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Sheriff Virgil Strickler's original request to raise the base salary from $46,221 to $55,000 was trimmed to $53,000 by the County Finance Committee last Wednesday.

All seven commissioners, who sit on the committee, voted unanimously to send the motion to the full board on Oct. 25. The motion also calls for the elimination of the $3000 stipend for the undersheriff as the field supervisor for emergency management services. With the stipend, the undersheriff's current pay is $49,221.

If the motion passes, the new salary would take effect Sept. 15 and be prorated to the end of the year, and then increase by 2 1/2 percent on Jan. 1- the same percentage that will be given to command officers in the sheriff department under their union contract.

The committee rejected the suggestion that the undersheriff's salary always be tied to the command officers' contract.

Strickler, who will retire on Dec. 31, wanted the $55,000 salary in order to assist the next sheriff in searching for an undersheriff. The current undersheriff, Garry Biniecki, won the Republican primary for sheriff in August, is unopposed in the November General Election, and set to become sheriff in January.

Strickler had expressed concern that the current salary would be too low to attract good candidates for the appointed position, because it's lower than what a lieutenant and some other supervisory officers earn in the sheriff's department, and below the salary paid in surrounding counties.

Commissioners initially agreed on $55,000, but couldn't reach a consensus when it came time for a vote because some members thought it was too big of a raise and would put the salary too close to what the sheriff earns - approximately $57,000. A second proposal for $51,949 also failed to gain consensus.

The committee voted for $53,000, after a final attempt by Commissioner William Walters for the $55,000 salary failed 5-2.

In other business:

*Committee members directed Administrator John Males to begin exploring the possibility of selling three buildings - the health department, ADAPT and the Warren-Wilson Center. The action was prompted by a report by the health department director, Dianna Schafer on the need to find more renters because community mental health is expected to vacate its space next fall when the new CMH building is completed, and the Sanilac Economic Alliance, which also has offices in the health department building is moving to Marlette.

Schafer said mental health pays about $88,000 a year in rent, which could partially be off-set with plans for a dental clinic to lease part of the space when CMH leaves. However, the clinic's rent is only estimated at $38,000 a year. The Sanilac Economic Alliance's rent is about $7000 a year.

Rent money is needed to help the health department pay-off the debt on the building at 171 Dawson St., Sandusky, constructed in the early 1990s. The original plan to pay off the bonds was derailed when the cash-rich home health department division closed about a year and a half after the building opened.

The ADAPT building, at 95 Dawson, and the Warren-Wilson Center at 190 Delaware St., Sandusky house day programs for community mental health that will move into the new complex. The county Medical Care Facility and McKenzie Memorial Hospital have expressed an interest in buying Warren-Wilson. However, commissioners also noted that the health department could move into Warren-Wilson.

Schafer also reported that utility costs were soaring. When Commissioner Donald Hunt questioned Schafer about cost cutting in her department, Administrator Males explained that he and Schafter are exploring the possibility of putting the department's health insurance under the county's umbrella.

On another matter, Schafer reported she will ask for an additional $30,000 in next year's budget in an effort to fill the medical director's position, which has been vacant since January due to the retirement of Dr. Dennis Smallwood. State law requires the department to have a director. Schafer said surrounding counties are not willing to share services.