Justices Of The Peace Back Off From Pay Changes

Sunday, February 16, 2014

BENTONVILLE — Benton County’s justices of the peace seem content to leave their pay unchanged after briefl y discussing the issue at recent meetings.

A measure to alter the method of paying the justices of the peace from a fl at rate for Quorum Court and Committee of the Whole meetings to a per-diem rate and splitting the $350 between the two meetings has been forwarded to the Feb. 27 Quorum Court meeting.

AT A GLANCE

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

PAY

State law limits pay for justices of the peace. For class 7 counties, the state’s most populous counties that includes Benton County, the maximum annual pay rate is $13,319. Pulaski County pays its justices of the peace $11,106 per year. Washington County pays its justices of the peace $200 per diem and Benton County pays its justices of the peace $350 per month for Quorum Court and Committee of the Whole meetings plus $100 for attending committee meetings if the justice of the peace is a voting member of the committee. Sebastian County, a class 6 county, pays its justices of the peace $6,679 per year and provides insurance.

SOURCE: ASSOCIATION OF ARKANSAS

COUNTIES

“We are part-time

citizen legislators. Benefits are for full-time county employees.”

BARRY MOEHRING

Justice of the peace, District 15

That change was prompted by changes in state law. Suggestions that might increase compensation either directly or indirectly by offering the justices of the peace the option to enroll in the county’s health insurance plan have drawn little support.

“I’m not for increasing any amount to anyone,” Susan Anglin, justice of the peace for District 9, said of the proposals. “Whatever the state law requires, I agreed to that, but I don’t think we need to increase anyone in any situation.”

Barb Ludwig, human resources manager, said a new state law requires

“I’m not for increasing any amount to anyone.”

SUSAN ANGLIN

Justice of the peace, District 9, about changing the method of paying justices of the peace justices of the peace be paid on a per-diem basis, not the flat monthly $350 rate the county’s justices of the peace receive for Quorum Court and Committee of the Whole meetings.

The justices of the peace recommended the pay be changed to $175 for Quorum Court meetings and $175 for Committee of the Whole meetings to refl ect per-diem requirements.

Michele Chiocco, justice of the peace for District 10, questioned having two rates for meetings. Quorum Court subcommittee meetings carry a $100 per meeting stipend.

Sarah Daniels, county comptroller, put together a list of options to consider that would equalize the per-diem rate or increase the subcommittee rate.

The county has budgeted $99,927 to pay the justices of the peace in 2014. Four of the five changes would have increased the county budget with the highest cost reaching $124,173.

Kurt Moore, justice of the peace for District 13, said he thinks the current rate should be left in place.

“The only problem with going with one rate, say dropping to $150 per meeting, is that the people on a permanent committee that meets monthly, like the Finance Committee, will get more than people who aren’t on that committee which I don’t think seems fair,” Moore said.

The question of changing the compensation rates for justices of the peace isn’t a priority for him, Moore said.

“I would put it beyond the back burner,” he said.

Providing insurance for justices of the peace also would have increased the county’s costs, according to Ludwig. She put the added cost at about $83,000.

“That would nearly double our budget for the Quorum Court,” Moore said. “There’s a difference between what you can do and what you should do. I would say any proposal that would increase our benefits that much would be radioactive.”

Barry Moehring, justice of the peace for District 15, agreed compensation for justices of the peace doesn’t need to be considered now and included insurance in that dismissal.

“We are part-time citizen legislators,” Moehring said. “Benefits are for full-time county employees. I don’t support any baseline increase over where we are today.”