Doa Ana County commissioners approve pay raises for elected positions, maintain holiday calendar

Doa Ana County commissioners decided to up the pay for some county officials, in hopes of drawing better qualified candidates down the road.

The five elected officials beginning new or re-elected terms get to ring in the new year with a 15 percent raise. They are the sheriff, county assessor, county clerk, county treasurer and probate judge.

The sheriff will now have a salary just under $79,000. The county assessor, clerk and treasurer will all earn just over $75,000 and the part-time probate judge will be paid just over $33,000 a year.

When commissioners decided not to cut the number of days on the holiday schedule, it drew a standing ovation. Employees get to keep their 13 paid holidays, compared to 18 El Paso County employees have.

“Because of the fact that the employees will not be getting a raise, I will be voting against this motion,” District 3 Commissioner Ben Rawson said. He was the only “no” vote for the raise of the five elected county officials.

Commissioners could have voted to give themselves a raise as well, but decided not to be included in the pay increase resolution.

Current Probate Judge Alice Salcido told commissioners she supported raising the salaries the maximum percentage allowed by the state Legislature.

“Although it is classified as a part-time job, it isn’t a part-time job,” Salcido said. “In order to attract qualified people for this job, you’re going to have to consider raising it (the salary).”

“These, to me, are professional positions and I think we need to make sure we have good compensation for these positions,” Commissioner Chair Billy Garrett said.

Once the resolution passed, the sheriff, assessor, clerk, treasurer and probate judge positions got their first raise since 2008.

Commissioners each make just under $30,000 a year. Most didn’t find it appropriate to vote for their own raises, when county employees didn’t receive raises.