Benton County appoints new board of health

VINTON – The Benton County Board of Supervisors presented plaques to former board of health members and then appointed new members during their Jan. 30 meeting.

The supervisors terminated the board last fall and later expressed regret for the process, which did not comply with the Iowa Code.

Maggie Mangold and Braxton Morrison accepted the plaques for their service to the health board. The three other members of the former board were not at the meeting.

Supervisors appointed Lori Mott of Shellsburg, Tai Burkhart Walker of Urbana, Jean Ohlen of Blairstown, Karl Holmes of Belle Plaine,and Jessica Fairbanks of Vinton to the health board and discussed how to stagger terms.

Budget work

Most of the meeting was spent discussing the budgets for the county departments for the next fiscal year.

Salaries are a key part of the budget.

Last month, the Benton County Compensation Board recommended an increase of 3% for elected officials. Most departments are also looking at 3% increases for non-elected officials.

The supervisors can accept the recommendation. They can’t go above it, and if it is reduced, it has to be by the same percentage across the board.

Supervisor Tracy Seeman said he is leaning towards 3%, but he has to look at other departments that are getting more than that. He said supervisors have no say on the negotiated union contracts. Those contracts have 4% increases.

Supervisor Chairman Richard Primmer said he had no problem with this. The 3% increase is what others have been using as a guideline.

The board voted to table action, but a decision has to be made by the time the county’s budget is presented.

The board also tabled action on non-elected, non-union and non-commissioned, non-contracted employees.

Human Resources

Sue Wilber presented the human resources budget. Wilber is considering hiring part-time help.

The proposed budget also includes money for employee recognition awards, education and training with department heads, background checks and health insurance.

Emergency Management Services Director Scott Hanson questioned the request for part-time help, noting that Wilber has not been in her position for a year yet and is already asking for part-time help.

Hanson said he found it interesting that she needs help. In his 25 years, he said, he always tried to find ways to save money. He said he was turned down for part-time help in the past.

Wilber said the issue came up in her employee evaluation and was suggested by the supervisors. There is a lot of work to do for something that hasn’t been updated or done for a long time, she said.

Instead of a part-time position, she is considering an internship.

Former Benton County Auditor Jill Marlow also questioned the need for part-time help. She noted an increase in taxes and said the budget had grown by 72% from fiscal year 2023 to 2025.

Marlow said teh county needs to keep the budget as low as possible. Supervisors need to start looking at what the end result is. “We just need to slow down,” Marlow told the board.

The human resources department also discussed a proposal for a new automated time and attendance system, payroll and applicant tracking.

Wilber said she has researched this with other counties.

Auditor Hayley Rippel said she was concerned about outsourcing payroll to another vendor. Outside legal counsel had found that it’s part of her office duties, she said, and she has a say in this, according to Iowa Code.