At a recent meeting, the Bond County Board set salaries for two positions to be elected this year.
By a vote of 3-2, a motion was approved to give the newly elected treasurer and county clerk a pay raise of $1,500 per year for 2023 and 2024, and $750 per year for 2025 and 2026.
That will set the salary for 2026 at $67,300.
Jacob Rayle, Joe Whalen and Gerald McCray approved the motion with Adam Boudouris and Wes Pourchot voting “no.”
Pourchot said he favored an increase of $1,000 per year for the last two years of the terms. Whalen commented the county budget is not in good shape and the board needs to watch it, perhaps cutting expenses and looking at ways to bring in more income.
Sheriffs throughout Illinois, serving in non-home rule counties such as Bond, will be getting a big salary increase thanks to the state legislature.
A bill has been signed by Governor Pritzker indicating those salaries shall be not less than 80 percent of the salary set for state’s attorney. This may result in the county actually paying less for the sheriff, because the state is to furnish two-thirds of the new salary.
The exact figure is not known at this time because the state does not set the state’s attorney’s salaries until July 1. The current Bond County sheriff salary is $66,500.
It was mentioned at the county board meeting, the sheriff salary could be as much as $113,000.
County officials are wary about the legislation because it states the amount to be paid by the state is to come from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund, or the General Revenue Fund.
Bond County receives personal property tax replacement money and it is hoped the higher sheriff salary does not negatively affect the regular payments.
