Fayette County approves increases for some court positions

Fayette County’s FY2022 budget will include increases of either positions or salaries for some court-related offices. At the June 10 meeting, the Board of Commissioners voted 4-0-1 (with Charles Rousseau absent) to approve the addition of a part-time associate probate judge, at the request of Probate Court Judge Ann Jackson. The 20-hour-per-week position will add $45,782 to the budget. The commissioners also approved a $4,630 salary supplement for the Superior Court clerk for duties as the administrator of the Board of Equalization.

The board likewise voted in favor of a 5% “longevity” pay increase for the State Court judge and State Court solicitor upon their reelection, which will require state legislative approval, but denied an additional request by State Court Judge Jason Thompson to increase his base salary to 95% of the Superior Court judge’s salary, rather than the current 90%. The commissioners’ final 4-0-1 vote was to change State Court Solicitor Jamie Inagawa’s annual compensation to be 75% of the Superior Court judge salary, a reformulation that will also require state legislative approval.