By LOHR McKINSTRY
ELIZABETHTOWN — Most Essex County department heads are getting a 4.25-percent raise this year.
No one from the public spoke at a hearing on the salaries this week, and the County Board of Supervisors has voted them into effect.
Earlier, the supervisors had reduced the raises to 2 percent, but then they restored the full raises to equal what union workers at the county are getting by contract.
"Did some of these salaries get cut or are they all 4.25?" Supervisor Gerald Morrow (D-Chesterfield) asked at the hearing. "Earlier, we did some salaries at 2 percent."
County Manager Daniel Palmer said, "They are all 4.25 (percent)."
Supervisor Joyce Morency (R-St. Armand) said Palmer is doing a salary comparison report for the board, which is due in April.
Supervisor Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah) said citizens could petition for a public vote on the raises, since they were set by local law.
"There's a possibility this could be put on the ballot."
Those petitioning would need signatures of at least 10 percent of voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election, County Attorney Daniel Manning III said.
"When we pass a local law, anyone may petition a referendum."
The salaries for department heads appointed or elected to fixed terms will be:
Social Services commissioner, $84,921.
Election commissioners (two), $17,609.
County coroners (four), $3,905.
County attorney, $127,694.
County auditor, $52,879.
County clerk, $65,826.
County manager, $98,615 (plus $18,000 as county information systems director).
County sheriff, $79,577.
County treasurer, $65,325.
County personnel officer, $59,602.
Chief public defender, $92,000.
Public Health director, $80,312 (vacant).
Real Property Tax Services director, $65,020.
Public Works superintendent, $85,669 (no raise).
The Department of Public Works superintendent did not receive a raise for 2010 because it was a new appointment.
Board of Supervisors (16), $17,335 each (no raise).
Chair, Board of Supervisors, $22,339 (no raise).
Finance Committee chair, Board of Supervisors, $19,438 (no raise).
Each supervisor also receives a salary from the town he or she serves in.
The state has set the salary of the county judge and district attorney at about $119,000 each for the last several years.
E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
