Secondary Roads looks to increase summer pay

Board of Supervisors
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Secondary Roads and the County Engineer’s Office is looking to pay it’s summer (seasonal) employees more money to be at a comparable wage scale with other counties.

     County Engineer Derek Snead informed the Jones County Supervisors during their April 10 meeting that he is considering increasing and splitting the summer wage from $9 an hour to $10.50 and $12.50 an hour.

     “I want to offer two different pay scales,” he said based on qualifications and job duties.

     With a few applications in hand right now, Snead said he wanted to be able to offer the increased pay before contacting those who have expressed interest.

     “I think we need to be comparable to Conservation seasonal help,” Snead said.

     Working for Secondary Roads, Snead said the biggest advantage for seasonal employees is the fact that they get exposed to many different facets of the job.

     “They get a little more experience,” he said.

     Depending on the action of the board of supervisors, Snead said he would like to look at adding another step increase next year “to get us up to other counties’ pay scale.”

     Supervisor Wayne Manternach commented, “It’s tough when other counties pay more for specialty skills.”

     Snead sited a recent poll several counties took part in as reasoning behind his proposal. “We’re definitely quite a bit lower than the counties who participated in the survey,” he said.

In other county business:

     • Conservation Director Brad Mormann informed the supervisors that the conservation board is recommending approval of Megan Manternach to fill a vacancy. Conservation Board member Larry Pisarik is retiring after serving for 25 years.

     “Applications were spread across the county,” Mormann said of the interest.

     • The board held a public hearing and approved the vacation of a portion of 145th Street in Cass Township. There were no objections.

     • The board approved an amendment to the Jones County Fence Compensation Policy due to a mathematical error.

     • The board reviewed Snead’s draft plans for the parking lot at the new JETS facility in Monticello on John Drive. The project will have a specified completion date of July 15, with payment by June 30 to receive the remaining grant money associated with the construction project.

     The parking lot project will include sub-base, driveway, road, sidewalk, curb and gutter.

     • County Auditor Janine Sulzner informed the board about a Jackson Township landowner’s request for the county to sell abandoned railroad right of way, currently owned by the county. Sulzner said the county acquired the property by a tax sale deed in the early 1960s. The adjacent property owner wishes to buy the property because the former railroad runs through the middle of his property.

     In order to sell the property, Sulzner said the county has to put it up for bid.

     • The board approved the renewal of mowing and lawn care services with Minger Mowing & Landscaping in Anamosa for the same price the county contracted last year. The new contract also includes the Broadway Place Annex. The county will also pay Minger an additional $500 to fill the steep hillside behind the Broadway building.

     • The board of supervisors met the new Anamosa City Administrator Jacob Sheridan, who started his job in late February. Sheridan, who’s originally from Indiana, comes to Anamosa from Nebraska.

     • The board approved the preliminary plat of Hunter’s Crossing subdivision in Fairview Township. The property is owned by Randy Caspers.

     The board approved the final plat of the Storage Addition subdivision in Cass Township. The property is owned by the Parham family.

 

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