Kane Co. on track to freeze salaries of elected officials, department heads

With Kane County revenues slipping, the county board will consider freezing the salaries of all elected officials, and county department heads could be next.

The board's Human Services Committee voted Wednesday to freeze salaries of the auditor, circuit court clerk, coroner, recorder and board chairman from December 2012 to December 2015. The implementation relates to the re-election of the offices. Under the proposal, the auditor would earn $88,214 yearly, the circuit court clerk $90,655, the coroner $88,214, the recorder $89,507, and the board chairman $105,328.

The Human Services Committee also voted to freeze county board salaries at $25,000 from December 2012 to December 2013. The timing of the freeze relates to redistricting, which forces the re-election of every board seat in 2012.

The sheriff, county clerk and treasurer are also marked for pay freezes. The Committee voted to freeze those salaries for three years starting in December since the seats are up for election in November. The sheriff's salary would be frozen at $124,750 and $100,00 for the clerk and treasurer.

The county board must approve all pay freezes, and could vote on the matter in the coming weeks.