County supes boost own pay

Swiftly and without discussion, four of five Madera County supervisors approved a roughly $2,500 salary increase for themselves at their regular meeting Tuesday morning.

The three percent raise will take effect Feb. 2, 2019. Afterwards, supervisors will earn about $82,500 to $86,500 annually, plus another $6,000 a year for the 2019 chairman of the board.

Supervisor Robert Poythress of District 3 dissented from the majority, and one of his constituents provided a lone voice of opposition during time set aside for public comment at the meeting.

Madera resident Michelle Garcia said the board should be satisfied with getting only pay adjustments whenever superior court judges do so, instead of seeking additional boosts.

Currently, county supervisor salaries are defined as a percentage of judges salaries, which are set by the state.

“I believe you gentlemen have become too comfortable in your positions,” she said. “You’ve been here a long time and I believe that you’re the reason why we need term limits. You guys, there’s other things that we can do with that (money).”

The pay increase will cost the county about $12,500 a year.

Garcia also felt the board should — “like other counties” — employ fewer chiefs of staff to assist the supervisors. “That would save this county a lot of money if we did that.”

In 2017, district chiefs of staff each earned between $61,500 to $71,500 a year, according to www.transparentcalifornia.com.

The board offered no response to her comments.