County reviews proposed salary increases

     During the Feb. 12 Jones County Supervisor meeting, the board carried out several items in relation to the proposed Fiscal Year 2020 budget.

     It took three motions and three votes before the board settled on the Compensation Board’s FY 2020 salary increase recommendations.

     Back in December, the Comp Board recommended a 4.5 percent increase across the board for all county elected officials.

     The supervisors’ first motion to accept the Comp Board’s recommendation as is failed 1-4. Supervisor Wayne Manternach was the only “yes” vote.

     The second motion to reduce the recommendation to 3 percent failed, 1-4. Supervisor Lloyd Eaken was the only “yes” vote.

     The third motion to reduce the recommendation from 4.5 percent to 2.75 percent for all elected officials except the supervisors and from 4.5 percent to 2.5 percent for just the supervisors was approved, 3-2, with Supervisors Manternach and Eaken opposed.

     (The supervisors’ approval of the salary recommendations is not official until the budget hearing, which has not been set. The approval is simply for budget preparation.)

In other budget preparation proceedings, the board:

     • Approved a 2.75 percent pay increase for the county engineer, conservation director, community services director, and senior dining director, as well as a 3.5 percent increase for the JETS director. The motion passed 4-1, with Supervisor Ned Rohwedder opposed.

     • Approved a 2.75 percent increase for public health coordinator and GIS coordinator, and a 5.5 percent increase for environmental health/board of health administrator, IT coordinator, and veteran affairs administrator. The motion passed 4-1, with Supervisor Manternach opposed.

     • Approved a 2.75 percent increase for Secondary Roads maintenance superintendent. They also stipulated that the salary increases for the assistant county attorney and chief deputy sheriff be reduced to reflect the adjusted rate of increase for the principal elected official. These were unanimous votes.

     • Approved a 2.75 percent increase for the communications supervisor, sheriff’s office manager, assistant engineer, engineer in training, and conservation resource manager. These were unanimous votes.

     • Approved a 2.75 percent increase for the county attorney’s secretary/administrative assistant, secondary road assistant office manager, conservation naturalist, conservation office manager, community health specialist, social worker, and mental health advocate. A 5.5 percent increase was approved for the secondary road office manager. These were unanimous votes.

     • Approved a 2.75 percent increase for senior dining non-exempt staff and JETS non-exempt staff. These were unanimous votes.

     • The board did not take any action concerning the salary recommendations for the deputies of elected officials, with the understanding that the proposed increases would be reduced to reflect the adjusted rate of increase for their principal elected official.

In other county business:

     • The board approved a quote from EnCompass for $2,194 for security cameras and cabling at the new JETS facility in Monticello. IT Coordinator Lisa Mootz received two quotes.

     • The board approved a $3,000 staff analysis through Shive-Hattery for the Jones County Jail department.

     • The board approved an easement option agreement with ITC Midwest along the Grant Wood Trail. The easement runs approximately 1,400 feet from Olin west to County Road E-45. The easement option provides the county with $1,700. Once ITV goes forward with the easement project, the county is proposed to receive $17,364.