Benton County approves salaries

VINTON — Budget work for the Benton County Board of Supervisors March 18 included action on the compensation board’s recommendations for elected officials, plus action on wages for non-elected and non-union workers.

In his motion for a resolution, Supervisor Ron Tippett said he approved of increasing the county attorney’s salary by $6,000, the auditor’s by $3,000 and keeping salaries the same for the rest of the elected officials, including the Benton County Supervisors.

Tippett said he was going by what he could find online from the Iowa Association Counties, looking at the county’s population and their ranking on paying elected officials. That ranking shows supervisors are ahead of the game, the sheriff is a little bit ahead, the county attorney was about even and the recorder and treasurer are way ahead of the game.

The auditor is ahead of the game, Tippett said, but supervisors have discussed adding duties to the auditor’s job, which Tippett believes warrants a raise.

“I like to think that our employees are worth more,” Tippett said, “because they do a good job.”

The county is far enough ahead in its ranking of salaries based on population, that they can probably sit a year out, Tippett said.

Supervisor Bruce Volz seconded the motion, based on the information provided.

Seeman voted against the motion.

As for non-elected and non-union employees, Barb Fetzer, of the land use and sanitarian office, asked the board to remember that she, for the past two years, had taken Marc Greenlee’s position and run the office diligently with Matt Evens’ help.

Fetzer put a flat rate into the budget this year, feeling they had earned it. She asked the board leave the flat 4% increase in it. Tippett said he didn’t have a problem with this.

Tippett recommended a 3% increase for the other employees.

The supervisors went office by office on wages and salaries for exceptions, which included Fetzer’s office, county attorney employees, jail administrator, transportation, weed commission, maintenance assistant, information technology and assistant and secondary roads office manager.

All other non-elected and non-commission would receive 3%. The decision was unanimous.

The board approved the following increases in the county attorney’s office:

The board approved a 3% increase to all non-elected, non-commissioned, non-contracted employees with noting that the following individuals have a different rate:

A treasurer’s office employee asked about wage increases for some employees, while other employees are not getting raises. Tippett said it is the supervisors’ job to try to balance the budget.

In budget work, Tippett said the county needs to stop getting into its reserve money.

In other business, Supervisors agreed to allow Courtney Long, of Veterans Affairs, to attend a leadership summit in Washington, D.C. April 7-10.

The board acknowledged the resignation of Mona Onken, of social services, from the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities of the East Central Iowa Region.

The board approved work on the courthouse grounds and acknowledged the resignation of Jim Nelson from the EMS Advisory County. Zach Smitz was approved as the replacement as Norway’s voting member.

Two members of the public visited with the board at the close of the meeting asking about laws, statutes, codes and ordinances. The first citizen also asked about bonds and oaths.

Benton County Assistant Attorney Derek Marsh addressed his questions. Marsh advised the board can’t answer these questions because it involves a District Court matter. A second member of the public also asked about the constitution, oaths and bonds.