NORWICH – Chenango County Supervisors voted themselves a pay raise on Monday, despite some objections that doing so sets a bad precedent for leadership.

By resolution, the Chenango County Board of Supervisors will get a 2 percent raise in 2019, staying consistent with the 2 percent annual raise given to county union employees. The increase is included in the county’s compensation schedule for employees’ salaries, which the board unanimously adopted on Monday.

County officials budgeted $313,651 for board salaries in 2018, allowing each board member a $13,637 stipend for the year (on top of what each supervisor is paid by their respective township). The latest increase will bump that figure to approximately $319,890 budgeted for the 2019 fiscal year, or $13,908 per board member.

The board chairman is given an additional $41,774 stipend in the 2018 budget. With a 2 percent increase, that salary will grow an extra $835 next year.

“I don’t personally think most people are there for the money,” said Board Chairman Lawrence Wilcox (Oxford). “On the other hand, there a lot of board members that put a lot of effort into their responsibilities and should be compensated for that.”

Proponents say while an annual raise for elected officials isn’t always popular, a small pay raise now will curb a big pay raise years from now. Nevertheless, opponents argue the self-given pay raise is symbolic, and it raises concerns among their constituency.