Establish salaries for Elected Officials. BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
IN THE MATTER OF: RESOLUTION NO. 21-296
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING SALARIES FOR
ELECTED OFFICIALS
WHEREAS, RCW 36.17.020 authorizes the Lewis County Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC) as the County legislative authority to establish the salaries
of the elected officials of the County; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 16-234 set the salary of the Sheriff to be compensated a
salary 5 percent greater than the salary paid to the Undersheriff of Lewis County;
and
WHEREAS, the BOCC established the Lewis County Citizens' Commission on
Salaries for Elected Officials ("LC Salary Commission") via Resolution 01-317 on
September 10, 2001, and reconvened the Salary Commission via Resolution
19-152 on May 20, 2019, in accordance with RCW 36.17.024; and
WHEREAS, through Resolution 19-152, the BOCC directed the LC Salary
Commission to set salaries for the three Commissioner positions and to review
and provide recommendations regarding the salaries for the elected positions of
Auditor, Assessor, Clerk, Coroner, Prosecuting Attorney and Treasurer; and
WHEREAS, through Resolution No. 20-377, the BOCC set the salaries for the
elected offices of Auditor, Assessor, Clerk, Coroner, Prosecuting Attorney and
Treasurer at the recommendation of the LC Salary Commission on October 26,
2020, to be effective October 7, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the salaries of Lewis County elected officials should be fair and
representative of the responsibilities of the office and should be in proper relation
among elected officials; and
WHEREAS, the Lewis County elected officials are not included on a wage matrix
and do not receive annual step increases such as those received by union-
represented employees; and
WHEREAS, the BOCC seeks to create a relationship between the salaries of the
elected positions of Auditor, Assessor, Clerk, Coroner, Prosecuting Attorney,
Sheriff and Treasurer in Lewis County and the salary of a Superior Court Judge,
which is set by the Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected
Officials; and
WHEREAS, per RCW 36.17.020, the State of Washington contributes an amount
equal to one-half of the salary of a Superior Court Judge toward the salary of the
elected Prosecuting Attorney; and
Page 1 of 3 Res. 21-296
WHEREAS, effective on July 1, 2021, the Washington Citizens' Commission on
Salaries for Elected Officials adopted the 2021-2022 Salary Schedule for
Washington State Elected Officials of the Executive, Judicial and Legislative
Branches of Government, which increases the salary for a Superior Court Judge to
$199,675, effective July 1, 2021, and to $203,169 effective July 1, 2022.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that effective immediately, the BOCC (1)
removes the offices Auditor, Assessor, Clerk, Coroner, Prosecuting Attorney and
Treasurer from the LC Salary Commission's review and (2) rescinds Resolution
16-234, which tied the Sheriff's salary to that of the Undersheriff; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the BOCC ties the annual
salary for certain Lewis County elected positions to a percentage of the salary for
a Superior Court Judge as follows in TABLE "A" and makes those salaries effective
September 1, 2021
ELECTED OFFICIALS' SALARY
TABLE "A" ELECTED OFFICIAL ESTABLISHED AS A PERCENT OF
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE'S SALARY
(EFFECTIVE 9/1/2021)
Assessor 45.5%
Auditor 45.5%
Clerk 45.5%
Coroner 45.5%
Prosecuting Attorney 95.0%
Sheriff 68.0%
Treasurer 45.5%
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any increases to salaries for
the elected positions of Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, Coroner, Prosecuting Attorney,
Sheriff and Treasurer, based on increases to the salary of a Superior Court Judge
per the Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials in
subsequent years (2022 and beyond) shall become effective January 1 of the
following year and shall be ratified by the Board of County Commissioners during
the budget approval process each year. (e.g. The BOCC will review and ratify
those Lewis County Elected Official Salaries increases tied to a 2022 Superior
Court Judge salary increase during the 2023 budget review and approval process,
for adoption and implementation on January 1, 2023); and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the BOCC shall entrust the
LC Salary Commission, per RCW 36.17.024, to set salaries for the Lewis County
Commissioners; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that effective immediately, this
resolution repeals and replaces Resolutions 16-234 and 20-377 and all prior salary
determination practices for the elected positions of Assessor, Auditor, Clerk,
Coroner, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff and Treasurer.
Page 2 of 3 Res. 21-296
DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 10th day of August, 2021.
APPROVED AS TO FORM: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Jonathan Meyer, Prosecuting Attorney LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Kevin McDowell Gary Stamper
By: Kevin McDowell, Gary Stamper, Chair
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
ATTEST: :S�"�l"--z As2. Lindsey R. Pollock, DVM
♦ R •
P Lfrtrdsey R. Pollock, DVM, Vice Chair
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••S'1NGTON;�••
Rieva Lester Sean D. Swope
Rieva Lester, Sean D. Swope, Commissioner
Clerk of the Lewis County Board of
County Commissioners
Page 3 of 3 Res. 21-296
BOCC AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Resolution: 21-296 BOCC Meeting Date: Aug. 10, 2021
Suggested Wording for Agenda Item: Agenda Type: Deliberation
Resolution Establishing Salaries for Elected Officials
Contact: Erik Martin Phone: 360-740-2697
Department: BOCC - Board of County Commissioners
Description:
Establishing salaries for elected officials
Approvals: Publication Requirements:
Publications:
User Status
PA's Office Approved
Additional Copies: Cover Letter To:
Becky Butler, Grace Jimenez, Dianne Dorey,
Larry Grove, Scott Tinney, Warren McLeod,
Jon Meyer, Rob Snaza, Arny Davis