Supervisors struggle to agree on county employee salaries, table discussion for second time

WASHINGTON - The Washington County Board of Supervisors struggled to come to an agreement on salaries for the 2020 county budget but ended up tabling the issue a second time when it met in regular session at the county courthouse Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The County Compensation Board has recommended a 3 percent raise for elected officials for next year. The supervisors must decide whether to accept or modify that recommendation and to decide what to do about salaries for all nonelected employees. Supervisor Abe Miller again said that the cost of living is only 1.6 percent. He said he would like to see the county consider that increase for the county's elected officials and employees.

'Otherwise we are penalizing the county's taxpayers to pick up the difference,” he said.

Supervisor Jack Seward Jr. said he wanted to correct the record from the last meeting when a member of the seven-person Compensation Board told the supervisors that three members of the board favored a 2 percent increase. Seward said he was told that at least one of the three favored an increase higher than 3 percent. He also said that given the county's location so close to Iowa City, the county has to be aware of the importance of attracting and retaining good employees.

Supervisor Richard Young questioned the validity of the government's cost of living numbers. He added the Sheriff's department is getting a 3 percent increase because of a union contract.

'How can we not give the others 3 percent as well?” he asked.

'I'm not saying people don't need more income,” Miller said. 'But where is this money coming from? I want to know before voting … All of the salaries for elected officials in the county are above average in Iowa,” he said.

Seward said there are three things that the county absolutely must provide next year …. a quality work force, an ambulance service and a communications department in a new facility.

'I would entertain ideas on what should be cut from the budget,” he said.

Supervisor Stan Stoops said while 3 percent increase 'is a lot” there are people raising families in the county workforce that need it.

A motion by Miller to reduce the Compensation Board recommendation by a third to a 2 percent increase failed for a lack of a second and the issue was tabled until the next meeting which will be held Monday, December 23 at 9 a.m. due to the Christmas holiday.

In other business, the supervisors:

' Held a public hearing regarding a proposed bid package for civil work and tower construction related to the Washington County Communications Project and set December 31 as the deadline for accepting bids;

' Reappointed Kim Prier to the County Conservation Board;

' Heard a request from Main Street Executive Director Sarah Grunewaldt for $6,834 in funding for 2020, a 2 percent increase. Since 2008, Main Street Washington has reported 36 business starts, relocations or expansions, 70 net new jobs, 82 rehabilitated buildings and over $13 million privately invested in building rehabilitation and acquisition;

' Heard a request from the English River Watershed for $10,000 in funding for next year and

' Acknowledged a cost allocation report showing that the Iowa Department of Human Services owes the county $44,133 in reimbursements for services provided for the year ending June 30, 2019.