MARIES COUNTY — During the second county salary commission meeting last Thursday morning, Maries County officials listened to Sheriff Chris Heitman’s ardent and passionate plea to help him give his deputies a pay increase. The county officials heard what he said and agreed the deputies need more money. Those elected officials in charge of making the annual budget told the sheriff they will look closely at the possibility of raises when making the budget. But, there is only so much money to pay for everything the county is financially responsible for.

Sheriff Heitman asked for a second salary commission meeting and county officials were not sure if it was even allowed or any decisions made at a second meeting were binding. But they went forward with it to hear what the sheriff had to say.

The sheriff noted Section No. 3 of the state statute 50.327, which deals with the base salary schedules for elected officials. That section allows an increase of up to $6,000 for the sheriff. He said he wants to make a motion for the sheriff (himself) to receive the $6,000 raise, which he pledges to donate the entire additional amount to his full time commissioned deputies for as long as he is sheriff.

At Thursday meeting, Prosecuting Attorney Anthony “Tony” Skouby, who was elected the chairman of the salary commission at the first meeting, said they called the meeting to discuss giving the sheriff the $6,000 to enhance deputy pay. The legislature passed this a couple of years ago to increase the pay for sheriffs.

Heitman said he talked to Skouby about this because he is having a hard time keeping deputies because the pay is so low. He sees this issue as a crisis. He has good deputies and they have to possess intelligence and skills to do their job, plus they put their lives on the line every day. Now they are paid in a range of $10 to $13 an hour which the sheriff’s office uses grants, the deputy pay supplement, and overtime to add to the pay and it still is a lot less than it should be, Heitman said. In surrounding counties, they all pay more than Maries County does. In Osage County deputies earn $35,000 in base pay and in Franklin County they earn over $40,000 annually.

Sheriff Heitman said he may not run again after the next term. He wants more money for the deputies because they are not paid enough for what they do. Most of them have two jobs as they try to make ends meet, and some have to resort to taking public assistance. They can’t go to the doctor because the county’s insurance has such a high deductible and they can’t afford medical care. “My guys more than deserve it,” the sheriff said.

The deputy base pay in Maries County is $30,000 for a 44 hour week. The six or seven commissioned deputies would gain $800 to $1,000 a year from the $6,000 Heitman would pledge to them.

The sheriff said they came to work in Maries County because many of them are retired military. But then they get some experience and they move on to better paying jobs. The deputies are dedicated and are voters and taxpayers. Heitman said the sheriff’s office is basically training them to go to another law enforcement agency where they are paid more money.

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman asked what happens with this $6,000 additional compensation “when you move on?”

“I swear I will never take this money,” Heitman said, adding the law was written this way because the legislators thought sheriffs are underpaid.

Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre said the legislature could have increased the salary for sheriffs but instead “pushed it down to us.” Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel asked where it will stop as the statute says all elected officials can get more money, up to $2,000 more. Skouby said he’s not asking for it.

County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers who also is the budget officer, said Sheriff Heitman wants to pick and choose in that statute as some elected officials read it to say if he gets $6,000 more, the other elected officials should get $2,000 more in annual pay. Heitman said some counties raised just the sheriff’s pay and not other elected officials. Drewel said he thinks everyone should be treated the same. “If we give it to you shouldn’t we give it to them?”

Sheriff Heitman said in Hermann a police officer is paid $65,000. Drewel said the bigger counties and cities have a bigger tax base and a lot more tax revenue than Maries County does. If the county had more money it could pay more. It is the choice of the individual to work for the county.

Sheriff Heitman said he respects everyone who is sitting at the table. He made the motion to give the sheriff the $6,000 pay raise  that he will give to his commissioned deputies. “Think of my deputies, not anything else. They put their life on the line and are paid next to nothing,” he said.

Stratman said he thinks it would serve everyone the best if they consider and give the pay raises at budget time. Fagre said he agrees with Stratman. Treasurer Slone said there is weird stuff coming in a couple of years and they will need to address it in the budget. She said they have to be careful to not lose the deputy supplement money they get from the state. Giving the deputies a raise may void the supplement. She said maybe they can consider a stipend.

Fagre told the sheriff he has always supported him but “we need to take this up at budget time.”

Sheriff Heitman argued that other county employees are compensated at a better rate yet deputies can be called out anytime during the day or night. He said there are employees who make double what his deputies do and he thinks its ridiculous.  They are grossly underpaid and he believes the deputies should be making as much or more money than the county’s road grader operators. They have college hours and education and license and training requirements and they have to work all kinds of hours and on holidays, too. Drewel said he understands but the money has to come from some place. The sheriff said they can cut the janitor position as he makes more than the deputies do. “I’ll clean the damn toilets downstairs! How is that right?”

Skouby said the janitor should not make more money than a deputy. Sheriff Heitman asked how he’s supposed to get deputies at $13 an hour.

Drewel asked the sheriff to figure out how many deputies he wants to bring up the wages for and how much money that will be. He asked the sheriff to bring this to the commissioners at budget time. The sheriff said he took the job and he will continue but said they need to make the sheriff’s pay more competitive or there won’t be anyone to run for the office. Drewel restated that they have to have the money to pay for it. “Surely six thousand dollars won’t break the budget?” Heitman said. Drewel replied that other people will want the raise also.

Sheriff Heitman said there is a motion on the floor that he made because he wants more money for his deputies. Fagre said if they give the sheriff more money, it will have to always be there and they will have to do it every year. Sheriff Heitman said it is not for him.

Stratman said the deputy base pay now is $30,000 and he asked the sheriff how much he wants. Sheriff Heitman said $39,950, the same as what a grader operator makes. Drewel said if they give the sheriff $6,000 more, all other county officials get $2,000 and that’s $30,000 more. “If you get it, others should, too,” Drewel said.

Skouby said he will second the motion “to test the water.” Drewel said he is voting no because he wants to see what is in and can be done within the budget. Both Heitman and Skouby voted yes and all of the other six county officials voted no and the motion failed to pass.

“I respect you, but I’m still disappointed,” Heitman said. Stratman said they will take it up at budget time. He, Slone and Rodgers said they agree the deputies need a raise. Fagre told the sheriff he will have to find cuts somewhere to pay for it.

Slone said the can’t road districts can’t be compared to other county offices and budgets because the road districts receive fuel tax money. Drewel said when they gave raises to road workers, they cut back on buying as much white rock. “You have to find it in the budget,” he said. Fagre said he’s given three percent to the general fund from the road district several times in the past.

All agreed the county has good deputies and they need a raise. They will begin working on the budget in January.

After the meeting, Drewel said he can’t blame the sheriff for trying but they already are having trouble with general revenue paying for everything now. Rodgers said next year with so many elections, general revenue will be stretched further than usual and it will be tough. Stratman said he understands the need. Drewel said they knew what the job pays when they took the job. Rodgers said you can’t compare Maries County to other counties because of the difference in the tax base. She said its sad because everybody’s job is underpaid.

Drewel said the grader operators can make $40 an hour on a union job. “Is there ever enough money? You can’t blame him for trying but there is a limit there to how much you’ve got.”