(Pottawattamie Co.) The Pottawattamie County Supervisors will once again handle the duties of the county’s Compensation Board after a motion to reinstate the board failed on a three-to-two vote.
On July 1, 2024, the state passed a law allowing county supervisors to decide whether to keep Compensation Boards in place or take on those duties themselves.
Pottawattamie County Supervisor Susan Miller said the board held four study sessions in 2024 to learn how to determine appropriate salaries for elected officials.
There were several elected officials in the room. Supervisor Miller asked them whether, if the Supervisors were to put the Compensation Board back in place, they would be okay with that, or if they would prefer the Supervisors continue handling those duties.
Some elected officials took issue with the “show your work” requirement, saying it appeared the Board of Supervisors had already decided on a raise amount and then worked backward to justify it. They said by State Code the Compensation Board’s role is to independently evaluate each elected position and determine fair compensation based on the responsibilities of the office and salaries of comparable elected officials in the area and across Iowa.
Supervisor Jeff Jorgensen responded…
Supervisor Tim Wichman…
In the end, Supervisor Susan Miller made a motion to reinstate the Compensation Board. The motion failed on a three-to-two vote. Supervisors Tim Wichman, Brian Shea, and Keith Jones voted no, while Susan Miller and Jeff Jorgensen voted yes.
Therefore, the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors will resume the role of the Compensation Board.
