The county’s Financial Management Committee voted to give Finance Department director Justin Cotten a $15,000 raise. 

Cotten provided salary information from neighboring counties that are similar to Warren County and said we are most similar to Franklin County, which sets the finance director’s salary the same as the administrator of elections’ salary. He also said the state gave a raise percentage and that most counties have salary increases written into the financial management policy.

“I do know the state gave a 6.1% raise. Social Security gave its highest raise ever 5.9%. For ease, most other counties have written into the financial management policy that it is tied into something,” said Cotten.

Cotten’s current salary is $63,395. 

“I would like to make a motion that we set the salary for the finance director and make it a part of our financial management policies to pay the finance director the same amount as the administrators of elections, which is the lowest paid official in county government,” said County Executive Jimmy Haley.

Commissioner Scott Rubley was the only one against the large raise. 

“The only exception I take to it is the fact that Justin did agree to come and work at a set price. I know times have changed and the position has changed and I am not against a raise, but $15,000 is a little bit extreme considering that the year before last we couldn’t give county employees a raise. I am not against giving Justin a raise, but I am against giving a raise of that amount,” said Rubley.

“I did agree to come nearly four years ago for a set salary. Times have changed and so has the workload. The county’s budget has increased nearly $10 million and that is not including all the ARP money we are handling,” said Cotten.

The motion passed in the Financial Management Committee with four yes votes and Rubley being the only vote against it.