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Freeborn County’s sheriff and attorney lobbied for increases to their salaries Tuesday during an annual presentation in front of the Board of Commissioners. 

While the board approves cost of living increases by a percent for other county employees, state statute requires it to approve an exact salary figure each year for elected officials, including themselves. 

The board no longer approves a salary figure for the Freeborn County recorder and auditor-treasurer, as these positions are now appointed. 

During his presentation Tuesday, County Attorney David Walker recommended an increase in his salary to $129,000, up from $122,520.

He said he does not recommend an increase every year — last year he recommended a freeze in his salary because of a lot of unknowns, including the pandemic and property taxes. 

He showed a comparison of 11 other counties in the state within 5,000 population of Freeborn County and what their county attorneys salaries are. He said the average salary was $129,545, while the median salary was $128,702. The top salary was in Steele County at $150,407, and the bottom salary was at $115,544.  

Walker also referenced projected cost of living increase over 5% expected this year for Social Security and noted that as prices go up, salaries lose some value. He said he thought it made sense to look at that cost of living increase, and he also looked at the county’s economy. 

He said he thought the county was strong, and that it had come out even stronger than anyone expected from the pandemic. 

He presented information in a memo to the commissioners highlighting his performance in the last year, including leadership during the pandemic, four jury trials, convictions sustained on two cases in the appellate courts, along with lining up misdemeanor prosecution agreements with the small communities in the county, continued work on opioid litigation, a voter fraud case conviction, representing the sheriff in an order to show cause initiated by the Albert Lea attorney that was dismissed, among many others. 

Commissioner Brad Edwin said though he recognizes the importance of comparing similar counties, he also has to be mindful of what taxpayers can afford. He referenced continued increases in the levy at the same time saw increased property values and also referenced a tax base that is getting older and decreased businesses. 

“I’m not saying no we can’t do this — I’m saying we really need to think about these things and how it affects the people who are paying for these things,” Edwin said. 

Sheriff Kurt Freitag, who this year is receiving a salary of $119,225, recommended an increase to $127,642.

Freitag said he looked at two comparable groups — one of sheriffs in the 6th District and another of 11 counties similar in size. 

He said he took the average salary of both groups — $123,925 — and then added on a 3% cost of living increase, which increased it to $127,642. 

In 2020, he asked for a half percent increase, as this was what the bargaining units received, and it was a more challenging year for the county. 

In his memo to the commissioners, he highlighted some of his work in the last year, including implementing a “Check up from the neck up” for all licensed deputies, continually modifying the COVID-19 plan for the jail as more virus mitigation knowledge became available, deploying deputies to Line 3 protests with no loss or damage to property or injuries, increased revenue streams, among others. 

He supervises close to 90 people. 

Commissioner Ted Herman asked if the commissioners could wait until after the union negotiations were complete to decide on the elected official salaries. 

Edwin, Herman and Dan Belshan also voiced during the discussion about the commissioners salaries that they were in favor of no increase. 

The commissioners will vote to set the salaries at the Nov. 30 meeting and may have further discussion on the matter at a Nov. 9 workshop prior to the meeting.