NATCHEZ —When Adams County voters head to the polls Tuesday, the future political careers of incumbents won’t just be in the balance.

A minimum of $827,650.24 in elected salaries will be decided based on this year’s county elections. That’s just the minimum, however — some of those positions have the opportunity to add more to their take-home pay through supplements and fee-based collections.

Top earners

Topping the list of Adams County’s earners are the clerks of court in the circuit and chancery division.

The offices are operated by fees collected for their services, and state law caps the clerk’s pay at $90,000. While fees above the cost of operations and the salary cap are turned over to the county government, the law allows the clerks some exceptions for additional take home pay.

Some of those exceptions apply in Adams County.

The law allows the chancery clerk to receive payments above the cap for performing homestead services or record restoration or acting as a comptroller and bookkeeper, veterans’ court-appointed custodian and providing “other” services.

In the case of Adams County’s chancery clerk, he or she receives a $3,000 salary for serving as clerk of the board of supervisors, $5,300 for serving as the county auditor, $2,500 for serving as county treasurer and $2,100 for managing tax rolls. County Administrator Joe Murray said those additional amounts are set by state statute.

That sets the pay for the clerk at a minimum of $102,900.

The chancery clerk can also receive payment from the Chancery Court for attending court, serving as a conservator and can receive $1 for every homestead exemption service the clerk handles.

But Adams County also has appointed positions that fill some of the other possible duties chancery clerks elsewhere can collect fees for, including veterans service officer, administrator and purchasing clerk.

In addition to the “capped” base salary, the circuit clerk can collect additional fees for criminal records searches, assisting in redistricting plans, passport application fees, programming voting machines and election equipment, interest earned on fee accounts and “other.”

Circuit Clerk Eddie Walker said he receives $5,000 from the county for serving as registrar of voters, but that is directed into the fund from which the capped salary comes. Walker said he has met the cap every year he’s been in office.

Walker said the circuit clerk in Adams County does receive some additional pay from processing passports and criminal records. The amount varies by year, he said, but it comes to between $6,000 and $10,000 annually.

Sheriff

The next highest base salary is the sheriff, whose pay comes to $90,000 annually.

State law provides that sheriff’s be paid based on the population of the county based on the last 10-year census. The 2010 census counted the population at 32,297.

The census numbers set the base salary for the sheriff at $80,000. The law allows for the county board of supervisors to supplement the salary by $10,000, which Adams County does.

Murray said the supplement is purely a discretionary decision of the board, and was in place prior to current sheriff Chuck Mayfield’s election.

Board of Supervisors

Members of the Adams County Board of Supervisors are paid $40,400 annually for their county service.

The annual pay is based on the assessed value for the county for the preceding year. The law specifies the supervisors’ current salary for counties with an assessed valuation of at least $125 million and $300 million.

Justice Court judges and county prosecutor

Since 2008, the salaries of justice court judges have been tied to that of the supervisors.

Judge Patricia Dunmore receives the statutory required $40,400.

Judge Charlie Vess, however, officially retired while retaining his position in September 2013. Under state law, elected officials can retain their active position after retirement but draw 25 percent pay while drawing state retirement.

“I’m saving the taxpayers approximately $32,000 a year with this arrangement, but it also gives me a little flexibility,” Vess said. “My philosophy is, when it comes to elections, you can keep me with six terms under my belt at 25 percent pay, or a new guy with no terms at full pay.”

The salary of the county prosecuting attorney is based on the population of the county.

Dunmore, Vess and County Prosecutor Barrett Martin are all up for re-election, but have no opponents in the race.

Constables

The base pay for constables is $21,600. They also automatically receive a $3,600 lost cost fee, bumping their pay up to $25,200.

In addition to the base pay constables receive; they can earn additional funds for serving warrants and other legal processes as part of their duties.

Murray said those fees are determined by statute.

Tax officers

The county Tax Assessor received $66,000 during the 2014 year, while the Tax Collector was paid $67,625.

The salary for both is based by statute on the total assessed value of the county. Even if the value of the county is reduced, the salary, by law, is not.

Both Tax Assessor Reynolds Atkins and Tax Collector Peter Burns have also completed classes that by law help increase their salaries.

Burns does not have a challenger in the election.