CACHE COUNTY – With a budget shortfall and a property tax increase looming, most members of the Cache County Council treated the issue of a pay raise for themselves as though it was radioactive at their regular meeting on Sept. 23.
In draft Ordinance 2025-31, the County’s Compensation Committee recommended a $21,000 increase in compensation for each member of the County Council and a $24,000 increase for the panel’s chair.
Amy Adams, the county’s director of Human Resources, argued as usual that the proposed pay hike – which would nearly double compensation for the members of the Cache County Council – was necessary to keep salary levels for those elective posts competitive and ensure that fully qualified candidates filed to run for local offices.
She also reminded council members that they hadn’t received any pay raises for three years.
But the majority of council members were having none of it, with members David Erickson, Keegan Garrity and Nolan Gunnell being the most vocal in their opposition.
Erickson argued that compensation that high has the potential to lessen the idea of council members being servants of the people.
Garrity echoed that sentiment, saying that at a time when the county is facing a budget shortfall, the “optics” of the council members voting themselves a huge pay raise were all wrong.
As the only member of the compensation committee at the Sept. 23 meeting, council member Kathryn Beus – who shared that duty with absent council member Barbara Tidwell and former county executive David Zook – tried in vain to defend the proposed pay hike.
In the face of other council members’ opposition, however, she moved to amend the ordinance to reflect compensation of $36,000 per year for council members (up from $24,000) and $43,200 for the council’s chair (up from $30,000).
But that compromise still seemed too rich for the council’s mood and Beus’ motion died for lack of a second.
Based on estimates jointly developed by County Auditor Matt Funk and former deputy executive Dirk Anderson as of Aug. 26, the county faces a shortfall of about $4.9 million in next year’s budget.
At that same meeting, council members instructed County Treasurer Craig McAllister to publish a notice of a Truth-in-Taxation hearing for a proposed property tax increase of up to 18 percent for 2026.
That hearing will be scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
While declining to raise their own compensation, the members of the county council were more than generous in voting unanimously to increase the pay of other elected officials.
Starting Jan. 1, the County Executive’s compensation will increase to $149,085, up from $138, 042; the Sheriff’s compensation will be $140,512, up from $130,104; and the County Assessor will be paid $132,870, up from $123,028.
The compensation set for the County Auditor, Clerk, Recorder and Treasurer will be $121, 130, up from $112,158.
The County Attorney’s compensation, at $200,280, will not change.
Newly appointed County Executive N. George Daines disputed the amount of his salary increase, saying that $125,000 with no benefits was more than adequate compensation for his position, but was overruled by the council members.
Daines then announced his intention to investigate the legality of donating the difference in his salary back to the county.
The issue of compensation for members of the Cache County Council was tabled until their next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 14.