The Barry County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to recommend reviving a County Officer’s Compensation Committee.

The county had a compensation committee until about  2003, when it was abandoned in favor of commissioners setting salaries of elected county officials.

Commissioner Ben Geiger, commission chairman, said the new committee would be an independent body that would make a determination on elected official’s salaries, except judges, that would go into effect unless a super majority of the commission voted against it.

If the commission does not act, the salaries would be effective in the first odd-numbered year after the committee’s determination.

“It is appropriate to re-establish the committee…it’s wise and responsible,” Geiger said.

Commissioner Howard Gibson, who was a commissioner when the previous compensation committee was dissolved, said the commissioners then, “thought the general public would like it better than us doing it.”

“Do you still think it is more appropriate that someone else comes up with the figures?” Commissioner Dan Parker asked.

“Yes,” Gibson said.

County Administrator Michael Brown, who also worked for the county at the time, said he couldn’t recall any specific reason for the change.

The new committee would be seven members who are not a member or employee of the legislative, judicial or executive branch of any level of government, or a member of that person’s immediate family, Geiger said.

If the commission approves the committee of the whole’s recommendation at its next meeting, the commissioners will submit names to the chairman who will select the final seven to staggered terms with the commission’s approval.

The vote to send the issue to the full board was 6-1 with Commissioner Vivian Conner voting “no,” saying she would wait for more information on the topic promised by Geiger.

Elected county officials are the clerk, prosecutor, sheriff, register of deeds, treasurer, drain commissioner, surveyor and commissioners.