Washington County holds off on deciding elected officials’ pay

WASHINGTON — Decision-makers in Washington County will wait until December to set pay for elected officials next fiscal year, after several department heads said they wanted to keep a similar decision timeline to the now defunct county compensation commission, which usually recommended salaries near the end of the year.

The move was an effort to balance budgetary planning time with the county’s push to maintain qualified employees in its highest offices.

“I worry a little bit about waiting,” said Sheriff Jared Schneider. “Especially with, in my budget, having the unknown of what the union negotiates for … that holds me up from trying to figure out a budget if we don’t get some of that set in a fairly quick manner.”

It’s the first time Washington County’s board of supervisors will have to decide elected officials’ salaries on its own. In previous years, the board let deliberations play out at a volunteer-run compensation commission, which issued its final recommendations to the county as a starting point for discussions.

That board was disbanded by a state law past earlier this year. While counties had the chance to reinstate their commissions, Washington County’s supervisors opted not to, arguing that deliberation at their own board meetings would offer more transparency and greater control over the budget, checked and balanced by the statewide mandate to “show their work” for any salary changes.

But the newfound responsibility of starting that discussion proved difficult at last week’s work session.

Supervisor Jack Seward Jr. asked other elected leaders — the county auditor, attorney, treasurer, sheriff and recorder — to give specific recommendations for their salaries, but some of those officials pushed back, saying they’d never given that kind of specific suggestion to the compensation commission.

After lengthy discussion, elected department heads said they could probably get behind raises of 3-3.5%, but stressed that the number was tentative.

“We’re used to our comp board representatives bringing their experiences from what they’re involved in, and that was what centered a lot of the discussion,” County Treasurer Jeff Garrett said. “But I’d be on board with everyone else … I think 3-3.5% is fair as well.”

Washington County in the past has aimed for salary ranges in about the top dozen of the state’s 99 counties. While it ranks number 27 in the state by population according to 2023 census estimates, officials have argued in the past that higher salaries were key to attract talent that could otherwise find better-paying work in Johnson County, just 40 minutes up the road.

Supervisor Jack Seward Jr. said he didn’t expect to approve raises of less than 3%, given the growing cost of living.

“I’m not thinking much less than that, just because of the way the economy is,” he said. “In order to keep good people, we’re going to have to do that.”

Adding uncertainty is that fact that Washington County doesn’t expect to know its assessed property values until sometime in January. That means payroll decisions will have to be made before officials know their total impact on department budgets.

Additionally, state laws have capped how much the county’s tax base can grow from one year to the next at 3%, even if property assessments grow faster than that. The reality adds pressure to already tense budget talks across departments, with or without the question of elected official salaries at play.

The board of supervisors expects to hear final recommendations on Dec. 10, and vote on elected officials’ compensation on Dec. 17.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com