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Elected Marshall County officials to receive 3 percent salary increase

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY The Marshall County Board of Supervisors and department heads are pictured Tuesday during discussions about salaries of elected officials. From lower left, supervisor Bill Patten, supervisor Steve Salasek, partially hidden by Salasek is supervisor Dave Thompson, county engineer Paul Geilenfeldt, county conservation board director Mike Stegmann, building and grounds superintendent Lucas Baedke and treasurer Jarret Heil.

Marshall County supervisors, sheriff, auditor and recorder, attorney and treasurer were awarded a 3 percent salary increase at Tuesday’s regular board of supervisor meeting.

The Marshall County Board of Ssupervisors voted unanimously to approve the following salary increases to county elected officials in Fiscal Year 2021 which begins July 1:

• County Attorney Jennifer Miller: plus 3 percent to $109,779

• County Sheriff Steve Hoffman: plus 3 percent to $93,005

• County Auditor and Recorder Nan Benson: plus 3 percent to $74,633

• County Treasurer Jarret Heil: plus 3 percent to $64,250

• County supervisors Bill Patten, Steve Salasek and Dave Thompson: plus 3 percent to $38,487

• Total combined increase in county officials’ salaries: $13,314

The raises approved Tuesday were lower than those recommended by the Marshall County

Compensation Board last week.

The compensation board recommended a 4 percent increase for all elected officials.

Thompson started the discussion by proposing a 2.5 percent increase for all elected officials.

After discussion, he made a motion to enact the 2.5 percent raise for all which did not receive a second, meaning it failed.

Supervisor Bill Patten said 4 percent was too high.

“I move to put in a 3 percent raise for elected officials,” he said.

Salasek said he put a lot of stock in the compensation board’s recommendation.

“They do a lot of work,” he said. “They research, they spend serious amount of time on this. They get frustrated when we make major changes.”

The compensation board meets annually and reviews the officials’ salaries in counties with similar populations, as well as similar jobs in the private sector, to determine recommended salaries for elected officials.

After more discussion, the supervisors voted unanimously to award a 3-percent raise to elected officials.

The salary increases approved Tuesday do not take into account the county’s benefit packages for all positions.

Sheriff Hoffman said he appreciated the consideration the supervisors provide in reviewing the recommendations of the compensation commission as a taxpayer.

“However, it is not a simple matter of determining a wage for an elected professional,” he said. “But additional ripple effects of wage compression in the Sheriff’s Office and other offices. We are in a competitive and difficult recruiting environment with needs to be able to recruit talented people. Wages of course are relevant. Wishing the Sheriff’s Office it can be said it doesn’t pay to accept more responsibility via promotion. To put this in perspective, the responsibilities of the sheriff with more than 60 employees, the ninth largest jail in Iowa, patrol, field services, and civil and court responsibilities, the compensation is at a level similar to shift supervisors at the sergeant rank in Marshalltown Police Department in their new contract. The Sheriff’s Office and Marshall County are a great place to be, but we still have to remain competitive to attract and retain high values, talent and competency.

In other business:

• Discussed and made adjustments on county budget.

• Recognized years of service for six county employees ranging from five to 15 years.

• Accepted Manure Management Plan for Pickard Brothers Inc.

• Tabled a proclamation for Marshall County School Choice Week until more information is known.

The next regular Marshall County Board of Supervisors meeting is 9:05 a.m. Feb. 4 on the second floor of the Great Western Bank building, 11 N. First Ave.

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com

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