[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,73,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":55,"_67":68,"_69":55,"_70":71,"_72":71},"mediaId",6125019,"mediaKeyId","2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800","parentId",2678879,"title","Public commenter raises oath, bond concerns; county attorney declines to address case-specific legal questions","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3439000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800&start=3439&end=3439","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800/thumbnail_3439000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6125019/Benton-County/Iowa/Public-commenter-raises-oath-bond-concerns-county-attorney-declines-to-address-case-specific-legal-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125019-83cabab8342786fe2df33fa7c2ad7f0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775222131&Signature=lzBwZa6L0YCdO-CBGK1ntcHz6MjQnNT2MA50aGM3SLqAZBdgov4Dzmrps3Je8fZf1sylNhgye8rofKaXS-HgfUEVPgxlSBHa6bgfk1Yhmdou3X78inVuufAY2UZ47rJDCgOT-qW9u4vSt1WGx21~1V58xs9DV3OipnPKFp663dqtCWemv1XPZfA2yJ9M-JsWeK1pgu-uVg~H9hdto2tr4EvIakL8VCI7wuRuM2Xi~YtpoN5JNuDx~vOczchLs7a26bSXrCUTiyn5mypJ99FadNKLFcW2EOU3tIWF~gDO9Xn~kammCJEwpJ7RWK-~CgooUUoBBy~jdpXHqPLQwXbd8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Benton County, Iowa","date","2025-03-18T13:20:43Z","article","BENTON COUNTY — During the public-comment portion of the meeting a resident criticized county officers’ adherence to oaths and bonding requirements and warned that allegedly improper practices could trigger lawsuits. County legal staff declined to provide case-specific answers at the meeting.

A speaker who identified himself as Danny Carroll addressed the supervisors, saying elected officers and deputies must be sworn to uphold the constitution and citing ‘‘chapter 63’’ when describing bond and oath requirements. Carroll said, as recorded in the meeting, that officers ‘‘before entering your office or starting your job duties, you will swear an oath’’ and argued that people acting without properly vested duties were effectively exceeding jurisdiction and risking legal action.

County Attorney Derek Marsh responded that questions about specific legal consequences and the application to an ongoing district-court matter could not be addressed in the forum, noting the county attorney's office was constrained from answering case-specific legal inquiries during the meeting. Auditing and bonding procedures were described in general terms by staff: bonds are insurance issued by a bonding/insurance company and oaths are typically administered and filed in county records when deputies and elected officials are sworn in.

Why it matters: the exchange raised questions about the administrative process for oaths and bonds, the timing of oath administration for newly hired or appointed deputies, and the limits of public discussion when a pending court matter is involved.

What was said about process: staff explained that elected officials and deputies are typically sworn in by a judge at the start of a term and that bonds are administered by an insurance company and filed with the auditor’s office; specifics and statutory citations were referenced (a participant mentioned ‘‘Iowa Code’’/‘‘chapter 63’’) but the county attorney declined to provide detailed legal advice or case-by-case answers at the meeting.

Ending: supervisors did not take formal action on the public comment. Legal counsel advised the public speaker to consult privately with an attorney about case-specific legal questions; the board did not open an investigation or direct any staff action on the matter during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/18/25 Board of Supervisors Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A member of the public told supervisors deputies had not been properly sworn in and warned of potential legal consequences; the county attorney said he could not answer case-specific questions during the meeting.","taxTitle","taxId",45756,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":55,"_67":68,"_69":55,"_70":71,"_72":71},6125024,"Supervisors authorize roughly $11,000 in courthouse sidewalk and stoop repairs",3828,320000,4148000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800&start=320&end=4148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800/thumbnail_320000.jpg","/articles/6125024/Benton-County/Iowa/Supervisors-authorize-roughly-11000-in-courthouse-sidewalk-and-stoop-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125024-78312b015591cf9d89253dd531c68bed/orig.mp4?Expires=1775222131&Signature=Pv7N9gLWwCfUn1vtc7Au6a~P~62zJZKFEjWT3KOtEvaiXcjomRiy~cjmg9zbc9SQ-y4y8NiyJn2xk9vqnJD2vSJ45EyiqMmL3xdtXOiPHaVXa0Vu7NlmHsgCC5SQv2dNFwAzm2~yhAXUIyqF1JKN7gWmD-A-dc~X4gWz6ykIDbf6E3X3j3lxl9e8sOxV7fWrY1OAIXrVPumApNLpB4GU8NdnGWEtb5O5dlwTRG-9Js1Y9GcMBTN~ZOUWv5vQpqk1RE6UCh3RRsnekS1jX5YiYYORgYPr0qQ0HcLjouhzfH8-HwhEyYoLiFdCBJdckuXqsrfaVgZo114gKqKy3wDUiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BENTON COUNTY — The Board of Supervisors voted to authorize repairs to the Benton County courthouse exterior sidewalks and the north-side stoop after reviewing contractor estimates and photos showing settled slabs and water pooling around the building.

Maintenance staff and a vendor estimate for prioritized repairs came in at just under $11,000 for the most severe sections, county staff told supervisors. The contractor documented about 33 photo locations; the board and staff pared that list to focus on the sections judged to present tripping hazards and to address areas where steps had settled as much as two inches from their original grade.

Why it matters: supervisors and staff said the failing concrete creates slip-and-fall risks (noted as ice and water accumulation on the north side in winter) and recommended prompt repair. Supervisors discussed prior work done on the west side of the building and noted those repairs successfully lifted settled slabs in earlier work.

