Street not seeking re-election, county to adjust pay
The Mitchell County Board of Commissioners voted last week to offer the next sheriff a salary commensurate with his or her experience and training.
Candidate filing for sheriff and other North Carolina elected offices begins in December. Sheriff Donald Street has stated his intention not to run for re-election this time.
County Attorney Four Eggers explained that if the Board of Commissioners did not vote to change the sheriff’s salary to reflect the winning candidate’s experience now, that winning candidate would receive Street’s current salary by default, a salary that reflects various raises given to the sheriff for his 40-plus years of experience.
“Whenever … there is an election coming up for sheriff, it defaults to the salary of the last sheriff,” County Manager Allen Cook said also. “It makes it so we’re not paying a 40-year-plus salary to someone who maybe has 10 years’ experience.”
Eggers said that the county has the legal right to raise a sheriff’s salary, but cannot lower it until said sheriff’s elected term in office ends.
“You have to do any adjustments before an election happens,” Eggers said.
Street reflected on his long career in his retirement announcement.
“This post is hard to make, but all good things must come to an end,” Street said in his announcement. “I want to thank the citizens of Mitchell County for allowing me to be the sheriff of this great county.”
Street noted that when his term ends at the end of 2026, he will have been sheriff for 16 years and will have worked for the sheriff’s office for 44 years.
“I have tried my best to return my calls, texts, and messages when reached out to by the public,” Street said. “I very seldom ever miss a day at work since 1982.”
Street’s term will not end for another full year. His last day in office will be Dec. 7, 2026.
“Being sheriff is hard. You have to make decisions that don’t make everyone happy, but as long as I know in my heart I did right, that is the main concern,” he said. “You will never meet anyone who ever loved their job more.”