Four elected officials receive another raise – $4,160 more per year

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Douglas County’s four elected officials – attorney, recorder, auditor/treasurer and sheriff – received another raise for 2023.

At the Tuesday, March 21, regular meeting, Douglas County commissioners approved a $2 per hour more raise, which is set to begin on April 2. This equates to about $4,160 more per year for Chad Larson, attorney; Mary Skillings, recorder; Vicki Doehling, auditor/treasurer; and Troy Wolbersen, sheriff.

The four elected people did not ask for the raise, it was given to them by the commissioners.

During the meeting, Commissioner Keith Englund said, “When we agreed to give everyone a $2 an hour raise, I thought it should include them, too.”

No other discussion took place and the resolution to increase their salaries was approved by a 5-0 unanimous vote.

In August 2022, the 2023 salaries for all four elected officials were approved and all had increased from their 2022 salaries.

At that meeting, Larson received a 4.3% raise – going from $129,910 to $135,500. His new salary is $139,660.04. Skillings' raise was 4%, going from $67,500 in 2022 to $70,200 in 2023. Her new salary is $74,360. Doehling received a 3.78% increase, going from $96,000 to $92,500. Her new salary, as of April 2, will be 100,160.06. And Wolbersen’s salary increased by 7.27%, going from 130,500 to $140,000. His new salary will be $144,160.12.

In other action, the Douglas County commissioners approved the following items:

• Local-option property tax disaster credits and permission for the auditor-treasurer to include the disaster credit reimbursement request to the State of Minnesota Department of Revenue. Doehling told the commissioners that the final wave of property tax relief for the May 2022 storm damage victims has been completed. Property tax statements will reflect a “disaster credit,” identified as “other credit” on the property tax statement.
• Conditional use permit for Pazdernik Properties. Despite opposition from neighbors, some of whom were present at the meeting, the commissioners approved the permit. This will allow a 31-unit commercial storage planned unit development in Ida Township. There are eight conditions to the conditional use permit. 
• Preliminary plat for Ida South Storage First Addition, a 31-lot plat in Ida Township. 
• Preliminary plat for Pike Addition, a two-lot plat in Carlos Township.
• Conditional use permit to Stephanie and Corey Groetsch to allow the expansion of an existing animal feedlot to 99 animal units. Commissioner Englund said, “This is a very good thing they are doing, they are improving this.” Currently, there are 30 animal units. 
• Preliminary plat for Genes Barn Road 1, a two-lot plat in Hudson Township. 
• Preliminary plat for Ahrendt Addition 1, a one-lot plat in Moe Township. 
• Conditional use permit to Jared and Shantel Grundei to allow a one-chair, in-home beauty salon in Osakis Township.