VINTON – Budget work for the Benton County Board of Supervisors included action on the compensation board’s recommendations for elected officials, plus action on wages for non-elected and non-union workers.
The meeting was Tuesday, March 18, at the Benton County Service Center in Vinton.
In his motion for a resolution, Supervisor Ron Tippett said he approved having the Benton Supervisors stay at the same rate, $6,000 increase for the county attorney, $3,000 for auditor, and the rest of the elected officials stay the same.
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 but it has been discussed in meetings of some things moving under the job of the auditor which he believes warrants a raise.
“I like to think that our employees are worth more,” Tippett said, “because they do a good job.”He felt they are far enough ahead in their population vs. the ranking in Iowa’s counties that they can probably sit a year out.
Supervisor Bruce Volz seconded the motion, based on the information provided.
Seeman voted against the motion, while Tippett and Volz voted to approved it.
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 ran the office diligently with Matt Evens’ help. She put a flat rate into the budget this year, feeling they had earned it. She asked the board leave the flat four-percent increase in it. Tippett said he didn’t have a problem with this.
Tippett recommended a 3-percent increase for the other employees.
The supervisors went office by office on wages and salaries for exceptions to this.
Exceptions 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 at 3 percent. The decision was unanimous.
The board approved the following increases in the county attorney’s office:
Alisha Stach-$5,388.10 (4.26%)
Derek Marsh-$3,621.00 (4.26%)
Lori Siela-$2,819.27 (4.26%)
Deb Flemings -$3,000.80 (4.26
Joyce Banse-$1,919.13 (4.26%)
Kelsey Robbins- $4,664.82 (12.31%)
Allaina Casali-$2,969.36 (7.50%)
Angie Becker- $2,084.20 (5.5%)
Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.
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:
Sarah Ries, Sheriff Office Administrator-$5,000
Mark Erickson-Transportation Director-$2,800
Susan Meyer-Transportation Driver-$1.00 an hour
Eric Shares-Weed Commissioner-3.5%
Justin Birker-Maintenance Assistant-92.5% of the Maintenance Director’s Salary
Ben Turnis, IT Director and Chris Wagener, IT Assistant-12%
Deb Cummings, Secondary Roads Office Manager-$5,000
Barb Fetzer and Matt Even, Health and Land Use-4%
A treasurer’s office employee asked about wage increases for some employees, while other employees are not getting raises. Tippett stressed it is the supervisors’ job to try to balance the budget.
In budget work, Tippett said the county needs to stop getting into their county’s reserve money.
Other business
Courtney Long, Veterans Affairs, received approval to attend a leadership summit in Washington D.C. April 7-10.
The board acknowledged the resignation of Mona Onken, social services, from the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities of the East Central Iowa Region.
Cement work was approved on the courthouse grounds.
The board acknowledged the resignation of Jim Nelson from the EMS Advisory County. Zach Smitz was approved as the replacement as Norway’s voting member.
Public input
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.