The Lake County Commissioners unanimously approved a 4% salary increase Monday that applies to all elected officials as well as most county employees.

The hike is 1% less than the 5% increase recommended by the Lake County Compensation Board when it met with commissioners Aug. 17. The board is composed of journalist Jeff Smith, retired mortician Fred Nelson, Clerk and Recorder Kendra Steele, Clerk of Court Mary Rensvold, and County Attorney James Lapotka.

Under the new framework (effective Sept. 6), the highest paid elected official remains the county attorney, who will receive $151,060; the remaining elected officials will earn $78,312, plus $2,000 as stipulated by state code, except for the superintendent of schools, who will receive $76,712, plus $400 per year. The sheriff also receives $15,662 for his part-time duties as county coroner, or 20% of his salary.

"After going over the finances and budgets again, we determined it would not be fiscally responsible to use the 5%," said commissioner Bill Barron. "We discussed 3% and starting it on July first. Ultimately, we went with the 4% and starting it in September."

In a letter addressed to county employees on Tuesday, the commissioners outlined the pay plan and noted that the salary schedule doesn’t apply to deputies, whose wages are tied to the sheriff’s as mandated in state code, nor does it apply to probationary, temporary and short-term employees.

The commissioners also voted to freeze additional merit increases and/or wage adjustments for the next fiscal year, except those pay increases provided for in the county’s operations manual for completion of probation and annual and longevity pay.

Editor's note: This story was updated Sept. 1 to correct an error in the original, stating that the county had a new part-time county coroner who would be paid $15,662, or 20% of the sheriff's salary. As Sheriff and Coroner Don Bell pointed out,  he serves as both sheriff and coroner, as stipulated by county statute. And since it’s an elected position, one duty can’t be separated from the other. We regret the error.