County elected officials continue Comp Board discussions

     During the Oct. 15 Jones County Supervisors meeting, the board talked in-depth about the future of the Compensation (Comp) Board.

   The passing of SF 2442 into law dissolved county Comp Boards during the last Iowa Legislative Session. It would be up to each county board of supervisors to reinstate these boards if they felt the need to do so.

   At the last board meeting, County Attorney Kristofer Lyons and Treasurer Amy Picray were against dissolving the Comp Board, wanting to see it continue.

   The conversation continued during the Oct. 23 board meeting.

   The board heard from Picray, Lyons, and County Recorder Sheri Jones' Comp Board representatives who all understood the new law and would be willing to continue to serve if necessary.

   Picray's representative, Nels Petersen, shared with her that he felt, though, that the Comp Board "was beneficial."

   Under the new law, it's up to the board of supervisors to set the salary increases or decreases for all elected officials, without a recommendation from the Comp Board.

   Picray continued to share Petersen's thought on the matter, saying he felt the supervisors needed to hold a "performance review meeting with all of the department heads and go from there." If no such meeting is offered, he suggested reinstating the Comp Board.

   Jones' representative, Abe Tubbs, sees the Comp Board as a third party, independent opinion.

   Jones also asked the supervisors if the Comp Board went away, and they reviewed the elected officials, who would be tasked with reviewing the supervisors.

   "I didn't think about who would evaluate us until you just said that," answered Supervisor Joe Oswald.

   Supervisor John Schlarmann sees the Comp Board as representation versus performing an evaluation.

   "It shouldn't be an evaluation of what we do," agreed Jones.

   In answering Jones' question, Schlarmann offered, "I think the voters evaluate all of us."

   He said it isn't the Comp Board, but the supervisors who do all of the budget preparation work in order to set the county's levy rates. He suggested not having the Comp Board for a year to see how the new process works out.

   Supervisor Ned Rohwedder agreed.

   "I don't know if there's a big need for it with us making the final decision," he said.

   Oswald said they should not be jumping back and forth dissolving and then reinstating the Comp Board year after year.

   Having been on both sides of the table, Supervisor Jeff Swisher, who is a former chief deputy with the Sheriff's Office, simply asked, "What does it hurt to have a Comp Board?"

   He reminded his fellow board members that future boards of supervisors can always reinstate or do away with the Comp Board whenever they see fit.

   "It is an independent review," Swisher said of the role of the Comp Board.

   Supervisor Jon Zirkelbach agreed with keeping it in place.

   Picray, who last week felt the Comp Board should be kept in place, was willing to try it for a year without such representation.

   "As long as we vow we'll take a serious look at it next year and see what we think and how it went and evaluate it from there," she urged.

   No final decision was made. More discussion on the Comp Board will continue as the county moves into budget season at the end of the year.