Commission OKs series of pay raises

The hours can be long, the employers fickle, and several people who once held the job are now behind bars.

At least being a Clark County commissioner pays pretty well.

On Tuesday, the commissioners voted unanimously to give themselves a raise that will push their salaries above $80,000 a year by 2010.

Commissioners currently make $68,390 a year.

The raises reflect salary adjustments approved by state lawmakers earlier this year.

A 4 percent raise, effective July 1, will increase the base commission salary to $71,127. Subsequent 4 percent raises will take the commission salary to $73,972 in 2008, $76,931 in 2009 and $80,008 in 2010.

After serving one four-year term, members of what is considered Nevada’s most powerful elected board also receive longevity pay worth 2 percent of their salary for the prior year.

Before Tuesday’s vote, first-term commissioner Susan Brager said she would be declining the salary increase. She said she would accept a raise only if elected to a second term, a comment that drew applause from a man in the audience.

Commissioner Tom Collins, also in his first term, indicated he too would opt out of the wage increase, though he said the 4 percent "falls in line" with increases in the cost of living.

Collins then made a motion to give commissioners until June 29 to notify County Manager Virginia Valentine whether they want to collect the additional money.

Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani used the discussion to argue for a change in the way the elected post is defined.

"I think this job should be a full-time job and be declared as such, and no outside jobs should be allowed during that time," she said. "Personally, I think you get rid of the issues of conflict of interest that come into play."

Don Burnette, chief administrative officer for the county, said state law does not really define the job of commissioner in work hours.

"Statute is silent on it. It doesn’t say part-time. It doesn’t say full-time," he said. "The hours they put in is up to them, and it’s all over the board."

Collins already thinks of it as a full-time job.

"I have people come to my house, call me, e-mail me. I go to functions all over the place," he said.

Commissioner Bruce Woodbury has been doing the work longer than anyone.

He said several first-term commissioners also turned down the money in 2003, the last time state lawmakers approved a pay raise for the commission.

"I’m not really sure what the salary for the County Commission should be," said Woodbury, who joined the board in 1981. "On one hand, there is a high level of responsibility, and it seems the hours are endless. On the other hand, no one makes us take this job."

The salary increase was the last item on the agenda and the last item approved during Tuesday’s meeting. A handful of people remained in the audience when the vote was taken, and no one approached the podium to comment.