Pay Scale 2014
| As election time approaches, I always
get questions about how much elected officials are paid. Below is an
explanation on county officials pay scale. My numbers may be off by a
few dollars up or down but they're pretty close.
Most elected county official's minimum pay is set by the state. However the state provides no funding for any of those salaries. The pay is based on the county's population the greater the population the higher the pay. Loudon County is a class 4 county. Population 35,000-49,999. The state sets the minimum salary but county commission can pay a higher salary than the minimum. As you will notice, the state has set the minimum salaries for our elected officials pretty high, in my opinion, based on the county's average per capita income of $36,000.00. The state minimum pay 2014 for: County Mayor - $78,508.00 Currently both the Loudon County Mayor and Sheriff make far more than the state require minimum due to a bit of a fluke from many years ago. State law requires that if the county jail is designated as a workhouse, the sheriff should be paid an additional 5% above the minimum. A long time ago, during a previous administration, the county took the first steps to make the Loudon County jail a qualified workhouse. Unfortunately, the necessary requirements were never completed to qualify the jail as a workhouse. But the sheriff's pay was increased by the 5% in anticipation of the jail qualifying as a workhouse and the pay has continued to carry the additional 5% for all these many years. The state law also requires that the county mayor’s compensation shall be at least 5% higher than the salary paid to any other county constitutional officer. Since the sheriff's salary is 5% higher than the minimum that requires that the mayor's salary to also be 5% higher. Current County Mayor, Estelle Herron's salary is $83.669.00. Sheriff Tim Guider's salary is $79,685.00. Both salaries are even a little higher than the 5% extra. The state minimum pay for: Highway Superintendent - $74,770.00 Several years ago, commission decided to pay the Highway Superintendent the same at the sheriff. Current Highway Superintendent Eddie Simpson's pay is $79,685.00. As stated above, commission does have the authority to pay more than the state minimum. The state minimum pay for: Current Trustee Chip Miller, Circuit/General Court Clerk Lisa Niles, County Court Darlene Russell, Register Of Deeds Tracie Littleton and Property Assessor Mike Campbell. The minimum pay for what is know as fee officers as listed above is $67,973.00. All receive the minimum pay. County commissioner's pay is set by commissioners themselves. The state does set a minimum pay of $30 for each day's attendance at meetings of the county commission. In 2007 Loudon County commissioner adopted a resolution to set their annual compensation at 10% of the mayor's salary. This year each commissioners is paid around $8,021.00 per year or about $668.40 per month regardless of the number of meetings attended. Seems I remember, commissioners opted not to take a raise this year even though the mayor got one. School board members are paid $300.00 per month or $3,600.00 per year. School board members compensation is also set by county commission. Current General Sessions Judge, Rex Dale's salary $148,453.00. Judges salaries are also set by the state.
Click here for complete details of county salaries from
the |
BACK
1/13/14