Kane County Democrats, Republicans clash over raises for leaders

A rare partisan divide is brewing on the Kane County Board over the idea of raises for elected officials.

The four-member, bipartisan ad hoc committee of county board members charged with reviewing compensation for elected officials, including themselves, split on a series of recommendations that will now go to the full county board for review.

There is widespread agreement on both the committee and county board for a raise that will bring the county sheriff to an annual base salary of at least $151,000. That number could hit $160,000 or more, which would be a 28% raise, based on comments from several members of the committee that the sheriff's $124,750 salary is way out of line with the large scope of duties.

But when it came to other elected positions, the ad hoc committee could not reach a consensus on how to proceed.

The Republican members of the committee, Cliff Surges and Barb Wojnicki, said their personal feelings and their private discussions with their board colleagues indicated the county board wants no compensation change.

That compensation includes a $25,000 annual salary and access to county health insurance benefits. Board members are the only part-time employees who receive health and dental coverage.

A committee of residents advised dropping the health insurance benefit, but that idea has seen no vocal support other than from two county board members. Mo Iqbal and John Martin both support the idea of forcing board members to pay the full cost of the insurance plan if they want to keep or receive coverage.

"In my conversations with board members," Surges said, "they're saying, 'We're satisfied where we are.'"

But the Democratic members of the ad hoc committee, Dale Berman and Ron Ford, said they would not oppose a raise in the base salaries.

Berman proposed an annual base salary of as much as $30,000. Ford said he wouldn't support an increase that high, but he could get behind a $2,000, or 2% to 3%, raise to take effect in two years.

"Let the board make the decision as to whether or not we want to be increased or not," Berman said.

The entire 24-member county board is up for reelection this year.

Finally, the ad hoc committee voiced general support for some form of raise for the other county elected offices on the ballot this year. The treasurer and county clerk join the sheriff on the ballot this cycle.

There was overall support for a raise to the annual $100,000 base salaries of the treasurer and clerk up to $105,000.

But a partisan split arose again over the idea of building in annual 2% or cost-of-living pay raises for those positions.

Democrats supported treating those full-time elected positions the same as other full-time county employees by giving them annual raises. But Republicans said they don't see a need to do that.

Wojnicki cited that the current clerk, Jack Cunningham, and the former treasurer, David Rickert, served or continue to serve in those roles without a pay raise for more than a decade.

"When elected, these people know what their salaries are going to be," Wojnicki said.

Surges pointed to the $37,000 median income for a Kane County resident, according to the latest census data.

"I just want us to bear in mind who we are and where our roots are," Surges said.

The full county board will discuss the recommendations at a committee of the whole meeting on April 26.