Board moves on appointments and takes up salary resolution; debate over county‑attorney raise
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Summary
Supervisors approved a contract subject to attorney review and reappointed a conservation board member. The board debated Resolution 2603 on elected‑official salaries — a member opposed the proposed county‑attorney increase citing Iowa Code — and moved to set non‑elected, nonunion raises at 3% with a roll‑call initiated; final tallies for some items were not clear in the transcript.
The Mills County Board of Supervisors handled several formal actions during the meeting, including contract approvals, appointments and salary items.
Contracts and appointments: After reviewing terms, the board moved to approve the Tallgrass pipeline inspection contract with Snyder & Associates "subject to approval by county attorney"; multiple board members answered "Aye" when the motion was called. The board also reappointed Eric Vanafly to the conservation board for a five‑year term (motion carried) and voted to appoint Karen to the county condemnation board after spelling and name confirmation on the record.
Salaries and resolution 2603: The board considered Resolution 2603, which sets proposed elected‑official salaries for fiscal 2027. Speaker 6 opposed the county‑attorney increase, saying the legislature limited how and when a county‑attorney's salary can be changed and comparing staff sizes and peer counties to argue the increase was not appropriate. He referenced Iowa Code (sections discussed in the meeting) and said the proposed county‑attorney figure was significantly higher than what he believed appropriate under a part‑time classification.
Separately, the board voted to set the percentage pay rate for nonunion, nonelected employees at 3% (motion made and seconded) and initiated a roll‑call vote on that motion. The transcript records roll‑call prompts and some recorded votes but does not contain a complete final tally for every salary item in the section recorded.
What happened next: Board members discussed the procedural limits on raising or lowering elected‑official salaries and confirmed the budget process will further refine what can be afforded when budget figures are finalized. Several supervisors said salaries set now provide guidance for department heads preparing budgets; the board noted it can later rescind a resolution but cannot raise certain offices beyond statutory limits without following required steps.
The transcript does not record complete final tallies for every salary resolution item; where the meeting clearly recorded an outcome (for example, Eric Vanafly's reappointment) the article notes the result.