Porter County’s most senior deputy prosecutors will get substantial raises April 1 after the Porter County Council split along party lines on a request for the increases.
The council voted 4-2 Tuesday for the raises for three deputies, with the money coming from a discretionary fund out of the Prosecutor Brian Gensel’s office for the remainder of the year.
During fall budget hearings, Gensel said he will ask that the increases come out of the county’s general fund, if possible, and also will request raises for the rest of his staff. He offered to continue paying the increases out of his fund if need be.
Cheryl Polarek will receive $85,912.80, an increase of $11,818.80; Michael Drenth will be paid $84,926.40, an increase of $11,654.40; and Tammy Gregg will receive $69,996, up $11,666.50.
“My staff chose the career that they chose out of a sense of service and giving back,” he said, adding they handle the county’s toughest cases, including murder and child molestation.
County Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, D-At large, and Councilman Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, voted against the request because it came outside of budget hearings, there was no guarantee that next year’s general fund could support the increase, and they preferred to see all of Gensel’s staff get raises at once. Councilman Dan Whitten, D-At large, was absent.
Rivas asked the council to table the matter until next month when Whitten would be there and Graham agreed, though the motion died when the rest of the council did not.
“It’s going to open the gates to any department doing this going forward. I feel on my part it’s not the right time to address this,” Graham said, adding while Gensel was willing to absorb the cost now, the county would do so next year. “We don’t know how much we’re going to have.”
A vote against the raises wasn’t a lack of appreciation for what Gensel’s office does, Rivas said. “I wish we could give everybody raises,” he said.
Gensel, who said he has lost some deputies in part because of the pay and understands the council doesn’t typically approve raises mid-year, added sheriff’s deputies received raises for this year. Judges did as well.
“I think it’s the right thing to do at this time. These are valuable people,” he said.
Council President Mike Jessen, R-4th, said it was difficult for the council to commit to anything beyond the raises this year for the time being because “none of us have a crystal ball” to forecast next year’s budget. While he would have preferred to review the raises six months ago, Jessen said delaying them another six months was unnecessary.
Councilman Jeff Larson, R-At large, said he felt like he was cleaning up a problem that should have been solved months ago. “Shame on us for not addressing this earlier,” he said.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
