The next people to be elected Shawano County sheriff, clerk of courts and coroner will see a significant boost in pay compared to what those officials are making today.
Supervisors on the executive committee voted to increase the salaries to be more in line with comparable counties. By law, they must set salaries now for the next four-year term for sheriff, clerk of courts and coroner.
The candidate who wins the November election for sheriff will be paid 20% more than the current sheriff and will receive an increase of 3.5% each year thereafter.
The clerk of courts and coroner will each receive a 15% initial raise and then 3.5% each year thereafter.
“We gotta jack this up and make things right for our people,” Supervisor Tess Serrano.”This — $75,000 or $71,000 compared to $82,000 — that should tell you right there that we are so far behind it’s not even funny. Let’s make it right, and get it done.”
Last month, Julie Hasser, human resources director and interim administrative coordinator, was asked to determine new salaries with raises 8, 10 and 12%, and increases of 3% and 4% each year thereafter.
“If we do an eight or 10% increase, we’re still going to be lower than the average for 2026,” she said.
Another concerns is that three employees at the sheriff’s department have a higher salary than the sheriff. An employee in the clerk of courts office makes nearly as much as the clerk of courts.
Seeing that some counties have already set their 2027 salaries, Hasser also put together numbers based on an initial 15% increase.
Today, the Shawano County sheriff has a salary of $95,999.75. In adjacent Oconto County, the sheriff is paid $111,104.56, and the average for comparable counties is $109,025.51. In 2027, the Shawano County sheriff will make $115,163.70.
“There’s that thought process of these are the requirements — Tom (Kautza) mentioned last time how a bartender could do this position (sheriff) — but what we need to look at is if that salary is lower, who’s going to want to do it?” Hasser said.
Sheriff George Lenzner pointed out that all 72 sheriffs in Wisconsin have a law enforcement background.
“And the bartender that you brought up, he retired from the city police department and bought a bar,” he said. “I don’t think that makes him a bartender. He was a certified law enforcement officer when he started. In fact, he hired me.”
Today, Shawano County’s clerk of courts is paid $71,197.26. In Oconto County, the person is paid $78,877, while the average in comparable counties is $79,182.20. With the 15% raise, the 2027 salary will be $81,876.85.
Hasser said comparing coroner salaries is more difficult. Counties with a medical examiner pay a salary, while most counties with a coroner pay per call. Shawano County changed the pay from per call to salary in 2023.
Today, the coroner makes $66,072.39, while Oconto County’s coroner is paid $87,235.20, and the average for comparable counties is $74,818.10. The 2027 rate in Shawano County will be $75,983.25.
Hasser said she felt good about 3.5% annual increase after the initial boost, noting it is consistent with others across the state.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
