Supervisors approve raise for county counsel

The Merced County Board of Supervisors has approved a 1.5 percent salary increase for James Fincher, boosting the county counsel’s yearly pay to nearly $195,000, with another raise to come next year.

Following a performance review held in private on Sept. 1, the board voted Tuesday to approve the immediate pay increase with an additional 2.5 percent raise to take effect in mid-2016.

Combined with the value of Fincher’s benefits and allowances, his compensation will grow to about $226,800 with the increases. The raise, which is not retroactive, boosts Fincher’s biweekly pay to $7,491.20, up from $7,380.80.

County documents show the increase brings Fincher in line with other non-union management employees who received the same salary boost in June. Because Fincher works under a contract, the process for his salary increase differed from that for other non-union management employees, said Mike North, a county spokesman. North said Tuesday’s action was a “cleanup” item.

As county counsel, Fincher, 47, serves as legal adviser and attends board meetings. He also provides legal opinions, prepares contracts and prosecutes legal actions on behalf of the county, among other duties. Her oversees 12 other employees in the county counsel department, including seven other counsels, the county’s chief litigator and four legal assistants, according to the county’s website.

Fincher, a graduate of the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific, has represented Merced County since 2002. His contract runs through December 2016.

Jerry O’Banion, District 5 supervisor, commended Fincher. “He’s doing a pretty good job of representing the county and board on legal issues,” O’Banion said. “It’s been a pleasure to have him working for us. His response to questions and so on has been appreciated.”

Fincher receives health, vision and dental benefits worth a total of $17,038.06. Because he is a high-level management employee, he also receives a monthly $700 vehicle allowance, a $400 expense allowance for travel and other county business, and a $150 communication allowance. Other employees at his classification levels receive the same allowances.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Supervisors approve raise for county counsel."