Hennepin County commissioners withdraw pay raise proposal amid public outcry

Faced with significant public backlash, the Hennepin County Board retracted a proposal to increase their salaries by 49%.

Board Chair Irene Fernando initiated the withdrawal at the start of Tuesday’s meeting, emphasizing the need for further review and potential modifications.

During a July 30 administration, operations and budget committee, commissioners voted 4-2 to advance the pay raises for approval at Tuesday’s meeting. The initial proposal aimed to raise commissioner salaries from $122,225 to $182,141 by 2025.

The County Board voted 6-0 to remove the proposal from the agenda, as well as another proposal that included raises for the county attorney and sheriff, increasing their pay to $218,272. Members had initially voted 6-0 during the committee meeting for the pay increases for the county attorney and sheriff.

“It is clear from the feedback we received that even though these actions passed in committee last week, the pronounced feedback results in strong opposition by many residents,” Fernando said.

Fernando, who represents District 2, noted that withdrawing the two items from the agenda allows for “a bit of a reset with open meeting law … allowing for other commissioners to generate compensation methodologies that may be more palatable.”

Reactions from commissioners

District 6 Commissioner Heather Edelson, who opposed the proposal in committee, stressed the need for a more modest increase aligned with labor standards in a statement after the meeting.

Edelson, whose district includes parts of Eden Prairie, said the proposed commissioner salary increases and countywide elected salary increases were sent back to the committee level for further debate, amendments, and public input.

“I believe that the County Board should support an increase to make our county sheriff and county attorney salaries competitive and reflective of the fact that we are the most-populated county in Minnesota,” she said. “I also believe that commissioner compensation needs to be approached in a way that is representative of our county employees as a whole.”

District 5 Commissioner Debbie Goettel, whose district also includes parts of Eden Prairie and who voted for the original measure in committee, emphasized the importance of compromise.

“Board Chair Fernando and I were prepared to bring forward a compromise Board Action Request (BAR) to offer a substantially lower salary increase for Hennepin County Commissioners, but ultimately, we could not find agreement on this as a body, so we are withdrawing this action,” Goettel said.

While working toward striking the right balance with future actions regarding compensation adjustment, Goettel said the board must also be cognizant that commissioner salaries have not changed substantively in seven of the last 15 years.

“I am here to advocate for the future of this board and investments in our current and future leadership, but I am also here in partnership with you to ensure we do this at a pace that is fair, measured, and data-driven,” she said.

Fernando’s rationale

Fernando, who has a background in human resources, presented the proposal on July 30 at the committee meeting, arguing that salary adjustments were necessary for fair compensation and to attract qualified candidates. She proposed aligning the salaries of elected officials with those of Assistant County Administrators (ACA), focusing on creating a compensation structure that reflects internal benchmarks within the county.

Fernando also emphasized the importance of representation and equity.

“These board actions establish maximum salary levels for electeds,” she said. “So, for any reason that an elected doesn’t need this revised salary level, they are able to select a lower value. I believe in a county where generational wealth or additional income is not a prerequisite to serving as a Hennepin elected official.”

Fernando highlighted her personal journey, noting that in 2019, she and Angela Conley were sworn in as the first commissioners of color in Hennepin County’s history. She emphasized her role as the first board chair of color, the first Filipino American elected in Minnesota, and often the youngest and only woman on the board.

“This is not a comfortable board action,” Fernando continued. “However, I’ve stood in front of many rooms promising that while I’m the first, I will work very hard to ensure I’m not the last. Setting maximum salary levels that are rooted in data and incorporate lived realities for so many of us is an essential component to making sure there are many, many more after me.”

Edelson and District 7 Commissioner Kevin Anderson both voiced concerns during last week’s committee meeting.

“I won’t be voting in favor of this,” Anderson said. “I think a modest increase to make sure we’re reaching our cost of living is completely appropriate, but I can’t vote in good conscience for the level of increase for the commissioner’s salary.”

Edelson, a former DFL state representative elected to her seat in May, said, “It’s hard to look at a 50 percent increase when I come from the Legislature and what we made.”

Minnesota state legislators make $51,750 annually, plus per diem.

“I also know we’re going to be doing negotiations with labor and I don’t know anybody who gets a 50 percent increase,” she said.

Edelson, Goettel, Anderson, and District 1 Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde are up for reelection in November. Lunde was not at the commission meeting but has expressed opposition to the commissioner pay proposal, according to the Star Tribune.