MORGANTOWN – The Monongalia County Commission on Wednesday approved increased salaries for the county’s elected officials, as well as an adjustment to the sheriff’s commission on taxes, in accordance with increases approved during the 2026 session of the West Virginia Legislature.
The salary increases came by way of Senate Bill 587 and represent the first raise approved by the legislature for county officers since 2022.
The salaries of elected officials in each county are set in code based on a classification determined by the county’s total assessed property valuation.
As Monongalia County has a total valuation in excess of $2 billion, it is a Class 1 county.
The previous salaries, in parenthesis, and the new salaries approved Wednesday are:
County commissioners – considered a part-time position: ($45,535) $47,812
County sheriff: ($56,793) $59,633
County assessor: ($56,793) $59,633
County clerk: ($68,302) $71,717
Circuit clerk: ($68,302) $71,717
Prosecuting attorney: ($119,011) $124,962
Commissioner Sean Sikora explained that the 2022 increases were presented in a manner that gave the county and the individual office holders the option to offer and accept the raises.
“They didn’t do that this time, and I don’t know the nuances between the state law, but it was just put in front of us as the commission to approve the salaries as dictated by the state. So it doesn’t sound like we have an option to deviate from that schedule,” he said. “I just wanted to point that out.”
According to reporting by Joselyn King for The Intelligencer, the Ohio County Commission raised that question with the state and was told earlier this week that the increases are required and cannot be declined.
In addition to the state prescribed salaries, county sheriffs and assessors are eligible for additional compensation tied to the performance of their duties.
In the case of the sheriff, that compensation comes through the sheriff’s effectiveness as the county’s treasurer, and, more specifically, tax collector.
Previously, a county sheriff would receive $15,000 if 85% of the county’s combined total of all taxes assessed on real and personal property was collected.
Passage of Senate Bill 701 during the 2026 legislative session increased the sheriff’s commission using a sliding scale based on the percentage of taxes collected: 85%-90% $20,000; 90%-95% $25,000; and 95%+ $30,000.
According to information provided by the commission, Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes will receive $30,000.
The increases are effective as of July 1.
The state is asking that all necessary adjustments to the county budget resulting from the mandated increases be included in the first county budget revision, which is due to the state by July 31.
