CLAYTON — The ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Council voted Tuesday to approve raises previously given to two of its staffers going forward, but the move doesn’t erase a debt they owe because of salary overpayments.
Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, a Democrat from Maplewood, introduced an order approving the raises for council budget coordinator Chris Grahn-Howard and council administrative director and clerk Diann Valenti.
Both Grahn-Howard and Valenti were given raises in recent years that were not approved by the full council, as required. The county considers the raises overpayments because the proper procedure wasn’t followed and wants the staffers to pay the money back.
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Valenti and Grahn-Howard won’t accrue more overpayments going forward, but they still technically owe for the amounts they were overpaid.
Clancy said she introduced the order because she didn’t want the public to think Valenti and Grahn-Howard didn’t deserve the raises. And she hopes the move means the county won’t be obliged to collect the money.
The council approved the order unanimously.
Auditor Toni Jackson was also overpaid via raises. Clancy said an order at next week’s meeting will address her salary.
Last month, County Executive Sam Page’s office hired an investigator to look into the overpayments countywide.