Cerro Gordo supervisors to decide on Compensation Board recommendations next week

MASON CITY — It appears that the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors will soon approve the recommendation of the county’s Compensation Board that the county’s elected officials receive a 6% pay increase as part of the next fiscal year budget starting July 1st.

The seven member board consisting of two members appointed by the supervisors with one member representing each of the other elected officials meets each December to make salary recommendations to the supervisors as part of the budget process.

Supervisors chairman Casey Callanan says he’s planning to support the compensation board recommendation. “I know that I have always supported the Compensation Board recommendation, and I think in large part my opinion is that we have representatives that we nominate to hash out that discussion with theirs. Very much so with other boards that we nominate for Planning & Zoning, for Board of Adjustment, I tend to try to support them because they are our representatives.”

Callanan says minus last year when the supervisors had to deal with legislation raising the salary of the sheriff after the legislature passed the “Back the Blue” legislation, the supervisors in recent history have always supported the recommendations.  “To an extent, I don’t think we should have the folks on there if we are not going to support them. Does that mean always? No, last year we didn’t. I wouldn’t say it’s a carte blanche every time, but on this particular one I’m going to support the Compensation Board’s recommendation with us not increasing ours.”

The supervisors for the last six fiscal years have frozen their own pay while accepting most of the Compensation Board’s recommendations.

The supervisors are tentatively scheduled to address the pay raises at their meeting next week.