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Supervisors approve reclassification for administrative position, debate salary policy and broader pay study follow-up
Summary
The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors approved reclassifying an administrative secretary position to administrative assistant (grade 8 to grade 10), a move that drew a split vote and prompted a wider discussion of steps, grading, and implementation of a prior salary survey.
The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors on April 14 approved administration’s recommendation to reclassify an Administrative Secretary (grade 8) to Administrative Assistant (grade 10), effective April 19, 2025. The motion carried 4–1 after extended discussion about pay grades, step placement and the county’s salary-administration process.
Human resources staff said the job-evaluation tool used for the county places the position at grade 10 given current duties. "If you're doing more work, you should be compensated," an HR representative said, summarizing the evaluation result.
Board members debated whether the reclassification should place the incumbent on step 1 of the grade or preserve the employee’s current step to avoid a large single-step increase. Administration noted the grade 10 minimum for the fiscal year is $41,804 and that the grade/step schedule lists the relevant step levels; the memo in the packet referenced figures that staff corrected to match the public step schedule during discussion.
One supervisor said a 13% pay increase tied to a two-grade jump was a substantial immediate budget impact and urged a broader review. Other supervisors argued the incumbent had effectively been performing elevated duties for about a year and deserved pay aligned with actual responsibilities. The board asked staff to follow administrative procedures in the county handbook and to return with a coordinated review of job descriptions and the budget impacts of broader salary adjustments tied to the earlier salary survey.
A motion to approve the reclassification as presented was made and seconded; the board approved the action 4–1. Supervisors also discussed next steps: department heads will review job descriptions and HR will coordinate a broader implementation plan and cost estimate so the board can consider any accelerated salary adjustments across departments.
Separately, administration and IT staff reported an upcoming server replacement and software refresh. County IT said a portion of hardware subscription funding budgeted in the current fiscal year (about $34,000) will be applied toward new hardware purchases; they estimated the full implementation would cost less than originally budgeted for next year and could reduce next year’s operating spend by about $60,000 once completed.
