By ANTONIO

ANDERSON

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Board of Commissioners rejected proposed salary increases for elected officials in the county during its Tuesday meeting.

The proposed salary increases were the result of a study by Notely, a Texas-based investment firm, which suggested wage increases for several positions in the county by comparing them with administrators in similar positions across the state.

“We have a professional that recommended certain wages and I don’t see that we have followed them at all yet,” said Commissioner Bill Nordeen. “The first union negotiation we went to we bumped them up to the maximums and now we are taking the elected officials and bumping them up to the maximums. So it sounds to me like we are going to bump everyone up to the maximums, so then we are not going to follow Notely whatsoever.”

Nordeen expressed displeasure with the proposed wages and the cost of the study.

“I feel like the prosecutor went way up, I feel like the sheriff went way up and I feel like everyone went way up,” said Nordeen. “Which I am not saying they don’t deserve it, but I am just going back to the ‘We paid a lot of money for the study’ thing.”

Nordeen and Commissioner John DePetro voted no, while Chairman Joseph Derocha and Commissioner Stephen Adamini voted yes. Commissioners Dana LaLonde and Karen Alholm were not in attendance at the Tuesday meeting, leaving the commissioners deadlocked.

“I guess I have a problem when our wage grade employees are getting 3% increases or 2% increases, or whatever they get, and now we are giving some of our nonrepresented employees big jumps,” Nordeen said. “These are big jumps. There are some of these that are probably 20%, 15% probably.”

Compensation for elected officials must be approved by Nov. 1. The issue will be discussed again at the next meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday.

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.