An amendment to the Compensation of Supervisors Ordinance Code struck down a clause tying Supervisors’ salaries to other county elected officials. Instead it gave supervisors a base salary pay instead of using the pay per period model currently in place.
Before the amendment the Board of Supervisors received a pay increase every time it voted to increase other elected county officials such as the district attorney, sheriff, assessor, and auditor.
The amendment was included in the consent calendar, but Supervisor for District Three, Amy Shuklian, pulled the item to comment publicly on the new model.
“I would like to see us have staff work on some type of formula that works a little bit better than this one has worked in the past,” said Shuklian. She further alluded to other county’s models that would sit better with the public.
Shuklian campaigned on the issue of changing the way supervisors get raises in order to make the process more transparent. Under the old system the public was mostly unaware when the supervisors were giving themselves a raise. In many instances some supervisors, such as former Supervisor Steve Worthley, would not accept the raise–especially during the recession.
The amendment was initially proposed on April 9, but the supervisors waived a second reading of the ordinance and approved it unanimously.
Supervisors also proclaimed this May as “Mental Health Awareness Month” for Tulare County. Thirty-four Service Awards were presented to county workers who achieved a time-based milestone in their career.
To say that the BOS is overpaid would be an understatement. Their pay should, I think, be based on the median salaries received county wide. Why should their pay be as confiscatory as it is?