(Red Oak) On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors approved the county’s elected officials’ compensation effective July 1, 2024, and later approved the Fiscal year 2025 budget.
The compensation board met on December 6, 2023, and presented its pay recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. By a 3-2 vote, the supervisors approved the wage increase minus 15 percent of the compensation board’s recommendations. The Auditor’s salary was raised to $77,678, the County Attorney’s at $88,092, the Recorder’s at $72,792.00, the Sheriff’s at $118,935, the Supervisors’ at $31,636, and the Treasurer’s at $72,792.00, along with a pay increase for the supervisors minus 15 percent of what the compensation board initially recommended. Randy Cooper, District #3 Supervisor, and District #4 Supervisor Mark Peterson cast the two no-votes. “I feel the raises are excessive, considering today’s economic climate,” stated Peterson.
Randy Cooper stated, “I voted no on the Compensation Board’s salary recommendations because I feel the raises were excessive and would burden our budget and taxpayers.”
Meanwhile, the supervisors held a public hearing on the budget, and there were no comments from the public for or against it. The Supervisors passed the budget by a 5-0 vote. Supervisor Donna Robinson says forming this year’s budget was difficult.
When dissecting the property valuations. The 2023 rural land valuations totaled $489-million-706-thousand, fifty-five dollars, compared to $431-million-961-thousand-234-dollars in 2022. The 2023 urban valuation totaled 243-million-514-thousand-269 dollars, compared to $210-million, 264-thousand-858 dollars in 2022.
According to The Iowa Department of Revenue – Assessment Limitation Order for Montgomery County – The percentage of Actual residential value decreased to 46.3428% (from 54.6501 %). Agricultural decreased to 71.8370% (from 91.6430 %), Commercial & Industrial roll back 90% (that exceeds $150,000), and multi-residential decreased to 46.3428% (from 54.6501 %) Not to exceed $150,000). The Iowa Department of Revenue sets the rollbacks; local governments set rates to generate the desired levy.
