Adair County elected officials have voted to give themselves a cost of living hike next year. KBIA's Manu Bhandari reports that the increase still has to meet many challenges.

Adair County's elected officials voted for a cost of living increase this week. This means if they get the raise, their salaries would be adjusted to the rise in inflation.

"We've never had a cost of living increase. This is the very first time that this has ever been addressed at the Salary Commission meeting."

That was Adair County's Treasurer Lori Smith. Under the state mandate, the elected officials who make up the Salary Commission decide on their pay once every two years. While the officials this year voted to keep their base salary the same, they have not decided how much the cost of living would go up. Smith says the increase would depend on the county's next budget, which will pass in January.

"At that point they will decide if it is feasible for anybody to get a cost of living increase. If it's not feasible, then no one will get a cost of living increase."

First district county Commissioner Carson Adams says the economy is still the main hurdle for the increase to materialize in the next budget

"The economy, you know, we're all feeling the crunch. I mean county as well as businesses. So under this economic time, it is very unlikely that we will have any type of increase."

The Bad economy was also the reason Presiding Commissioner Gary Jones voted against the pay hike proposal.

"You know lot of people's without a job. And I just felt like I agreed to do that term at that price and I felt I should do that."

Salary Commission members say whether the elected officials would get the raise depends on a cost of living increase for the employees. So, if there is not enough money in the next budget for employees to get a raise, elected officials won't receive the hike either.

While the elected officials have voted for a raise, they say they are still doubtful whether that would actually happen. © Copyright 2012, KBIA