County Board Approves Raises for Elected Officials After Heated Debate
Will County elected officials will receive their first salary increases in nearly two decades after the County Board narrowly approved raises Thursday despite concerns about taxpayer impact.
In split votes following extensive debate, the board approved a phased salary increase for countywide elected officials and a separate raise for board members themselves.
The increases for countywide officials passed 13-9, while board member raises passed by a 12-10 margin during the April 17 meeting.
“We’ve gone 18 years without any kind of pay increase for the position,” board member Frank Pretzel said. “I don’t even care who sits in the seat, and I think that’s a shame that this board, myself included over the last five years, didn’t want to address this.”
Countywide elected officials, currently earning $93,116 annually, will see their salaries rise to approximately $125,000 over a four-year period starting in 2026, representing about a 34% total increase. County board members will see their pay rise from the current $23,000 to $31,000 over the same period.
Board member Jackie Traynere, supporting the increases, said the county had “kicked the can down the road” for too many years.
“If we had not kicked the can down the road this many years, we would not be looking at the kind of numbers that we’re looking at today,” Traynere said.
The raises apply to terms beginning in December 2026, meaning newly elected or re-elected officials will receive the increases rather than current officeholders, unless they win re-election.
Several board members expressed concern about the source of funding for the raises, which will cost approximately $263,000 annually when fully implemented.
“I would have been an absolute yes if somewhere down the line somebody could have told me where we’re going to come up with the 200 plus thousand dollars,” member Mica Logan said. “I think those should be used for services, not salaries.”
Speaker Judy Ogala attempted to amend the countywide officials’ raises to roughly half the proposed amount, but that amendment failed 12-10. The board also rejected 18-4 a motion by member Steve Butler to refer the proposals back to committee for further discussion.
Several countywide elected officials, including Treasurer Tim Brophy, Recorder Karen Stukel and Coroner Laurie Summers, addressed the board during the meeting, defending their full-time commitment to their roles.
“I treat it like a full-time job,” Brophy told the board. “This is my full-time job. I do not have any other job.”
Summers said she was available “7 days a week, 24/7” and took offense at questions about officials’ work schedules. She also noted that she and some other officials decline county health benefits, saving thousands annually.
Board member Jackie Mitchell voiced opposition, saying residents deserve property tax relief over salary increases for officials.
“We’re going to ask for more money for our countywide elected officials, but when it’s budget time, it’s going to be taxed to the max,” Mitchell said. “Why is this board so opposed to being reasonable?”
After the main votes, Board Speaker Joe Van Dyke pledged to work with both political parties to find budget savings to offset the raises.
“My commitment to this board, both sides of the aisle: I will work with both leaders and the county executive to try to look at the budget with a microscope and see if there is somewhere where we can find the money for these raises,” Van Dyke said.
The last time Will County officials received a salary increase was in 2008.