New salaries for county officials

Some Mason County elected officials will be getting raises, a commission studying the issue said in a news release April 23.

The Mason County assessor, auditor, clerk, coroner, county commissioners and treasurer will make $104,501 per year and the sheriff will make $164,232 per year, starting Jan. 1, 2025.

The salaries will increase in steps starting May 1 for all the officials except the sheriff, so salaries will rise from the current $87,565 to $95,979 this year.

Sheriff Ryan Spurling’s current salary of $160,226 is 5% above Undersheriff Travis Adams’ salary, according to the commission, and members voted to keep the structure.

Spurling does not get an increase in May. At the April 15 meeting, salary commission member Matt Mallery said elected county officials are “well below” the median salary, which is one reason the across-the-board increase is needed.

Commission members used data for comparable counties, Mason County Employee Group wage increases, history of statewide elected officials’ salary increases and inflation in consideration for the salary increase, they said.

The 10-member commission has been meeting since March and consists of four members appointed by Mason County commissioners and six randomly selected from registered voters by the county auditor.

The salaries will be in effect for 2025 and 2026, according to the release.