Supervisors in Linn, Johnson counties certify budgets, approve pay increases

Supervisors in Linn and Johnson counties have certified next fiscal year's budgets, which come in at $107 million and $120 million, respectively.

With the Linn County Board of Supervisors' approval Tuesday of the county's fiscal year 2017 budget, the board also approved a 3 percent pay increase for supervisors and the county auditor, recorder and treasurer. A 3.5 percent increase was approved for the county sheriff and attorney.

To put that into perspective, Supervisor Brent Oleson noted the county's $6.14 levy rate for the coming year, which is unchanged from this year and second lowest among other comparable Iowa counties. Johnson County's levy is $6.77 and Polk County's is $7.31, according to county data.

'This is again another year of static, hold-the-line budget,” Oleson said. 'It's a good budget.”

In the $107 million budget, pay for elected officials amounts to roughly $1.15 million. The approved pay increases account for about $30,000 of that.

'I just wanted to put it in that context,” Oleson said.

Also on Tuesday, Johnson County's Board of Supervisors approved their $120 million budget for next fiscal year. With that budget, the levy will drop from $6.9 to $6.7.

'In the end, I think this was a really responsible budget,” Supervisor Janelle Rettig said.

Johnson County's budget also comes with a 4.5 percent increase, plus $2,500 more per year, for all county elected officials. The board approved an additional 1.5 percent increase for the Board of Supervisors.

Johnson County supervisors currently earn about $60,000 a year. But last year, the board began a five-year process to increase supervisors' pay to be 75 percent of the county auditor, recorder and treasurer salaries. If approved for the next four years, supervisors will earn more than $70,000 annually by 2020.

The new salaries for all officials will take effect July 1.

Earlier this month, Linn County Auditor Joel Miller requested the board not approve a 3 percent raise for his position. Miller argued the county's elected officials, who earn a little more than $103,000, did not need a raise.

The Linn supervisors made headlines last year when they approved - with a 3-2 vote, with Supervisors Brent Oleson and Ben Rogers opposed - a 2 percent increase that put their salaries above the six figure mark.

Recommended pay increases for supervisors and other elected county officials are provided to the board on an annual basis by a compensation board.

Linn County's seven-member compensation board comprises of two members appointed by the board and one each appointed by the county attorney, auditor, recorder, sheriff and treasurer.

Pay rates for elected officials cannot increase beyond the recommendation. They can only be accepted, reduced or rejected by the board.