MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — Minnehaha County commissioners voted 4-0 this week to increase their own salaries for 2026, approving raises that range from about 10% to roughly 14% depending on the commission role.
Under the new pay structure, Commission Chairman Dean Karsky will earn $41,787, up from $37,876 last year. Vice Chairman Jen Bleyenberg will earn $41,288, up from $36,358, and the county’s three other commissioners — Cole Heisey, Gerald Beninga and Joe Kippley — will each earn $40,268, up from $36,358.
The raises follow a county compensation and benefits study completed in 2024 that reviewed pay and benefits for about 640 county employees and compared positions with similar jobs in the region, according to Sioux Falls Live. Human Resources Director Kari Deaver told commissioners discussing their own pay was “an awkward conversation,” noting commissioners do not receive benefits or participate in the county retirement system.
Several residents spoke against the increases during public comment. Sioux Falls resident Jennifer Foss said residents are “struggling” and called the spending “tone deaf,” according to published reports.