Compensation Board recommends three-percent salary increase to Supervisors for elected County officials

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Monday, January 31, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors received the recommendation of the Compensation Board, which is tasked with making a yearly recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding salary increases for elected County officials. The Compensation Board recommended a three-percent salary increase for all elected officials.
Compensation Board Vice Chairman Mary Kay Winke said that factors considered in the recommendation included employee morale (as no raise was received last year), the County’s good financial standing, the efficiency of County offices (functioning with fewer employees than other counties of similar size), and closing the gap in salaries with other counties of similar size (Allamakee County ranks approximately 50th in size among 99 Iowa counties, and approximately 80th in salaries).
For the benefit of newly-elected Supervisors Larry Schellhammer and Sherry Hartong, Chairman Cloy Kuhse explained that the Board has the option of increasing salaries at a lesser rate than what the Compensation Board had recommended, but not more, and that the Board also has the option of approving a smaller increase for Supervisors’ salaries than what other elected officials receive. The Board voted to place the Compensation Board’s recommendation on file, to be considered as the County’s budget is finalized in the coming weeks.
Postville Mayor Leigh Rekow asked the Board about appointments to the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission, noting that he has been attending meetings even though, to his knowledge, he was never formally appointed by the Board of Supervisors. He asked the Board to review past minutes to determine if he has legitimate membership on the Commission, and if he does not, he asked the Board to appoint newly-elected Postville Councilman Jason Meyer to the Commission. Chairman Kuhse asked Rekow if the City of Postville and Meyer are parties to a lawsuit against the Commission, and Rekow explained that the suit only seeks to compel the Commission to comply with Iowa’s open meetings laws. County Auditor Pam Benjegerdes said that she would review past minutes to determine Rekow’s standing on the Commission.

INSURANCE MATTERS
The Board met with Jane Regan of EMC Insurance, who presented the Board with a bill for the renewal of the County’s workers’ compensation, property, general liability and auto policies - a total annual premium of $184,521.00. Supervisor Kuhse pointed out that the Board had heard a presentation regarding the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool and that Jim Bieber of Bieber Insurance (also representing EMC Insurance) had asked to make a presentation to the Board. Regan said that the premium is due March 1 and that it typically takes the Auditor’s Office 30 to 45 days to process the bill. Supervisor Hartong said that unless the Board had made some formal request for other proposals, she saw no need to delay approving this year’s policy renewal. The other Board members agreed, voting unanimously to renew the policy as presented.
Regan also presented the Board with a $19,222 dividend check from the County’s workers’ compensation policy. She noted that in preparing an employee health insurance policy for Wellmark, she learned that 30 County employees (approximately a third of the total pool) suffer from either high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and that the County might consider using the dividend to institute a wellness program for its employees, which may result in lower health insurance premiums.

OTHER BUSINESS
The Board also met with Paul Berland of Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development, and he asked the Board to consider continuing its annual $1,500 contribution to the Upper Iowa River Watershed Project, which conducts water quality testing along the Upper Iowa River. Berland said that the testing provides a basis for state and federal funding requests to improve water quality and improve the efficiency of livestock operations by improving manure containment. He added that water quality has been greatly improved since testing began in 2004, citing a 50% reduction in nitrates as an example. The Board agreed to consider the request as it works to finalize the County’s budget.
In other business, the Board met with County Engineer Brian Ridenour, who formally presented bids for the grading portion of the Bear Creek Drive paving project. JB Holland Construction of Decorah presented the low bid of $1,894,9889.30, which the Board voted unanimously to accept.
Ridenour also informed the Board that the Health Insurance Committee has not yet received all of the proposals it requested for employee health insurance coverage. The Committee will present its recommendation to the Board once all the proposals have been received.