Benton County approves wage increases

VINTON – The Benton County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved pay increases for the next fiscal year for elected and other county officials.

The board approved a 3% increase for elected officials as recommended by the Benton County Compensation Board.

Supervisors declined a pay increase for next year for themselves, as well as the $5,000 stipend that used to go to the supervisors’ chairman.

Supervisor Tracy Seeman said he was looking at less than 3%, but others, such as the sheriff’s department and the unions that represent secondary roads, are getting more than 3%, so he was leaning towards the compensation board’s recommendation.

“It would be very nice if everyone was on the same page, so to speak,” Supervisor Chairman Richard Primmer said. One department has fluctuated everywhere from 3% to 11% for their employees, he said.

Both unions are at 4%, said Primmer, so 3% almost seems like a bargain.

“I’ll probably get chastised for saying that it’s a bargain, but you know, what the heck? It seems like if I show up I get chastised,” said Primmer.

Supervisor Gary Bierschenk also said he’d stay with the recommendation. It could come back to bite them if they went with 2% or 2.5%.

“We’re not going to keep everybody here happy anyway, especially if we start cutting stuff,” Bierschenk said.

The cost of living was up about 10% two years ago, said Primmer, and about 7% last year.

This year it’s around 3%. “At least we’d be staying with the cost of living,” Primmer said. “And that’s not all bad.”

“I think this is a good place to work for the most part,” Bierschenk said. He pointed out the county attorney’s office is having hard time finding anybody.

It’s that way in many offices, said Primmer. He said he’s an advocate for treating everybody fair and equally.

The board decided that most non-union, non-elected, non-commissioned and non-contracted employees will get an increase of 3.5%. Others were singled out for higher pay increases, as requested by respective department heads.

The attorney’s office would use money from the collections department incentive funds to supplement raises in the department.

The transportation director requested that his increase go to his assistant. A higher increase of 4% was also approved for Deb Cummings, office manager of secondary roads, since this is what secondary roads union employees are getting.

Deb Cummings, office manager, secondary roads, will get a raise of 6%; Jessica Meyer will receive 6%, and the director of transportation will not take any increase

Myron Parizek, engineer will receive 4%; Randy Sherwood, secondary roads maintenance superintendent will receive a 4% increase.

Karen Uthoff, civil office manager at the sheriff’s office, will receive 4%. Deb Fleming, collections office will receive 3% with $5,000 out of the Attorney’s Collection Fund.

Lori Siela, Kelsey Robbins, Angie Becker and Joyce Bane will each recieve 3%, with an additional 3% to come out of the Attorney’s Collection Fund

Supervisors approved 3% for Allaina Casali, with an additional $2,120 to come out of the Attorney’s Collection Fund.

Supervisors set pay for election officials as recommended by Auditor Hayley Rippel, $375 to precinct chairman and $250 for all other election workers, along with the $25 training rate and mileage at the current federal rate effective July 1, 2024.

In other business, supervisors accepted the low bid of $152,915 from Detroit Truck Center for a new truck for the secondary roads department.