Salary Commission

The Salary Commission sets the salaries of most elected officials

The Multnomah County Home Rule Charter directs the County Auditor to appoint a Salary Commission by January 1 of each even year. The Commission sets the salaries for the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners, County Commissioners, the Sheriff, and the County-paid supplemental salary of the District Attorney. The Charter specifies that:

• The Commission is to include five members.
• Members are to be qualified human resource professionals with compensation experience.
• Elected or appointed County officials and employees cannot serve on the Commission.

How the County Auditor selects the Salary Commission

In the fall of every odd year, the Auditor confirms whether prior members of the Salary Commission will be able to continue their service. The Auditor's Office will work with the Office of Community involvement in order to recruit members. Commission members can come from both the public and private sectors.

The County Auditor's salary is based on the salary for a circuit court judge

The Salary Commission does not recommend a salary for the County Auditor. Multnomah County Home Rule Charter states that the County Auditor’s salary will be 4/5 of a circuit court judge’s salary. 

The Salary Commission is established in County Home Rule Charter Chapter 4, Section 4.30

The auditor shall appoint a five-member salary commission, composed of qualified human resource professionals with compensation experience, by January 1 of each even year. The salary commission shall set the salaries for the chair of the board of county commissioners, county commissioners, sheriff and the county paid supplemental salary of the district attorney, documenting the basis of its decisions. All elected or appointed Multnomah County officials and employees are prohibited from serving on the salary commission.  

2026 Salary Commissioners

Dr. Koffi Dessou has over 30 years’ experience in public administration across federal, city, and state agencies. His work included human resources and development funding. He is the Social Equity Director at the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration. This is Koffi’s third term on the Salary Commission. 

Sara Hamlet has over 20 years of HR experience in the private sector. Her work has included creating HR functions, including compensation approaches. This is Sara’s first term on the Salary Commission. 

Heather Pedersen, Commission Co-Chair, has more than 30 years of HR experience in the public and private sectors. She has worked for Clackamas County since 1999 and currently serves as the Deputy Director of Human Resources. Heather has also served on Multnomah County’s Salary Commission since 2018.

Travis Southworth-Neumeyer, Commission Co-Chair, has over 20 years of experience navigating complex HR landscapes in government agencies, public-private partnerships, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations in executive leadership roles. Travis has worked as the Personnel Administrator for the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon since 2017. This is Travis’ second term on the Salary Commission.

Cheryl Stryker, Commission Secretary, has over 15 years of HR experience supporting Oregon-based, mission-driven organizations in the public and private sectors.  She recently concluded service with the State of Oregon at the Oregon Tourism Commission.  This is Cheryl's first term on the Salary Commission.