Freeborn County commissioners approved a 3 percent salary increase for most county employees next year, including themselves, on Tuesday.

The 3 percent is a cost-of-living increase, according to the county. The raise covers all county employees, elected and non-elected, except Recorder Kelly Callahan, whose salary had been capped lower. Callahan was originally appointed, mandating a lower salary, but was elected in the last general election. He will make $2,000 more annually in addition to the cost of living adjustment.

The board also set a salary for incoming sheriff Mark Harig at $65,500, which includes his salary for emergency manager duties. Outgoing Sheriff Don Nolander makes $72,000.

Commissioner Dan Belshan proposed to freeze the commissioners’ salaries, but his idea failed to attract a second.

He argued that the new jail will require additional staff, and Belshan believes that the county would need to refrain from hiring new people for other departments to make up.

&uot;We have to ask our staff to possibly do more work if we are doing that. The leadership role of the county board is not to take a salary increase,&uot; Belshan said. &uot;We are also increasing taxes substantially. We are not here to give ourselves a raise while burdening the taxpayers.&uot;

County Attorney Craig Nelson asked for a larger raise, pointing out his salary level is among the lowest in the state. But, the board did not deviate from the 3-percent principle.

The salaries for the elected officials are:

Commissioners: $20,511.12, up from $19,313.71; attorney: $72,063.65, up from $69,964.74; auditor: $66,029.92, up from $64,106.73; recorder: $39,989.75, up from $36,825.

The board also approved new insurance plans for county employees. To suppress a surge in premium costs, the choices for deductible amounts were narrowed from five to two: $500 or $1,000.