§ 2-3-24. Salary of chief magistrate.

(a)

The chief magistrate of the Magistrate Court of Henry County shall receive a base annual salary of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000.00), to be payable in monthly installments from the funds of Henry County.

(b)

Whenever the employees in the classified service of the state merit system receive a cost-of-living increase of a certain percentage or a certain amount, the annual salary of the chief magistrate serving in office at the time of such increase shall be increased by the same percentage or same amount applicable to such state employees. If the cost-of-living increase received by state employees is in different percentages or different amounts as to certain categories of employees, the annual salary shall be increased by an average percentage or average amount of the general increase in salary granted to the state employees. The county governing authority shall use the average percentage increase or average amount increase as calculated by the office of planning and budget. The periodic changes in the annual salary of the chief magistrate as authorized by this subsection shall become effective six (6) months following the date that the cost-of-living increase received by state employees becomes effective.

(c)

The amounts provided in either subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be increased by five (5) percent for each four-year term of office served by the chief magistrate, computed at the end of each such period of service. The increase shall not have retroactive effect, except that the term of the chief magistrate in office on July 1, 1991, shall be counted for determining the appropriate salary under this subsection.

(d)

The base annual salary provided in subsection (a) of this section shall be applicable to any person who takes office as chief magistrate for the first time or after a break in previous service as chief magistrate.

(Ga. Laws 1988, P. 3849, Act No. 880, § 4; Ga. Laws 1991, P. 4413, Act No. 186, § 1)