The Christian County Board has to decide if full-time elected office holders in the county will receive pay raises during their next term 180 days before the election. That decision needs to be made by May’s board meeting and so far, some discussions on the issue have become heated.

There was discussion on the raises at Tuesday’s board meeting. The raises would be for the County Clerk and Recorder, Circuit Clerk, Treasurer, Supervisor of Assessments and Sheriff. Third district board member Aaron Allen says previous decisions to freeze all county employees pay have been broken by other board measures passed, and that these five office holders deserve to be treated fairly.

One of the reasons against giving them raises is the county’s budget situation. The county board has been trying to cut expenses for the past few years to get the projected to balance. Third district board member Mike McClure says budgets that are passed are “worst-case scenario” and there is a difference between budgeting and actually spending money.

The five elected office holders have not received raises since 2014.