The McHenry County Board has approved pay raises for various elected officials in the county. | Claire O’Brien/Shaw Local News Network
By Claire O’Brien | Shaw Media Group
McHenry County elected officials will receive pay raises to kick off their next terms.
The McHenry County Board approved the raises this week without discussion or a separate vote.
Instead, the raises were approved Tuesday as part of a consent agenda, which typically consists of a group of routine items bundled for a single vote. The measures passed 16-1, with board member Eric Hendricks casting the sole no vote. Larry Smith was absent.
The raises got approved in the middle of a tight budget season for the county. Officials said they expect expenses to outpace revenue by roughly $3.7 million during the next fiscal year, which begins Dec. 1.
Salaries have been discussed for the past few months since County Clerk Joe Tirio, who also handles the responsibilities of the county recorder, did pay comparisons and brought his request to the board.
Tirio said his job’s pay should increase because it had not kept pace with inflation. He also cited safety issues and harassment that county clerks and election officials have faced in recent years.
Currently, the clerk-recorder, treasurer, auditor, coroner and circuit clerk earn a base salary of $114,000 per year.
With the new raises, the clerk-recorder and treasurer salaries will increase to $154,000 starting late next year, when the new terms for those offices start after the 2026 elections.
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