Supervisors vote to formally dissolve Compensation Board

     Following several weeks of discussion between the Jones County Board of Supervisors and elected officials, a vote to reinstate the Compensation (Comp) Board failed 3-2. (Supervisors Jon Zirkelbach and Jeff Swisher were in favor; Supervisors Joe Oswald, Ned Rohwedder, and John Schlarmann were opposed.)

   “As it stands,” prefaced County Auditor Whitney Hein, “it is dissolved,” referring to SF 2442 passed by the Iowa Legislature last session.

   “It provides a vehicle for input for elected officials through their Comp Board representatives,” commented Zirkelbach. “It’s one less avenue for elected officials and the public to hear these discussions.”

   Swisher said he’s heard both sides of the argument from county elected officials, whether to dissolved or reinstate the Comp Board.

   “My feeling, what’s it hurt?” he said of keeping it in place.

   “I am apt to see how it goes for a year and if it doesn’t go well, we can always (reinstate),” commented Oswald. “But I don’t want to see us going back and forth.”

   “I agree with Joe,” voiced Rohwedder. “We can always reinstate if people think we’re not doing a good job.”

   Schlarmann said he talked with Mike Galloway, the county’s HR director, of advice.

   “With the new law, we don’t need it,” he said of having a Comp Board. “It doesn’t shield us from anything. Elected officials are free to come in and present to us and we’ll review (their salaries) like we do with everyone else.”

   With the Comp Board dissolved, it would fall to the board of supervisors to meet with elected officials concerning their salary requests, and make the decision whether to increase or decrease those requests. County Recorder Sheri Jones said if the board is hearing from each of the elected officials, who will hear the board’s case.

   “Who will hear your presentation and request?” she proposed.

   Schlarmann that falls on the voters of Jones County.

   “In my experience, since I’ve been on (the board), we’ve taken half or less than what the Comp Board suggested,” he said in terms of the Comp Board’s wage recommendations for the supervisors themselves.

   “We try to be tight with the money. I’d rather give your more of a raise versus us and keep you happy,” he told Jones.

   “We have always opted to lower our pay,” added Zirkelbach.