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• River Falls voters to pick their mayor
• St. Croix County Board raises pay for three elected officers

By Debbie Griffin, RiverTown Staff

Tuesday's election will bring a different representative to the District 4 council seat, with Earl Carl and Bob Ebert competing for the spot Matt Fitzgerald is vacating.

The race could also bring a change of mayors if challenger and former mayor Eric Amundsen unseats incumbent Don Richards.

At-large council candidates David Cronk and Joleen Larson run unopposed for their seats, both beginning a third term after the election.

The four competing candidates were asked to share information and their perspectives regarding how they'll approach public office.

For a complete question and answer session with the candidates go to this story on the River Falls Journal Web site at www.riverfallsjournal.com

By Judy Wiff, Regional Editor

The St. Croix County Board voted last week to set the 2009 pay for the county clerk, register of deeds and county treasurer at $61,000.

Current pay for the three elected positions is $52,665. Last week's action results in a 16 percent raise for 2009, but the annual pay for the three positions will not be increased during the rest of their new terms.

Starting this year, the three positions will be elected to four rather than two-year terms. Clerk of Court Lori Meyer and Sheriff Dennis Hillstead started four-year terms in 2007 as the state began switching over to the longer terms for county offices.

"We are considered department heads and have the same responsibility as department heads, yet our levels of pay are 40 percent lower than a Grade 9 department head," said Treasurer Cheryl Slind, arguing for a higher salary for her job and the other two.

She suggested the 2009 salary for each of the three positions be set at $59,335 and that they be given 1.5 percent increases in each of the remaining three years of their terms.

Slind said the county has qualified people in the three jobs now, and just as with other jobs, the county has to pay well to keep good employees.

"When setting our salaries, please consider what we are expected to do, our skill levels, what we continue to do to exceed the level of service our constituents expect, and our level of responsibility," she said.

The sheriff's salary is $76,741 this year, increasing to $79,043 next year and $80,228 for 2010. The clerk of court's salary is $52,665 this year, increasing to $54,245 in 2009 and $55,059 in 2010.