Linn County Compensation Board Issues FY15 Salary Recommendations for Elected Officials

The following is a news release from the county of Linn:

The Linn County Compensation Board met [Tuesday] to recommend fiscal year 2015 salaries for Linn County elected officials. The Compensation Board's recommendation was for a two percent salary increase effective July 1, 2014, and a two percent increase effective January 1, 2015, for all Linn County elected officials - the Board of Supervisors, Auditor, Recorder, Treasurer, Attorney and Sheriff. Linn County's fiscal year 2015 is July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015.

The Board of Supervisors will discuss the Compensation Board's recommendation and take action on the recommendation at a future Board of Supervisors meeting. The Board of Supervisors can accept the Compensation Board's recommendation or reduce the recommendation; they cannot increase it. The final compensation amount takes effect July 1, 2014.

County compensation boards in Iowa are governed by Iowa Code sections 331.905 and 331.907. County compensation boards meet early in the year to issue recommended compensation for elected county officials to the county Board of Supervisors so that county budgets can be certified by March 15.

In making recommendations, the Iowa Code instructs compensation boards to review the compensation paid to comparable officers in other counties of the state, other states, private enterprise and the federal government and make their recommendations based on these comparables. Iowa code then requires the Board of Supervisors to review the recommended compensation and to determine the final compensation for all elected officials.

The Compensation Board is composed of seven members who are residents of Linn County. Per Iowa Code, two members of the compensation board are appointed by the Board of Supervisors; the Auditor, County Attorney, Recorder, Sheriff and Treasurer each appoint one member for a total of seven.

Linn County elected officials are Supervisors Lu Barron, John Harris, Linda Langston, Brent Oleson and Ben Rogers; Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden; Auditor Joel Miller; Recorder Joan McCalmant; Sheriff Brian Gardner; and Treasurer Sharon Gonzalez.