Winneshiek County elected officials might be getting 6 percent pay raises

Winneshiek County's elected officials--the County Recorder, County Auditor, County Attorney, County Treasurer, County Sheriff and County Supervisors--could be getting 6 percent pay raises starting next July.

The Winneshiek County Compensation Board made that recommendation Thursday evening, based on a comparative compensation plan created by HR consultant Paul Grufe.  Grufe concluded county officials in Winneshiek County were paid significantly less than comparable officials in similar Iowa counties.  As a result, he recommendation 6 percent pay raises in each of a three-year period.  2016 would be the final year of that three-year period.

Two members of the Compensation Board--Ron Stoskopf and Vic Pinkney--at first recommended 4 percent pay raises for most county elected officials, but 6 percent pay raises for the County Attorney and County Sheriff.  However, they were the only board members in favor of that plan.

Board members Mike Haluska, Jim Burns, Al Ettledorf and NIna Taylor instead voted in favor of the 6 percent across-the-board raise.

The recommendation will be voted on next March, when the Winneshiek County Board votes on the 2016-2017 county budget.