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Move To Cut Coroner Pay Goes Down In Flames

Charlie Schlenker
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Schlenker

A move to cut the McLean County Coroner's salary by six percent has failed soundly. Outgoing County Board member Ben Owens made the motion, saying new hires in businesses often come in at a lower rate than their predecessors. Owens framed the proposal as a money saving move for taxpayers.

Fellow Republican George Wendt rejected the argument.

"This is  the highest qualified Coroner as far as education that we have had probably in the state of Illinois. So theoretically, we should actually be bumping her raise up. And it think it's absolutely ridiculous that we would try to reduce her salary," said Wendt.

Coroner Kathy Davis is a Clinical nurse practitioner with a Phd.

County Board member Dave Selzer said the pay goes with the office and the duties, not the person.

"Honesty, I just speak my mind. This almost sounds like it's some kind of retaliatory strike against the Coroner and I find it absolutely appalling," said Selzer.

Coroner Davis declined most comment, but said she did not think Owens' proposal was a personal slap. Davis was appointed to fill a vacancy and is running for her first full term in November.
     
Owens lost the March primary election to Josh Barnett and will lose his seat in November.

County documents suggest Davis's salary is in the middle of the range for such positions in comparable Illinois counties.

WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.
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