While the $13,000 annual salary increase for the county coroner position was approved by the county commissioners, one voted to keep the salary static.

Commissioner Leslie Osche, board chairwoman, and Commissioner Kim Geyer voted to approve bumping up the coroner salary from $73,500 to $86,710 to put it in line with the salaries of the other elected row office positions.

The commissioners were able to consider proposals to increase the salary all at once or to phase the increase in over three years.

Osche moved to increase the salary all at once, with Geyer providing a second to the motion.

But Commissioner Kevin Boozel made a counter motion to reject both proposals and keep the coroner salary at $73,500.

Because both Osche and Geyer voted in favor of raising the position's salary, there was no need for the commissioners to vote on Boozel's counter-motion.

The coroner is William F. Young III. His term expires at the end of this year.

Geyer said the coroner deals with residents at some of the worst times in their lives, and that the higher salary could attract quality candidates to run for the position.

She said her research of fourth-class counties such as Butler, as well as fifth- and sixth-class counties in the state, revealed that coroners earn the same pay as elected row officers.

Osche said the county has dragged its feet on increasing the coroner's pay, which should match that of the row officers.

Boozel said he looked at salaries in counties in the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission and saw a difference in the salaries of coroners and row officers.

He said neighboring county officials shared with him their concerns that if the salary was increased in Butler County, their coroners would also ask for an increase.

Boozel added that unlike the row officers, the public cannot walk into the coroner's office on any day to talk to him.

He said the coroner's deputies can assist with the job as well, although Geyer and Osche said most county coroners have a larger staff than that of Butler County's coroner.

The increase will take effect Jan. 3, 2022.