Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele appeals ruling on pay ranges

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele on Friday appealed a court ruling that supported the county board's role in setting pay ranges for all executive appointees and 300 other employees not covered by civil service rules.

Abele's action came after Thursday's board resolution to abolish all pay ranges created by Abele since 2014 without the board's approval.

The resolution could cut thousands of dollars this year from annual salaries of several top department heads and administrators who were given raises by Abele that exceeded maximum limits of earlier board-approved pay ranges.

It also would require the Department of Human Resources to return those employees to the board's previously authorized pay ranges.

In April, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John DiMotto ruled that the board did not lose its authority to set pay ranges for the affected employees when a 2013 change in state law, known as Act. 14, was enacted.