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Supervisors approve salary increases after lengthy review of county comparables
Summary
After a detailed review of county comparables and taxable-value constraints, the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved a set of salary increases for elected officials and staff changes including step increases and new position adjustments.
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 approved a recommended salary schedule for several elected officials and ratified personnel changes after extended discussion about county comparability and revenue constraints.
What the board approved
The board approved increases proposed by staff for several elected offices: an increase for the auditor (rounding noted in the transcript), a 10% increase for the county attorney, a 6% increase for the recorder, a 5% increase for the sheriff, a 6% increase for the treasurer and a 2.5% increase for supervisors. Staff noted they rounded figures and final amounts would be reported with cents included. The board also approved several department personnel adjustments, including anniversary/step increases in the correctional center and moved a part‑time clerk into a full‑time clerk position in subsequent personnel discussion.
Why it matters: County leaders said increases respond to a competitive hiring environment for attorneys and other staff; staff presented taxable‑value-per‑capita context showing Des Moines County’s lower tax base compared with many Iowa counties, which the board weighed in deciding not to equalize all salaries to the county’s population rank immediately.
Meeting context and process
Staff described guidance from legislation that shifted compensation‑board duties to boards of supervisors and summarized the process of collecting comparable pay data from other counties and state positions. The board agreed to fulfill compensation-board duties for the year while reserving the right to re-establish a compensation board later. Supervisors debated whether to phase increases over two years but concluded maintaining staff and competitive pay warranted the recommended schedule.
Ending: The salary changes take effect per the auditor’s reporting schedule and staff will supply a final, exact schedule with cents; board members emphasized the need to monitor recruiting outcomes and future budget impacts.
