HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024/11/12 MASON COUNTY CITIZENS' COMMISSION ON SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS (Salary Commission)
Draft Meeting Agenda
Commission Chambers, 411 North 5th Street, Shelton and Zoom
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
5:30 p.m.
Zoom Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/i/83875687132?pwd=eL9iiODn2D6bsgAORRZsxVRunhC!i
1) Call to Order—Chair Jim Morrell
2) Roll Call
3) Adoption of April 22, 2024 minutes
4) Discussion/Recommendation to Stagger Terms
5) Review Lot-Drawn Procedures
6) Public Comment
3 minutes per person, I5-minute time limit; time may be adjusted by consensus of the Salary Commission
Public comment and testimony can be provided in-person, via Zoom, e-mail dlz(a),masoncountywa. ov or mail to the
Commissioners'Office at 411 N5`h St,Shelton, WA 98584;or call(360)427-9670 ext. 419.
7) Good of the Order
8) Adjourn
J:\BOARDS\Salary Commission\Agendas\2024-11-12.docx
MASON COUNTY CITIZENS'COMMISSION ON SALARIES FORELECTED OFFICIALS
(Salary Commission)
Meeting Minutes
411 North 5"Street,Shelton and Zoom
Monday,April 22, 2024
Meeting was held hybrid—in-person and via Zoom. Members in attendance:Jim Morrell, Chair;
Leeland Wells,Vice-Chair; Mary Jo Cady—Secretary;Jann Goodpaster, Matt Mallery, Devin Ferner,
Brent Frahm, Richard Wilson, Roger Lewis, and Braden Sisk.
Also in attendance: Mark Neary, County Administrator, Mary Ransier, Human Resources Director
and McKenzie Smith, Clerk of the Board.
Chair Jim Morrell called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and roll call was taken.
Adoption of April 15, 2024 Minutes
Jim asked for corrections to page 3 and 5 of the April 15, 2024 minutes.
Roger/Leeland moved and seconded to approve the April 15,2024 Salary Commission minutes as
amended. Motion carried.
Legal Interpretation of Salary Schedule
Jim reviewed the legal interpretation provided by Tim Whitehead. Mr.Whitehead's interpretation is
that the salary commission is setting 2025 and 2026 salaries and the 2025 salary goes into effect
when filed with the County Auditor(potentially May 1, 2024). The next salary setting is in 2026 to set
2027 and 2028 salaries.
To be in compliance with the legal interpretation, salary amounts(actual dollars) have to be
established, not formulas.
Complete Salary Reviews and Set Salaries
a. Continue Review and Set Sherriff's Salary.
Mary Jo/Jann moved and seconded to adopt Option 2 setting the Sheriff Salary at$164,232 at
January 1,2025(retro to May 1,2024) and stay the same for January 1,2026 at$164,232. Motion
carried.Jim—Y,•Leeland—Y,•Devin -Y,•Richard-Y,•Roger-Y,•Brent-Y,•MaryJo-Y,•Matt-abstain;
Braden—Y,•Jann -Y
b. Review 4/15/2024 Decision, Revise and Set All Other Official Salaries
In order to meet the legal interpretation,the Salary Commission reviewed the other Elected
Officials(EO) salaries in order to establish actual salary amounts. The decision was made to set
the salaries at the average median or$104,501 split into two steps
Leeland suggested giving the Sheriff a one step increase and suggested that could be done with the
other EO.
The Salary Commission reviewed the various numbers.
c. Approve Salary Commission Resolution for Salary Schedule
Devin/MaryJo moved and to adopt option A setting the salaries at$104,501 effective January 1,
2025(retro to May 1, 2024)and staying the same forJanuary 1, 2026. Motion carried. Motion
carried.Jim—Y,•Leeland—Y,•Devin-Y,•Richard-Y,•Roger-Y,•Brent-Y,•Marylo-Y,•Matt-abstain;Braden—
Y,•Jann -Y
Approve"Salary Commission Talking Points"
Jim asked the group to review the Talking Points document he submitted.
