Four elected officials refuse raises in Bonner County

SANDPOINT - Bonner County commissioners and Assessor Jerry Clemons have made good on pledges not to accept 3-percent cost of living wage increases.

Nearly all county employees were given wage increases in the current budget, but commissioners Cornel Rasor and Mike Nielsen said during budget negotiations that they would not accept the raise. Clemons made a similar pledge during budget workshops.

Commissioner Lewis Rich advised the county's payroll clerk on Oct. 18 that he, too, would not accept the raise.

Clerk Marie Scott accepted the raise, as did Treasurer Cheryl Piehl and Prosecutor Louis Marshall.

Coroner Kitt Rose's salary was increased from $40,000 to $44,000 because of an increased work load.

Nielsen and Rasor agreed to boost Sheriff Daryl Wheeler's salary from $57,000 to $69,000 because some of his subordinates were being paid more than he was. Rich opposed the sheriff's pay hike.

Chief Public Defender Isabella Robertson and Chief Deputy Public Defender Janet Whitney, neither of whom hold elected office, accepted the 3-percent raise, but are using it to boost the pay of a legal secretary in their office, county payroll records indicate.

Below are the current annual base salaries of Bonner County's elected officials, according to a public records request filed by The Daily Bee:

• Assessor Jerry Clemons - $56,000

• Clerk Marie Scott - $58,000

• Commissioners - $56,000

• Coroner Kitt Rose - $44,000

• Prosecutor Louis Marshall - $83,000

• Sheriff Daryl Wheeler - $69,000

• Treasurer Cheryl Piehl - $58,000