Roosevelt County approves raises for elected officials, deputies

Roosevelt County commissioners on Monday voted to raise the salaries of some of the county’s elected officials and their deputies starting with the offices’ new terms.

The vote was 3-1. Commissioners Dennis Lopez, Paul Grider and Roy Lee Criswell voted for the 7% raise. Commission Chair Tina Dixon voted against it. Commissioner Rodney Savage was absent from the special session.

“I am concerned about how these raises can be sustained,” Dixon said during the measure’s discussion.

The salary for the county clerk and the county treasurer will be $ 77,858.55, starting Wednesday.

Effective Jan. 1, 2027, the salary for sheriff will be $84,155.50, the salary for assessor will be $77,858.55, and the salary for the probate judge will be $25,952.85, according to the agenda packet.

The package, much as the package passed by Curry County Commissioners last week, also provides for raises for the chief deputies to the elected officials.

The measure allows for the appointed chief deputy clerk, chief deputy treasurer, chief deputy assessor, and chief deputy sheriff salaries to be set at 93% of the office’s elected official salary.

The appointed executive assistant to the sheriff shall remain at no more than 70% of the sheriff’s salary,” the measure reads.

The resolution was requested by Roosevelt County Clerk Mandi Park at the Dec. 17 regular meeting of the commission.

Dixon noted the state Legislature has returned the setting of salaries back to county commissions. She said she is “glad it’s back in our control.”

“I believe every one of our departments does a great job,” Dixon said regarding raises.

Dixon pointed out elected officials received raises in 2022 and 2024.

“If we’re going to do this, we need to consider all employees,” Dixon said.

“You made a good point,” Lopez said to Dixon.

“It would be better if we excluded commissioners from this raise,” Criswell said.

Grider, in the session by phone, agreed with Criswell.

Criswell also expressed concern on “where the money would come from.”

“There’s a lot of concerns. We need to make a priority of figuring out how we can retain people … road department, deputies,” Criswell said.

“That was not an easy decision, it was hard. I do want to see what we can do for the rest of our employees,” Dixon said as the meeting was ending.