By Nebraska law, county board members must set the salaries of county officials for four years, before the start of their next term. Elected officials will benefit from a 2.3% increase to come in 2022.

Salaries for appointed county officials as well as hourly employees are set annually as part of the budget process.

Commissioner Dale Curtis, who chairs the county staff committee, said such an increase was necessary to come close – not even to meet – the salary recommendation of the Nebraska County Officials Association.

“The staff committee, we looked at this thing, we looked at this thing and we looked at this thing,” he said. “We have tried to be as fair to taxpayers as we should be to elected officials. The increase to come even closer to the NACO recommendation is necessary.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, former county board member Lee Saathoff said he could see a 6% pay rise this year to deal with the inflation, but expressed concern about such an increase for four years.

Curtis said Adams County was well below elected officials’ pay per the NACO recommendation.

“We’re trying to get as close as possible to the NACO guidelines in four years instead of having to bill the taxpayer in one year,” he said.

Board chairman Lee Hogan said he had heard of some counties in Nebraska giving elected officials up to a 14% boost in a year to comply with the recommendation.

While county board members only approved the salaries of elected officials on Tuesday, officials said the salary discussion affects all county employees.

Highway Superintendent Dawn Miller said in departments like hers, the county is struggling to keep pace with the industrial and commercial sector.

Some businesses in the area now offer a starting wage of around $ 18 an hour.

“And this is our fifth step for a grader operator,” Miller said.

In dissent, Neumann said he wanted a compromise.

“I wish there was a way to tie it to social security or (the consumer price index),” he said.

Not all elected officials will see 6% increases. County board members will see increases of 5%.

The Adams County Clerk will receive $ 10,000 per year for also serving as the Adams County Election Commissioner in addition to the Clerk’s salary. If at any time the County Clerk is relieved of his duties as Election Commissioner, the additional allowance will be waived.

Additionally, the Adams County Sheriff will receive $ 20,000 per year for operating the Adams County Jail in addition to the sheriff’s salary.

The board members who spoke recognized that these salary increases are significant.

“The problem for me is that we approve percentages before we know, really, what the real costs will be over a long period of time,” Commissioner Joe Patterson said. “I understand that legally we don’t have the flexibility to change this as the CPI changes. “

He said there was a sticker shock approving 6% increases without really knowing what inflation rates are going to do in that four-year period.

“There is an element of catch-up here,” said John Hill, who works as the county’s human resources consultant. “I hope that after four years we will be done catching up. There is no doubt that raises eyebrows when over the last 15-18 years the increases have been 2% and 3%.

Also during the meeting, Curtis said representatives from Beckenhauer Construction of Norfolk, which serves as the construction manager for the prison project, will provide an in-person update on the project at the regular meeting of commissioners on the 18th. January 2022.

According to a calendar provided by Beckenhauer, the groundbreaking is scheduled for March or April 2022.

“We’re trying to get the items with the longest turnaround time for tenders,” Curtis said, referring to the requests for proposals.