Benton County board certifies FY27 deputy salaries; assistant county attorney set at $136,869.20

The Benton County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution #26-56 on June 23 certifying FY27 salaries for deputies and assistants in county offices, a certification required by Iowa Code 331.904. The motion to adopt the resolution passed with Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye; Bruce Volz moved and Ronald J. Tippett seconded.

The resolution lists named positions and pay. The county attorney’s office set Assistant County Attorney Alisha Stach-Lorang’s salary at $136,869.20. The sheriff’s office salary listings include Chief Deputy Josh Karsten at 85% of the principal officer, Second Deputy Kyle Lynch at 80%, Jail Administrator Russell Denison at 55% of the principal officer, Communications Supervisor Dawn Markland at $75,498.18 and Law Enforcement Liaison Shelby Chekal at $74,160. The auditor, recorder and treasurer deputies are enumerated as percentages of their principal officers (for example, Gina Edler at 85% in the auditor’s office; Marla Sutton at 85% in the recorder’s office; Rose Sackett at 85% in the treasurer’s office). Office Administrator Sarah Ries is listed at $70,000.

The resolution states the listed base salaries will not exceed limitations specified by Iowa law and that principal officers have certified the deputy and assistant salaries to the board. Several deputies were recorded by percentage of the principal officer rather than an explicit dollar amount; the transcript does not provide the principal officers’ base salaries for conversion of those percentages into exact dollars.

The certification document was signed by Chairman Tracy Seeman, Ronald J. Tippett and Bruce Volz and attested by Benton County Auditor Hayley Rippel. The board’s action completes the statutory step of certifying deputy and assistant pay for FY27; the transcript does not record further discussion about changes to individual base salaries beyond those listed.