Benton County reinstates compensation board under new state law; appointees due mid-January

The Benton County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 7 to re-establish a county compensation board under changes made last year to Iowa law. The board approved Resolution 25-4, which establishes a seven-member compensation panel to recommend elected-official salaries.

Under the resolution, two supervisors will appoint two members total, and the county auditor, county attorney, county recorder, county treasurer and county sheriff each appoint one member. The resolution sets initial staggered terms so the membership aligns with local election cycles, and makes the county board—9s decision retroactive to July 1, 2024, consistent with the state statute change.

Supervisors directed the county's elected officials to submit their appointees' names to the board by Jan. 14 so the newly constituted compensation board can meet promptly to review wage recommendations for FY26 and provide a recommendation before final budget decisions. The board emphasized that the compensation board members must be county residents and cannot be officers or employees of another governmental body.

The measure passed by unanimous vote; supervisors noted the compensation board is voluntary and meets once annually to review and recommend salaries for elected county officials. The board also directed staff to assemble historical compensation board minutes and comparative wage data to support the new panel—9s review.

Ending: County staff will collect appointee names, schedule the first meeting of the compensation board and provide required documentation and comparative data ahead of the board—9s meeting.