Funding and vote: maintenance staff advised the board that funds exist in the maintenance budget and that some capital-project money also could cover the work. The board made a motion to proceed with the vendor’s recommendation for the identified priority repairs, to be charged to maintenance (and capital project funds as needed); the motion passed in the board's recorded vote.

Details from the meeting record: supervisors and staff highlighted particular concern about the north-side steps, which staff said had settled about two inches and allowed winter moisture to pool near entryways; staff recommended lifting those slabs and fixing drainage near stoops. The vendor named in the estimate was recorded as Polyflex/PolyPex (contractor name reported in meeting). Supervisors directed maintenance to finalize the vendor scope and return any contract paperwork as needed for procurement.

Ending: The board approved proceeding with the prioritized repairs and charged maintenance to complete the procurement and scheduling, using available maintenance/contingency funding for the roughly $11,000 estimate.","After reviewing estimates and photographs, supervisors approved maintenance repairs to courthouse sidewalks and north-side steps, funding the work from county maintenance/capital lines.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":55,"_67":68,"_69":55,"_70":71,"_72":71},6125029,"Benton County supervisors adopt selective elected-official increases and approve targeted staff raises",733,524000,1257000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800&start=524&end=1257","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2678879-83666ccb4903d19dec3686ac57802800/thumbnail_524000.jpg","/articles/6125029/Benton-County/Iowa/Benton-County-supervisors-adopt-selective-elected-official-increases-and-approve-targeted-staff-raises","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125029-14c54a978ed094e05a85a6e65e340512/orig.mp4?Expires=1775222131&Signature=ieVscw7L1KoS2mSiIE7dQ-DXQX4dbyHnT86~-fVwf80ktZXnApFzPSPKA-XTyNknpeueYZKSWANOVrm2gV0tCOxptbWG7PT~1IjIsnn3IU4hnutwcBX8SB6ZXsl2dACnGJFNwQRM7oXelPdmJH828s6kWTkzeDPbrEoRZzs5mnEV~onB~lcuyAA0HkbQj0WhOUWTh1lOx~X8QkJM41iVJNUzpNvCVhOiS2k9rztexbUnLp8nF3tpY8XCDJNfisN1gHdv5APmiUHth5T6Lw83JeAYMLy9CniELc5ANDQBFOPX5eitpTZLrouOnNWmG7vrfcpfmMKLiUe1XApY4h8EMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BENTON COUNTY — The Benton County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt portions of the county compensation board's recommendations for elected officials and approved a package of pay adjustments for non-elected, nonunion county employees at their recent meeting.

The board approved a resolution that implements selected changes recommended by the compensation board rather than taking the package ‘‘all or nothing,’’ a move supervisors discussed after legal counsel advised the change in law allows partial adoption. As adopted, the supervisors remain at the current rate, the county attorney received an approved increase (described in meeting discussion as a $6,000 increase), and the auditor’s office was granted an increase described in discussion as $3,000. The resolution will be printed with the budget when Benton County adopts its budget, per board direction.

Why it matters: the resolution must be included in the county budget and affects how elected-official and staff pay is reflected in the fiscal plan.

Board members spent the bulk of the meeting on a second set of pay decisions covering non-elected, noncontract and nonunion staff. The board approved a package of adjustments that combined a general 3% across-the-board increase for most affected employees and separate, larger targeted adjustments for selected positions and departments. The board recorded approvals for an eight-person subset of targeted increases first, then approved the broader list of exceptions and the 3% increase for other non-elected staff.

Details recorded in the meeting record and discussed publicly include: Alicia (first assistant) 4.26% ($5,388.10); Derek Marsh 4.26% ($3,621); Lori Sila 4.26% ($2,819.27); Deb Fleming 4.26% ($3,080.33); Joyce Baines 4.26% ($1,919.13); Kelsey Robbins 12.31% ($4,664.82); Elena (last name not specified in the record) 7.5% ($2,969.36); Angie Becker 5.5% ($2,084.20). The board also approved a plan to bring collections staff up to a starting wage of $21.92 per hour to match starting pay for jail and communications specialists, with several collection positions receiving larger percentage increases to reach that target.

Supervisors and staff described the rationale for the targeted increases as twofold: (1) to align certain positions with entry-level pay for comparable sheriff’s-office roles and dispatch positions; and (2) to adjust pay where duties have expanded or where positions lag county peer comparisons. One supervisor said the county should avoid personnel cuts while pursuing other spending reductions to move toward a balanced budget.

Budget context: during discussion a supervisor noted a 5% countywide budget reduction would lower spending by about $1,708,120, a figure presented as an example of the scale of adjustments considered during budget work. The board instructed staff to bundle the approved compensation resolution into the budget documents for the upcoming adoption process.

What didn’t happen: no formal ordinance or statutory change was adopted. The board adopted a resolution reflecting the compensation decisions and approved staff pay actions; specific implementation steps and effective dates were to be reflected in the budget and payroll processes.

Ending: Supervisors directed staff to finalize line-item changes and present them as part of the budget adoption process; flagged exceptional increases and the list of employees to be excluded from the 3% general increase were to be documented for the auditor and payroll.","Supervisors approved parts of the compensation board recommendation for elected officials and authorized a mix of percentage and flat-rate raises for non-elected, nonunion county employees, including targeted increases for collections staff to equalize starting wages.","actionData","errors"]

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Public commenter raises oath, bond concerns; county attorney declines to address case-specific legal questions

Supervisors authorize roughly $11,000 in courthouse sidewalk and stoop repairs

Benton County supervisors adopt selective elected-official increases and approve targeted staff raises