CACHE COUNTY – Once again, the Cache County Council has postponed any decision on the issue of compensation increases for its members.
At their regular meeting on Oct. 28, council members agreed to hold off on any discussion of the pay hike being proposed by Amy Adams, the county’s director of Personnel Management.
That postponement was ostensibly at the request of Council Chair Sandi Goodlander, who was absent from the gathering.
But council members admitted to also being concerned about adding new complications to the proposed 2026 budget that is unfolding under the guidance of County Executive George Daines.
The pay increase for council members being suggested by Adams would total less than $100,000. But that amount would still add to Daines’ challenge in balancing a $65.5 million budget, while avoiding a $7.6 million revenue shortfall.
The components of the tentative budget proposed by Daines include $2.7 million in spending cuts; $3.7 million in new revenues from a proposed 18 percent property tax increase; and an estimated more than $1.3 million, presumably to be diverted from county reserve funds.
Daines explained that the proposed budget also assumes a cost-of-living pay increase for county employees varying from 3 to 4 percent as well as a 10 percent pay increase for Sheriff’s Department public safety personnel.
The issue of adequate compensation for council members first arose at their meeting on Sept. 23, when Ordinance 25-31 was discussed. That proposal would have raised compensation for the council chair from $30,000 to $54,000 and for council members from $24,000 to $45,000, according to Adams.
As usual, Adams argued that the proposed pay hike was necessary to keep salary levels for those elective posts competitive and ensure that fully qualified candidates filed to run for local offices.
When council members balked at the size of the proposed pay hike, Vice Chair Kathryn Beus made a compromise motion to raise the six council members salaries by $12,000 each and the council chair’s salary by $13,200 staring Jan. 1 of next year. But that proposal died for lack of any support from fellow council members.
At the Oct. 14 meeting, Adams returned with proposed Ordinance 2025-36, which mirrored Beus’ previous motion by amended the proposed annual compensation to $36,000 for council members and $43,200 for the council chair.
She reminded the council members that they are lowest paid part-time council members or commissioners in Utah and have not received a pay raise since Jan. 1 of 2023.
It now appears that the compensation issue will likely not be resolved until after a state-mandated Truth-in-Taxation Hearing set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Daines plans to hold a public forum that same day starting at 2 p.m. to address county residents’ concerns and clear up misconceptions about the proposed tax increase.
To submit questions in advance for Daines or other county officials prior to the public forum on Nov. 18, taxpayers are advised to send their questions to George.Daines@cachecounty.gov or call 435-755-1852.
The Truth-in-Taxation public hearing that evening will be held in the Cache County Council Chambers in the Cache Historic Court House at 199 North Main Street in Logan.