Recently, the County Board of Commissioners voted to increase the pay for all commissioners, plus voted to give bonus pay for the Board chairman, vice chairman and party caucus heads.  Under pressure from the community regarding the addition of the raises as a budget amendment (rather than being part of the actual budget agenda), they then re-thought the issue, and brought it back to committee.

There, the rescision of the increase to the Commission as a whole was thought dead when it failed to carry a motion by Sue Douglas.  Now, the increases for the leadership are on hold, pending a study by a few members of the commmission, while the remainder of the commission has taken advantage of a state law that allows them to add to their pay mid-term.

However, the pay raises have been met with extreme scrutiny by their constituents, and we as a community must keep our eye on those bonuses provided for the leadership and caucus heads up for "study".  The prestige and ability to set the tone for the commission that comes with leadership positions does not deserve extra pay, nor certainly does the work of political party business leaders in the commission either.