Benton County supervisors amend elected-officials pay after procedure questions

Benton County Board of Supervisors on March 25 adopted Resolution 25-14, amending an earlier action on elected-official salaries and approving specific pay increases for several county offices effective with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025.

The amendment implements the Benton County Compensation Board's recommendations and lists increases of $3,000 for the auditor; $2,800 each for the treasurer and recorder; $6,000 for the county attorney; $4,000 for the sheriff; and no increase for supervisors. The resolution cites Iowa Code sections 331.905 and 331.907 as the statutory basis for compensation board recommendations and includes the compensation board's January 28, 2025 meeting as the recommending body.

Board members spent significant time discussing the process by which the earlier resolution was considered. One supervisor said they had not fully reviewed materials before seconding and voting on the prior motion and asked that the board "relook" the item; others pressed for departments and elected offices to "show their work," referencing documentation used by the compensation board and by departments to justify raises. Several department heads and elected officials told the board they would provide detailed comparisons and cost-savings numbers to explain their requests.

The board made the change by approving Resolution 25-14, which rescinds or modifies portions of the prior action (Resolution 25-13) and adopts the compensation board's recommended increases for fiscal year 2026. The resolution is dated March 25, 2025, and specifies the July 1, 2025 effective date for the new salary schedule.

Votes at a glance from the March 25 meeting (items addressed during the same session): claims and minutes were approved; two fireworks permits were approved pending the fire chief's signature and subject to any declared burn ban; the multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan procurement was tabled for two weeks for further reference checks and comparison of bids; the county's Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Plan update was approved; and separate action (Resolution 25-15) was adopted to amend part-time sheriff's wages and job classifications (see separate article).

The board indicated departments and the compensation board will provide clearer supporting materials in future committee or compensation board meetings so that supervisors can review the underlying data that led to the recommendations. The resolution text and referenced Iowa Code sections were read into the record during the meeting; a signed copy was prepared for the chair's signature at the meeting.

The matter returns to ordinary budget and payroll processes; implementation of the salary increases is set to align with the county's fiscal year starting July 1, 2025.