The Jefferson County Commission last week approved a three percent salary increase for the county’s elected officials, retroactively effective from July 1 for the coming fiscal year.
At their July 29 meeting, the Commission established a new base salary of $75,367.95 for commissioners, the sheriff/coroner, clerk & recorder, treasurer and district court clerk.
The county attorney’s base is now $144,209.06 — part of which is paid by the state — while the base salary for the superintendent of schools, a part-time position, has been set at $47,104.97.
All salaries are subject to increases determined by length of employment by the county — for most employees, 1% per year. In addition, certain multi-function positions come with additional pay: Sheriff Tom Grimsrud, for example, will earn $7,059.78 for his service as county coroner; and Clerk & Recorder Ginger Kunz will receive $2,000 for election duties, $5,203.88 for assessor duties, and $2000 for her work as surveyor.
Pay for county officials varies across Montana, according to the Montana Association of Counties, but Jefferson’s base generally is in line with other counties of similar size and cost of living.
In the 2024 fiscal year, Jefferson’s base for full-time officials was $71,041.52; Madison County’s base was $68,025.30, Glacier’s was $62,600, and Richland’s $81,697.93.