Brent/Devin moved and seconded to approve the amended Talking Points document. Motion
carried unanimously.
Recess for 7 minutes
An amended resolution was circulated that includes the actual salary dollar amounts for January 1,
2025 and January 1, 2026
Roger/Devin moved and seconded to adopt Resolution No. 2024-01 establishing the Mason County
Elected Official Salaries. Motion carried unanimously.
The resolution will be filed with the Mason County Auditor.
Revise and Approve By-Laws, Section IV(term staggering)
Jim then brought forward the by-laws addressing Section IV to stagger the terms in order to have
some experienced members for continuity. Currently all terms expire December 31, 2026.
There was discussion of the options and ultimately the County Commissioners would need to
amend their resolution for the Salary Commission in order to have the terms staggered.
Jim suggested language for Section IV Term of the By-Laws.
The initial term of salary commission members shall be until December 31, 2026. Upon vacancies
in any position on the Commission,and within thirty days, a successor shall be selected to and
appointee to fill the unexpired term in the same manner as the initial appointment.
Matt/Brent moved and seconded to amend Section W of the By-Laws. Motion carried unanimously.
Public Comment—there was no public comment.
Jim, on behalf of the Salary Commission,thanked the members for their involvement and the
County staff for their support.
Adjourn—the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
Minutes submitted by: Diane Zoren
MASON COUNTY CITIZENS'COMMISSION ON SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Jim Morrell, Chair
Resolution No.
A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION 2024-027
MASON COUNTY CITIZENS' COMMISSION ON SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
TO STAGGER THE SALARY COMMISSION MEMBER TERMS
WHEREAS, consistent with the provisions of RCW 36.17.024, the Board of Mason County
Commissioners created the Mason County Salary Commission; and,
WHEREAS, it has been determined that the terms of the Salary Commission members should be
staggered for continuity; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Mason County Commissioners to
amend Section 2: Terms as follows:
SECTION 1: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MASON COUNTY CITIZENS' COMMISSION ON
SALARIES
Consistent with the provisions of RCW 36.17.024 there is hereby created a Mason County Citizens'
Commission on Salaries (Commission) which shall set the salaries of the County Commissioners and the
Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, Coroner, Treasurer and Sheriff based on their study and analysis of the
relationship of the salaries to the duties / statement of work for each office and fix the salary for each
position. Except as provided in this resolution, the Commission shall be solely responsible for its
organization, and shall enjoy the fullest cooperation of all elected officials, departments, and agencies of
the County. The Commission will consist of ten(10)members. The composition of the Commission shall
be as follows:
a. Six of the ten members shall be selected by lot by the County Auditor from among those
registered voters eligible to vote at the time persons are selected for appointment to full terms
on the Commission under Section 2—Terms. The County Auditor shall select two commission
members living in each County Commissioner district. The County Auditor shall establish
policies and procedures for conducting the selection by lot. The policies and procedures shall
include but not be limited to,those for notifying persons selected for and for providing a new
selection from a County Commissioner's district if a person selected from the district declines
appointment to the Commission or,if,following the person's appointment,the persons position
on the Commission becomes vacant before the end of the person's term of appointment.
b. The remaining four of the ten commission members must be residents of Mason County and
shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Board of County Commissioners. The persons
selected under this subsection shall have experience in the field of personnel management or a
related field.
c. Members of the Commission may not include any officer, official, or employee of Mason
County whose salary will be studied in the Commission's responsibilities set forth hereinafter,
nor any"immediate family member: of such officer,official or employee. "Immediate family
member"as used in this subsection means the parents, spouse, siblings,children,or dependent
relatives of the officer, official or employee, whether or not living in the household of the
officer, official,or employee.
