After a brief discussion last Tuesday, the Sherburne County Board set minimum salaries for elected officials for 2018.
Administrator Steve Taylor said because 2018 is an election year, state statute requires the county to establish minimum salaries so non-incumbent candidates know what they would be paid if they were elected to office.
Minimum salaries For 2018 are: Auditor/Treasurer - $90,000; Recorder - $84,000; Sheriff - $117,500 and County Attorney - $117,500.
The board has the authority to negotiate the salary after the election, dependent on a candidate’s experience and qualifications.
Current salaries for the county’s elected officials were set in December. They are: Sheriff Joel Brott - $148,266.25; County Attorney Kathleen Heaney - $147,285.33; Auditor/ Treasurer Diane Arnold- $105,919.40; Recorder - Michelle Ashe - $100,853.83.
MnDOT Agreement
The board passed a resolution for a work order under a partnership contract with MnDOT to provide professional and technical services. Under the agreement, MnDOT will collect aerial digital imagery for improvements to Co. Rd. 33 from Hwy. 169 east to Co. Rd. 13.
“This is a construction grade survey they would be completing so that we can continue on with a number of projects,” said Public Works Director Andrew Witter.
A portion of Co. Rd. 33 is scheduled for reconstruction in 2022, or when funding is available. The aerial survey work is being contracted out to help with determining a new alignment.
“This will provide design level survey for almost five miles of county road and includes multiple projects within our five-year capital improvement program,” said Witter. “Our other concern was the amount of traffic we see on this roadway. Being able to get this level of survey completed much more safely than boots on the ground and people in traffic is also a benefit.”
The cost of the work order is $40,000.
Other Business
In other action the board:
• Re-appointed Tom Hammer, Richard Dahlman and Terrence Vander Eyk to the Sherburne County Water Plan Advisory Committee for three-year terms;
• Re-appointed Kenzie Phelps to the Elk River Watershed Joint Powers Board;
• Renewed separate community corrections contracts at $25,680 each with Doug Bosaker and Nate Parker for programming for adult and juvenile offenders;
• Approved a hiring rate of $41.59/hr for Brad Golden in the Information Technology Dept.;
• Approved a request by the sheriff’s department to renovate the jail clinic to create an additional exam room and another room to accommodate dialysis equipment at a cost of $51,684;
• Accepted a $100 donation from Granite Electronics to the Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit.
