That's the legal opinion from the state's attorney general Wednesday.
Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager was asked by Sawyer County Sheriff James Meier for her opinion over questions about his salary and benefits when he was called to active duty earlier this year.
Lautenschlager says county boards don't have the authority to deny salary to elected county officials when those officials are sick, haven't resigned, haven't been determined incapable of performing their duties or haven't been removed from office for cause.
Sawyer County Board chairman Harold Helwig says officials didn't cut Meier's salary. He says the matter was all a misunderstanding.
