Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Proposed 2022 budget shows county employees with base pay over $100K
DAVENPORT – A long day of budget hearings took place at the Lincoln County Commissioners’ meeting Monday, Nov. 1 as commissioners Scott Hutsell, Rob Coffman and Mark Stedman were tasked with meeting with several department heads as they work to pull together a tight 2022 budget with raises due or proposed for several county employees.
According to the 2022 requested budgets listed in the county’s 2022 preliminary budget report, eight county employees would receive a base salary over $100,000, which doesn’t include benefits such as medical and retirement.
The highest paid county employees, including the only three who have a base salary over $100,000 in 2021, have a slight pay decrease proposed in 2022. Topping the list is prosecuting attorney Adam Walser, who has a proposed base salary of $152,156 in 2022 after that number was $153,482 in 2021. Just behind the prosecutor’s position is District Court judge Dan B. Johnson, who would have a base pay of $141,920 in 2022 after a base pay of $143,789 in 2021.
The third employee who made over six digits in base pay in 2021 is Superior Court judge Jeffrey S. Barkdull, who would have a base pay of $100,712 after $102,038 in 2021.
Five county employees have proposed raises that would put their base salaries over six digits, including Sheriff Wade Magers, assessor Scott Liebing, auditor Chandra Schumacher, clerk Peggy Semprimoznik and treasurer Jody Howard. All made a base $98,088 in 2021 and would receive $100,584 in base pay in 2022.
Other county employees, including some jail and dispatch staff and sheriff’s office staff, would take home over $100,000 when benefits are included, but not in the base salary. Nearing the six-digit mark in base salary include undersheriff Kelly Watkins with a proposed $97,500, chief criminal deputy Kody Becker with a proposed $90,756, jail supervisor Lyle Hendrickson with a proposed $82,418, sergeant Gabe Gants with a proposed $80,718, and 911 communication lead Jo Gilchrist with a proposed $82,668.
Sheriff’s office base salaries include longevity, which other county employees don’t receive.
The commissioners have a slight raise budgeted, but their base salary would be $72,084, up from $70,296.
The 17 department heads met with the commissioners Monday. Their departments’ proposed expenditures from the county’s current expense budget for the 2022 budget are listed below. Heads are listed in the order of their meeting with the commissioners.
Kevin Hupp, noxious weed control board. $593,934.
Keith Nelson, information services. $494,429.
Ed Dzedzy, public health. $2,615,349 between 45 subsections of the department.
Darren Mattozzi, alcohol/drug center. $415,696.
Dan B. Johnson, district court. $341,586.
Courtney Thompson, planning department. $209,706.
Rick Becker, public works. $5,626,100 (county road construction), $5,192,500 (county road maintenance), $1,267,100 (county road administration), $659,460 (solid waste management), $608,850 (pits and quarries)
Adam Walser, prosecuting attorney. $540,337.
Bill Dehler, juvenile court services. $168,660.
Scott Liebing, assessor. $430,632.
Jeffrey S. Barkdull, superior court. $237,579.
Peggy Semprimoznik, clerk. $283,757.
Jody Howard, treasurer. $392,929.
Janice Jantz, EDC. $20,000 (tourism).
Dawn Canfield, WSU extension and Lincoln County Fair. $123,121 (extension), $257,044 (county fair).
Wade Magers, sheriff. $962,656 (jail), $591,442 (sheriff administration), $1,296,788 (sheriff operations)
Chandra Schumacher, auditor. $526,668.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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