Carbon County officials took a step back from setting elected official salaries for 2028 and 2029 after a proposal was received from one office that would make the position full time.

During a special meeting of the county commissioners on Tuesday evening, the board met to set elected officials salaries in the years following the next election. The board is required to do this so that they are not voting to give themselves and the other elected officials raises while serving their four-year term, per the county code.

Prior to any motion being made, Sheriff Dan Zeigler discussed his proposal for the future salaries of his position.

He said that the position should receive a higher percentage increase and showed comparisons to unions, as well as other law enforcement entities.

“I compared percentage increases from 2023 until 2027 and compared them to the collective bargaining units just in the sheriff’s office,” Zeigler said. “That showed a higher percentage increase so I think it’s only fair that the elected officials receive equal or higher than that of their collective bargaining units in their offices.”

He also said that through comparing police chief salaries against the sheriff’s, the salary is “significantly lower than all of the chiefs throughout the county.”

The commissioners didn’t address Zeigler’s comments, however they allowed a motion to set the salaries for those two years at 3% increases to die for lack of a second.

The board, through more discussion, said that the lack of action was due to questions they had regarding how a request from the coroner to make that position a full-time position would work, since last night’s action wouldn’t take place until 2028.

“If the coroner would go full time, I think that’s a different process,” said Commissioner Rocky Ahner. “And, if the coroner would go full time, you would think they should fall in line with everybody else.”

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said he thought the coroner position should be full time due to the increasing amount of work for that position.

Ahner agreed, but said he feels they have to figure out how a new pay structure would be for that position and said there were other questions that needed to be answered regarding that office structure.

“I think we need to discuss it,” said Commissioners’ Chairman Mike Sofranko. “I think we all agree that the coroner’s position, because of the amount of workload and because of the amount of paperwork and administrative duties and the time he has been putting in ... that it should be considers a full-time coroner position. I don’t think we disagree on that, but how do we get there?”

Sofranko added that salaries for elected positions have to be set before that position is up for election, and changing this position brings up a lot of questions on procedure.

The board decided that it would table all action regarding the salaries being set and recess the meeting until further discussion can take place.

County Administrator Eloise Ahner pointed out that these salaries must be set by Dec. 31, 2024.

No new date for this meeting has been announced.