At least one Mower County Commissioner wants to consider raising commissioner salaries in future years so the county doesn’t miss out on future candidates, but other commissioners are uncertain.

While setting salaries for elected officials Tuesday, the Mower County board again voted to freeze commissioner salaries at $24,200, the level it’s been at for about eight years.

However, Commissioner Tim Gabrielson voiced concern about whether the pay is keeping up with the workload and if that could deter future candidates from seeking public office.

“I know it’s getting harder and harder to get people interested in actually doing it,” Gabrielson said.

In the 2016 election, only two candidates filed to oppose incumbents Gabrielson and Polly Glynn, who both won re-election.

But in 2014, Commissioners Tony Bennett and Mike Ankeny ran unopposed.

“I don’t want to get to the point where so far out of the loop we’re can’t get quality applicants,” Gabrielson said.

Gabrielson said there are more meetings and responsibilities than before for commissioners.

“It’s a lot busier now than it used to be,” Gabrielson said.

However, Commissioner Jerry Reinartz argued commissioners are well compensated through per diems.

“I’m not in favor of raising the salary,” he said.

The county changed the per diems for county commissioners last years, and Ankeny suggest the board wait to see how the per diems work.

The commissioners looked at documents from other counties and found Mower to be about average. They decided to discuss it in the future.

“We’re right at the average; to me, that’s where we should be,” Reinartz said.

As the Mower County board approved 2017 salary increases for most elected officials, board members began a discussion on commissioner salaries in 2018 and beyond.

While commissioner salaries remained the same, most elected officials will see 2017 salary increases.

The salaries for Attorney Kristen Nelsen, Sheriff Terese Amazi and Recorder Jill Cordes all increased, while Auditor-Treasurer Steve Reinartz’s salary remained the same.

2017 salaries

•Attorney Kristen Nelsen: increasing from $109,327.52 to $112,607.34.

•Sheriff Terese Amazi: increasing from $99,633.59 to $102,622.59.

•Recorder Jill Cordes: increasing from $65,929.34 to $70,274.46.

•Auditor-Treasurer Steve Reinartz: No increase, 58,106.05.

•Commissioners: No increase, $24,200.

•Non-union employees: 3 percent increase.

•County commissioner per diems: $50 for in-county meetings, $65 for out-of-county meetings