The Leland Township Board unanimously approved salary resolutions for the supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and trustees at its regular meeting Monday evening. All but the treasurer’s salary included an increase, according to the resolutions.
The resolutions approved are not final and will have to be approved at the township’s annual meeting set for March 29. Leland Township Supervisor Clint Mitchell said resolutions had to be reviewed at this time of the year before the annual meeting next month and before the new fiscal year starts on April 1.
The highest proposed increase of 8.6% is for the clerk position, whose total salary if approved would be $55,000. Last year, the pay for the position increased by 6.9%, going from $46,746 to $50,250. The increase reflects additional election duties now required of the clerk. Mitchell said increases for all positions are also based on the state’s consumer price index (CPI), which is not just used to help calculate the property tax increases, but is a measure of the price changes of goods and services in the state.
“This ensures that the expenses in our budget don’t outpace our revenues and their operating budget remains sustainable,” Mitchell said at the meeting. “Also that the value placed upon the elected positions remains consistent year to year regardless of inflation… The exception for office holders is if the position is mandated additional duties by the state.”
Mitchell said with more residents also utilizing absentee voting, township workers like the clerk are taking on more work.
“Last year in our general election, 75% of our residents voted that way (by absentee)... So it’s obviously in high demand among our residents. That also means about five months of absentee voting in any given year, and another 18 days of early voting every other year,” Mitchell said. “Same day elections require the same work, the same effort, the same people, the same money, regardless if we have 550 or 500 voters, it doesn’t matter how many voters we have.”
Leland Township Clerk Lisa Brookfield addressed the comments from the public regarding elected officials understanding the compensation that they will receive when they take on the job, but said she also understands that there is a mechanism in place to request a pay increase if duties expand.
“Cost of living raises are pretty standard, and while yes, we are elected officials, I don’t think we should be expected to do the work we have to do for less money over here,” Brookfield said. “So I appreciate the support this community has given me and elected me to do and I know with the service that I give is the best I can give… But I can’t take on more work without compensation.”
The supervisor and trustee positions will all see a 3.1% increase in salary pay if approved, too. The compensation for the supervisor’s post will increase from $33,075 to $34,100, while the trustee pay will increase from $7,560 to $7,800. Shirley Garthe, current Leland Township treasurer, did not request a raise to her position’s current salary of $44,100.