SECTION 2: TERMS
AppeipAmeats to the Commission shall be for-tefms of two years with the first tefm ending Peeember-3 1,
2026. Ther-eafter-,all mem er-s shall seiwe for-two years. No per-sen may be appoiffted to more tha*two
stteh-terms. For the lot-drawn positions, three of the six selected positions shall serve an initial term of
tive yearis, ending December 31, 2026. The remaining three positions shall serve an initial term ojgC6,iw
ending December 31, 2028. For the appointed positions, two of the four appointments shall serve
an initial term of Avo jwar-s,.ending December 31, 2026 The remaining two positions shall serve an
initial term effeHi-yearis,-ending December 31, 2028. Thereafter, all members shall serve for two years.
No person may be appointed to more than two terms.
No member of the Commission shall be removed by the Board of County Commissioners during his or her
term of office unless for cause of incapacity, incompetence, negligence of duty, or malfeasance, or for a
disqualifying change of residence. Removal will require a majority vote of the Board of County
Commissioners.
SECTION 3: VACANCIES
Upon a vacancy in any position on the Commission a successor shall be selected to and appointed to fill
the unexpired term in the same manner as the initial appointment and the appointee shall fill the expired
term. The selection and appointment shall be concluded within thirty days of the date the position becomes
vacant and shall be conducted in the same manner as for the original appointment.
SECTION 4: OFFICERS
The Commission shall elect a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and such other officers as deemed necessary.
The Chair or his or her designee shall preside over all meetings and shall be a voting member of the
Commission.
SECTION 5: RULES REGULATIONS AND ASSISTANCE
The Commission shall be subject to the provisions of the Open Meetings Act Chapter 42.30 RCW. The
Commission shall meet biennially;however,the Commission may meet as frequently as it deems necessary.
It shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall further adopt bylaws for the transaction of business. The
setting of salaries shall be by an affirmative vote of not less than seven members.
The Auditor's Office staff working with the Human Resources Director of the County shall assist the
Commission by providing information and other such assistance as the Commission requests.
SECTION 6: COMPENSATION—EXPENSES
The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation and/or per diem,however they will be
reimbursed for their mileage costs.
SECTION 7: POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION
a. The Commission shall prepare a schedule of salaries for the Board of Commissioners and other
elected officials for the succeeding two calendar years.
b. The Commission shall set salaries of the County Commissioners and other Elected Officials.
Any change in salary shall be filed by the Commission with the County Auditor no later than
May 1, 2024, and no later than May 1" every two years thereafter. The Commission Chair
shall sign each salary schedule filed,certifying that the schedules have been prepared and filed
in accordance with this resolution,state law,and any rules,if any,of the Commission. Salaries
filed shall become effective and incorporated into the county budget without further action of
the Board of County Commissioners or the salary commission and become effective January
1st of the following calendar year. If the initial determination of salaries,after the Commission
is formed,results in an increase in the salary to an elected official,that increase shall take effect
immediately upon filing of the salary with the County Auditor payable as follows: 30 days after
filing with the County Auditor when no referendum petition is filed; upon a determination by
the County Auditor that a referendum petition is insufficient or invalid;upon approval of a vote
of the people. All subsequent increases in salary shall take effect on January 1 st of the year
following the filing with the County Auditor.
c. Salary increases established by the Commission shall be effective as to all County
Commissioners and Elected Officials regardless of their term in office.
d. The action of fixing the salary of the County Commissioners and Elected Officials shall
supersede any other provision of county ordinance related to budgets or fixing of salaries.
e. Salary decreases established by the Commission shall become effective as to incumbent County
Commissioners and Elected Officials at the commencement of their next subsequent terms in
office.
SECTION 8: REFERENDUM
Salary increases and decreases shall be subject to referendum petition by the people of Mason
County pursuant to the process detailed in RCW 36.17.024(8)(b)(9) and(10).
SECTION 9: SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the resolution or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not
affected.
DATED this day of 52024.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ATTEST: MASON COUNTY,WASHINGTON
McKenzie Smith,Clerk of the Board Randy Neatherlin,Chair
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Kevin Shutty,Vice-Chair
Tim Whitehead,Chief Deputy Prosecuting
Attorney Sharon Trask,Commissioner