Winneshiek County approves four-step increase for maintenance foreman, adopts job description

The Winneshiek County Board on Tuesday approved a revised job description for the county's maintenance foreman and a four-step increase to the incumbent's pay grade, a decision board members said supports planned department reorganization and future bridge-building work.

County Engineer Mike Puny presented the job description and recommended the four-step increase, saying the change fits the department's proposed management hierarchy and aligns with pay scales in the six-county region the county compares against. "We came up with four," the engineer said during the discussion, arguing the structure would help recruit and retain employees with the skills needed for new bridge-building efforts.

Board members debated whether the four-step move could create pay compression with other county employees, noting a July 1 general 3% raise that applies across staff. One supervisor said a three-step increase would be a "happy medium," while others emphasized the need to preserve a career ladder to attract skilled workers. After discussion the board moved, seconded and voted unanimously to adopt the job description and to approve the four-step increase.

The county record shows the motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The engineer said the reorganization will not change the total head count but will shift duties and may include overlap during onboarding for an assistant engineer, a step he said will promote continuity if retirements occur.

What happens next: The change is effective as the board approved it; supervisors said they expect implementation details, such as exact step placement and timing, to be handled by the engineer's office and the auditor's payroll staff.