Linn supervisors split on pay-raise recommendations

Linn County supervisors expect to cut in half recommended salary increases for elected officials, a move at least one supervisor thinks isn't enough.

“They don't have to give a six-and-a-half percent raise for the sheriff,” said Brent Oleson, R-Marion.

On Jan. 10, the county's compensation board recommended $10,000 increase on top of 4-percent salary raises for Sheriff Brian Gardner and County Attorney Jerry VanderSanden and flat 4.5-percent pay hikes for other elected officials and their top staff. Compensation board members, appointed by the elected officials, reasoned the sheriff and attorney were due the additional $10,000 to bring their salaries into line with those of comparable government officials and private employment.

The three Democratic supervisors say they'll vote to halve the compensation board's overall recommendation, giving Gardner a raise of about 6.35 percent and VanderSanden 5.5 percent.

Gardner's salary for the year starting July 1 would go from its present $114,507 to $121,797. VanderSanden, who'd requested a 4-percent raise, will see a 5.5-percent hike to $147,834.

The adjustment would raise the county's total salary costs by $119,954. Supervisors will see raises of $1,636, to $74,362.

Democratic supervisors say their flexibility is limited by Assistant County Attorney Gary Jarvis's advice that any adjustment must apply to the compensation board's entire recommendation – the additional $10,000 adjustments can't be considered separately.

Oleson, who's “fundamentally against” the cash award, disagrees with that interpretation.

“I've talked to other attorneys and there's no case to show that's true,” said Oleson, himself an attorney. He argued the compensation board made its recommendation in two actions the supervisors can address seperately.

“There was a diff of opinion between Brent and the county attorney about what we could do,” said Langston, “The county attorney's opinion was whatever we did we had to do equally across the board.”

“I'm comfortable with that and I think it makes the most sense,” said Supervisor Lu Barron, D-Cedar Rapids. “Gary works for the board. I do argue with him occasionally and I do think that he's right in this matter and we (supervisors) can agree to disagree.”

“For me personally, the 4.5-percent recommendation is too high and not in line with what is happening in the private and other public sectors,” said Supervisor Ben Rogers, D-Cedar Rapids. He said Jarvis's interpretation prohibits supervisors from addressing the cash and the raises separately.

Supervisor John Harris, R-Palo, said the raises themselves “are close to what we might approve but the $10,000 bump for the sheriff and the county attorney are excessive. That's quite a large sum of money even if it's cut in half.”

Gardner did't make a salary request but submitted salary information for comparably-sized law enforcement agencies in the state. As head of the second-largest sheriff's office he's the second-highest-paid sheriff, but he also noted his is the sixth-largest agency in the state and his salary ranks 16th among similar state agencies.

“It wasn't like I went in there banging on the table demanding more money,” said Gardner.  “I'd be foolish to say a 6.35-percent increase isn't substantial. It obviously is.”

“I understand the compensation board is trying to make those jobs competitive with the private sector, but I'd also like to believe that the people who run for and are elected to those kind of jobs understand there's more than compensation,” said Harris. “They understand and make the decision that there's service to the public.”

LinnSalary recs fy13@50%