some elected county officials.

In 2004, the county's auditor, coroner, clerk of the circuit courts and recorder of deeds earned a little more than $75,500 apiece in annual salary. Under the measure approved Monday, they will earn $93,111 in 2009, hit $100,709 in 2011 and top out at $104,737 in 2012.

Committee Chairman Lyn Orphal said the increases bring the officials' salaries closer to what other elected officials in the county are earning.

"Everyone felt that was the fairest way to do it," she said.

The raises, however, could be the last of their sort for the elected officials, at least if county board Vice Chairman John Jung gets his way.

Jung, a member of the human resources committee, said he reluctantly supported the 4 percent hike because it is about the same as other county officials are receiving, but said he believes this should be the last time.

"You can't just give a 4 percent raise on top of $100,000 year after year," he said. "It's going to get out of hand."

Instead, Jung said he hopes the county in 2011 sets a salary for the elected officials' entire four-year term with no chance of a raise until it is complete.

"That way, people will know what the salary is when they decide to run and will know it's not going any higher," he said.

Salaries for elected officials is an issue that has dogged the county board since 2002 when it voted to give the county treasurer and county clerk posts a raise of nearly 16 percent. A year later, the auditor, circuit court clerk, coroner and recorder sought equal salaries, but instead got a 4 percent hike.