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TEHAMA COUNTY CHARTER / SUPERVISOR SALARY / ELECTED OFFICALS
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Requested Action(s)
recommendation
a) ORDINANCE- Request adoption of an Ordinance proposing an amendment to the Tehama County Charter setting the salaries of the Board of Supervisors and certain Elected Officials
1) Waive the first reading
2) Accept the introduction
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Financial Impact:
Current total financial impact is unknown and pending further direction from the Board.
Background Information:
The Tehama County Charter currently sets the salary for each member of the Board of Supervisors at $1,045 per month, which is less than $6.03 per hour for a forty (40) hour work week. This amount cannot be changed without voter approval and was adjusted last on January 1, 1989. The members of the Board of Supervisors also receive allowances to cover certain County related expenses, including a $700 per month automobile allowance and a $100 per month communication allowance.
Historically, elected department heads have not received the same salary increases as other County department heads. Their compensation has remained unchanged for approximately four years, resulting in salary compression and reduced alignment with comparable County management positions. This frustrates/impedes/foils department succession plans by discouraging qualified candidates from running for elected positions to avoid taking reductions in salary.
Both members of the Board of Supervisors and the elected department heads are eligible to participate in the Tehama County Health Insurance Plan, optional membership in the Tehama County Retirement Plan as contracted with CalPERS, and the Deferred Compensation Plan package.
To remove the appearance of political influence from future compensation issues, the County wishes to ask the public to consider a ballot measure to adopt an ordinance setting the salary for both the members of the Board of Supervisors and the elected department heads.
If approved by the voters, the ordinance sets the annual salary of each member of the Board of Supervisors equal to the State of California hourly minimum wage multiplied by two thousand eighty (2080) hours effective January 1, 2027. Further, if approved by the voters, the ordinance sets the annual salary of each elected department head (Assessor, Auditor - Controller, Clerk & Recorder, District Attorney, Treasurer - Tax Collector, Sheriff - Coroner) at no less than fifteen percent (15%) greater than the salary of the highest-paid employee in each respective department.
The Board of Supervisors directed staff to draft the attached proposed charter amendment and ballot measure language incorporating these proposals for further Board consideration and possible placement on the November ballot. The draft ordinance to that effect is attached. (The Board may amend or revise this proposed language as appropriate during the meeting.)
The Board must take action on a ballot measure by August 7, 2026, to qualify it for the November General Election held on November 3, 2026.