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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final April 8, 2025 <br />12. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MATTERS <br />12.A.1. 25-0410 Requested Salary Increase - <br />Chief Medical Examiner, District 19 <br />Recommended Action: Review and consider the information contained in this agenda item, staff recommends <br />supporting the requested increase. <br />Attachments: SLC Letter re ME Salary Increase <br />2023 -Annual -Workload -Report -FINAL Med Exam <br />Medical Examiner FY24 Amended Budget Request <br />County Administrator John Titkanich shared that in February 2025, St. Lucie County <br />Administrator George Landry had written a letter to inform him of Chief Medical <br />Examiner Dr. Patricia Aronica's requested salary increase and resignation plans. In <br />response, Administrator Titkanich included the matter in a budget amendment, <br />proposing a salary increase for Dr. Aronica from $367,143 to $495,000, resulting in <br />a total increase of $127,857. This proposal was contingent upon unanimous consent <br />from the four involved counties, as stipulated in the Interlocal Agreement (ILA) <br />governing budget increases. The total financial impact on Indian River County for this <br />fiscal year would be $43,734. Administrator Titkanich expressed regret for failing to <br />send a copy of Administrator Landry's letter to the Board beforehand. He reiterated <br />his support for the proposed salary increase, emphasizing the potential impact if Dr. <br />Aronica were to accept another job offer. He mentioned the backing from various <br />stakeholders who had confirmed their support for Dr. Aronica. <br />Chairman Flescher expressed his deep respect for Dr. Aronica, acknowledging her <br />significant contributions to her profession. He questioned the salary study, noting that <br />it was linked to St. Lucie's recommendation and had not been formally vetted. He <br />discussed the challenges faced by the Medical Examiner and the new state-of-the-art <br />facility being built, voicing concerns about potential changes in workload. He valued <br />the input from stakeholders but emphasized that critical questions about the <br />decision-making process and salary methodology remained. He noted the potential <br />for bias in salary studies and expressed concern that the decision may have seemed <br />predetermined. <br />A lengthy discussion ensued between the Board and the County Administrator, <br />primarily focusing on the deliberations regarding the proposed salary increase for Dr. <br />Aronica, especially in light of budget constraints and negotiations with other Counties. <br />The Board expressed skepticism about the proposed increase, noting that the <br />decision had been made without thorough vetting. Despite Dr. Aronica's <br />accomplishments, the absence of a detailed salary study further fueled concerns, <br />Indian River County, Florida Page 9 <br />