By Heather McDonald

Two elected officials in Portage County will receive $40,000 in pay increases over the next five years between them.

The County Board approved 19-3 increasing the salaries for the offices of Portage County Sheriff and Portage County Clerk of Courts during its regular meeting last week. The approval increases the Sheriff’s salary by more than $13,000 the first year; within five years, the increase is about $19,000. The Clerk of Courts’ raise is about $16,000 the first year and $21,000 within five.

“Because of years of minimum or no increases, we’re in this position now,” said District 24 Supervisor Gerry Zastrow. “Had we done better work in the past, we may not have this much of an increase (but) … this is right. I’m in favor of moving this forward.”

Along with Zastrow, supervisors voting for the increase were Vinnie Miresse, District 1; Chris Doubek, District 2; Dave Medin, District 4; Julie Morrow, District 5; Dan Dobratz, District 7; Larry Sipiorski, District 8; Bob Gifford, District 10; Stan Potocki, District 11; Don Butkowski, District 12; James Gifford, District 14; Al Haga, District 15; Jerry Walters, District 17; Larry Raikowski, District 18; Dale O’Brien, District 19; Charlie Gussel, District 20; Matt Jacowski, District 22; Barry Jacowski, District 23; and Jim Zdroik, District 25.

County Board Supervisors voting against the raises were Meleesa Johnson, District 3; Bo DeDeker, District 9; and Phil Idsvoog, District 16. Supervisors Bud Flood, District 6; Don Jankowski, District 13; and Jeanne Dodge, District 21; were excused from the meeting.

Though his final vote was yes, Butkowski said he mis-voted and was attempting to change the “yes” to a “no” when the vote got locked in.

Prior to the vote, Butkowski moved to kick the issue back to the Human Resources Committee; he was the sole vote in opposition of the increases there and suggested the committee should work harder to be more consistent with how it determines which elected positions receive raises and how much and when.

That vote was denied 6 to 16, with supervisors Johnson, Medin, DeDeker, Gifford, Butkowski and Idsvoog in favor of having the committee re-examine the issue.

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