DEPARTMENT: Employee Relations
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Establishment Of 2023 Elected Officials’ And County Manager’s Compensation
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Establish 2023 Elected Officials’ and County Manager’s Compensation.
SUMMARY
Elected Officials’ and County Manager compensation is reviewed annually. Elected Officials’ 2023 compensation must be established before year-end due to statutory requirements that do not provide for retroactive compensation and which specify that compensation must be set annually.
Proposed 2023 Elected Officials’ and County Manager Compensation
All proposed salaries for 2023 have been computed based upon the proposed 2023 Unclassified Merit Compensation Policy and Plan (“Plan”) and relevant statutory provisions. The 2023 salaries are initially established based upon the Unclassified Merit Compensation Policy and Plan alone. The proposed salaries actually payable in 2023 are established taking into account the limitations imposed by (i) Minn. Stat. 43A.17, subd. 9 (Political Subdivision Compensation Limit) i.e., the salary cap statute, and (ii) the Plan’s policy which limits the salaries of the County Attorney and County Sheriff to the maximum compensation permitted by law to be paid to the County Manager. The proposed Plan provides for a 0.0% to 7.5% base adjustment for 2023. For the purposes of elected officials’ pay the annual salary will be issued in equal payments pursuant the number of annual pay dates in a given year commencing on the first Monday of the year through the Sunday proceeding the first Monday of the following year.
Under the Plan, a recommendation of the annual salary of County Commissioners for the next year shall be made by the Employee Relations Director and County Manager and shall be based upon consistency with Dakota County’s compensation structure for unclassified positions. Based on this, the recommendation for the County Commissioner 2023 salary is $93,328.
Under the proposed Plan the County Manager 2023 salary is $217,703, the County Attorney 2023 salary is $206,397, and the Sheriff is $180,751. The Minnesota Governor Salary cap does not apply to the County Attorney or County Sheriff. County Compensation Policy limits the salary of the County Attorney and the County Sheriff to 100% of the maximum compensation permitted by law to be paid to the County Manager which is $234,245 for 2023.
Process By Which A County Commissioner May Decline the 2023 Salary Increase
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners has established a process by which County Commissioners may individually decline their approved annual salary increase. The attached form is the form to be used by a Commissioner to file an irrevocable notice to decline receipt of the proposed salary increase for 2023. A Commissioner who wishes to decline the approved salary increase should complete, sign and return this form to the Employee Relations Director prior to December 23, 2022, 4:30 p.m. This stipulation is included as a provision of the proposed 2023 Unclassified Employees’ Compensation Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends adoption of the proposed resolution.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
Funding is included in the County Manager’s recommended 2023 budget.
☐ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
WHEREAS, the County Board will adopt the proposed the 2023 Unclassified Employee Merit Compensation Policy and Plan provisions; and
WHEREAS, the County established a process within that Plan by which Elected Officials’ and the County Manager’s compensation is determined and it is necessary that proper compensation be established for all Elected Officials and the County Manager, pursuant to relevant provisions of the proposed 2023 Unclassified Employee Merit Compensation Policy and Plan; and
WHEREAS, the County is required to administer salaries in compliance with statute, setting the maximum compensation permitted by law and if the compensation payable to an appointed County official or employee, if paid, would exceed the political subdivision compensation limit, established by Minn. Stat. 43A.17, subd. 9, compensation in excess of such limit shall not be paid, unless the limit is raised or repealed; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of Dakota County to provide equitable compensation and financial incentives.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby establishes in the context of and consistent with the proposed 2023 Unclassified Employees Merit Compensation Policy and Plan and Local Government Salary Cap provisions, Elected Officials’ and County Manager’s 2023 compensation as follows: County Commissioner, $93,328; County Manager, $217,703; County Attorney, $206,397; County Sheriff, $180,751; however, 2023 payable compensation per current policy or statute limitations shall be:
COUNTY COMMISSIONER *$93,328
COUNTY MANAGER $217,703
COUNTY ATTORNEY $206,397
COUNTY SHERIFF $180,751
* Prior to 4:30 p.m. on December 23, 2022, a County Commissioner may file with the Employee Relations Director an election to decline their 2023 salary increase. For any Commissioner filing such a declination, the 2023 compensation level shall be *$88,463 + $1,735 lump sum
; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That if the compensation payable to an appointed county official or employee, if paid, would exceed the political subdivision compensation limit established at Minn. Stat. § 43A.17, subd. 9, compensation in excess of such limit shall not be paid, unless the limit is raised or repealed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners, in accordance with Minn. Stat. 383D.05, hereby establishes a Commissioner car/expense allowance for 2023 in the amount of $5,675 per year per Commissioner.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
21-593; 12/14/21
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Salary Declination Form
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☐ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☒ N/A
CONTACT
Department Head: Andy Benish
Author: Andy Benish