CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners on Tuesday passed a resolution, which set the salaries of elected officials who will take office beginning in 2024.
Currently the sheriff, treasurer, coroner and controller receive a salary of $45,339 while the prothonotary and register and recorder receive $50,094.
The resolution aims to “mitigate the gap” between the lower-tier offices like the treasurer or coroner, and the higher-tier offices like the prothonotary and register and recorder.
In year one, it calls for a 7.5 percent increase for the sheriff, treasurer, coroner and controller and a 6 percent increase for the commissioners, prothonotary and register and recorder.
Then, it follows a tier of salary increases of 4 percent in year two and 2 percent in years three and four that will apply to all row offices.
The larger-than-usual, up-front salary increases closely parallel those in the new pacts the county has reached with three of its six unions as well as its non-union salaried employees.
By 2027, the prothonotary and register and recorder will receive $57,455 while the sheriff, treasurer, coroner and controller will receive $52,737 to keep the salary gap almost the same.
Previously Commissioners John A. Sobel and Dave Glass said contrary to public perception, this is not “the commissioners giving the commissioners a raise.”
“It’s for whomever the voters put into office,” said Sobel, with Glass adding that statute prohibits the board from changing their salaries while in office. “We wouldn’t do that anyway.”
When the increases take effect 14 months from now on Jan. 1, 2024, it will end a 14-year salary freeze for nine county elected officials.
In other business, the commissioners:
- reappointed Don Foster to the Clearfield County Conservation District as a farmer director.
- announced the Retirement Board and Commissioner meetings of Nov. 22 will be rescheduled to Nov. 17.
- approved three new hires as well as three employee separations/retirements.
- approved the bills as presented by the Controller’s office.
- approved the minutes from the Oct. 25 board meeting as presented by the chief clerk.
