Linn County unlikely to reinstate compensation board

CEDAR RAPIDS — Linn County's three elected supervisors indicated Wednesday they will not recreate a compensation board to help guide annual wage discussions for elected county officials and their employees.

State lawmakers this year dissolved compensation boards in all counties but gave county leaders the option to reinstate them.

The boards have historically compared county wages to those of other counties, agencies and private-sector jobs and made recommendations to boards of supervisors, which had the ultimate say on wage increases, with some restrictions.

Linn's supervisors said Wednesday during their regularly scheduled meeting that the compensation board's recommendations have been problematic because they don't fully take into account what the county can afford.

In January when the compensation board convened to discuss salary recommendations, Supervisor Chairperson Kirsten Running-Marquardt asked the board to limit its increase recommendations because "this year happens to be a tough year," according to a recording of that meeting.

Running-Marquardt said recent changes to state law would limit the county's property tax revenues, and that "even with 3 percent raises we will have to make significant cuts."

One of the seven compensation board members, who was difficult to identify because he was off camera during the exchange, questioned whether "cuts" was the appropriate term because the county's budget still was set to increase slightly.

He snarkily ended his questioning with: "Thank you for presenting. It's very, very vague. I hope we can be more specific when we come up with recommendations than what we've heard (from you)."

The compensation board recommended pay increases of between 10 and 12 percent. The supervisors chose raises of between 4 and 5 percent.

"I have, for (all of) my career, wanted the comp board structure to change," Supervisor Ben Rogers, who was first elected in 2008, said Wednesday. "I've wanted the board to be able, as elected officials, to make decisions based on the budget."

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks advised the supervisors to reinstate the compensation board to ensure the process to determine raises is thorough and that the pay is adequate.

"In my opinion, I'm not sure why you'd want to saddle yourself with that duty," Maybanks said.

But all three supervisors lamented that past recommendations have been incompatible with their budget targets.

"The comp board did not take our budget into consideration at all, and that's, to me, the biggest reason not to have one," Supervisor Louis Zumbach said.

The supervisors did not take a vote on the issue Wednesday and don't need to if they intend to operate without a compensation board.

Comments: (319) 368-8541; jared.strong@thegazette.com