County Board is mulling its options for a new flood plain manager

Winneshiek County supervisors want to hire someone whose job it would be to handle flood plain zoning issues, but they're keeping their options open after a meeting Monday morning with County Planning & Zoning Administrator Tony Phillips.

Supervisors have had discussions about having Phillips do the job and have set aside a budget of $13,500 for the position.  But Phillips on Monday told supervisors that if he were hired for the job in addition to his current duties, he would want any pay increase to be permanent.

Supervisor Bill Ibanez is reluctant to make that commitment.  "We don't know what it's going to entail...that's why we're hesitant to make it a permanent position," he told Phillips.  County Board Chairman Les Askelson agreed, noting, "We're heading into an unknown."

Phillips said he would only take the job for a permanent pay raise.  Several supervisors said they wanted to continue their discussions with Upper Exploreland Regional Planning Commission representatives about contracting with the organization to do the work in the first year.  Supervisors agreed to postpone any decision for at least another week.