Commissioner pay, per diems and reimbursements add up

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WORTHINGTON — Between their annual salary, per diems for attending meetings and reimbursement for cell phone usage, mileage, meals and motels, full-time Nobles County Commissioners in 2010 collected an average $25,125 in taxpayer money.

Third District Commissioner David Benson, who serves Bigelow, Dewald, Grand Prairie, Little Rock, Ransom and Worthington townships, in addition to the cities of Bigelow, Ellsworth, Rushmore and Ward 1, Precinct 2 in Worthington, collected the highest pay with per diems and reimbursements at $31,651. This was down from the $35,211 he collected in 2009 — an amount that also led all commissioners in the county that year. Benson is the longest tenured of the commissioners, first elected to his seat in 1993.

Commissioners Vern Leistico and Marvin Zylstra received $23,658 and $23,297, respectively, for their service to Nobles County in 2010. The pay includes the $17,000 annual salary, plus per diems and reimbursed expenses. Commissioner Diane Thier was paid $21,893.

In District 4, where Norm Gallagher retired March 31 and Gene Foth filled out the remainder of the term, the county saved nearly $1,500 in salary because the seat was vacant for little more than a month. In Gallagher’s tenure, he collected $5,180 in salary, per diems and reimbursements, while Foth received $13,375.

In their meeting next Tuesday, commissioners will finalize their 2011 committee appointments, as newly elected District 4 Commissioner Robert Demuth Jr. takes his seat on the board. Not all of the committees pay per diems, while some are paid by the agency and not the county.

“They can get a per diem for those committees that they are assigned to by the full county board,” said Nobles County Administrator Mel Ruppert, adding that commissioners can collect a maximum per diem of $100 per day.

The per diem information provided to the Daily Globe was only for meetings in which the county pays the tab for the commissioner’s attendance. The totals collected for 2010 were: David Benson ($8,815); Vern Leistico ($4,840); Marv Zylstra ($4,170); Diane Thier ($3,035); Gene Foth ($1,930) and Norm Gallagher ($440).

Certain meetings, including the Board of Audit, Board of Equalization, Truth in Taxation and Board of Canvass are not eligible for per diems.

Motel, meal and mileage reimbursements are paid to commissioners who attend meetings and conferences on behalf of the county. These include the Association of Minnesota Counties annual conference and District 8 meetings, leadership summits, policy committee meetings, the Regional Bio-Science Conference and the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce’s legislative breakfast.

Benson again led the commissioners in reimbursements with $5,236, followed by Zylstra at $2,127; Thier at $1,858; Leistico at $1,818; Gallagher at $391 and Foth at $15.

As for cell phone reimbursement, Nobles County Auditor-Treasurer Sharon Balster said commissioners must request reimbursement for their cell phone usage for county business. In 2010, Benson was reimbursed $600 — the maximum allowable by the county, while Leistico, Thier and Zylstra requested nothing for cell phone use. Foth collected $140 and Gallagher received $100 during their months in office.

Balster said the cell phone policy has four tiers — Tier 1 is up to $20 per month reimbursement for up to 250 minutes; Tier 2 is up to $30 per month for up to 500 minutes; Tier 3 is up to $40 per month for up to 750 minutes and Tier 4 is up to $50 per month for more than 750 minutes to conduct county business.

Overall pay to commissioners in 2010 totaled $119,055 in 2010 — a drop from the $131,693 paid out in 2009. The salary for both years remained the same at $17,000. Last week, commissioners approved a 3 percent pay increase for themselves, taking their salary to $17,510.

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