Supervisors Approve Budget Amendement For Fiscal Year 2024

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met in a regular session on Monday, August 7th, 2023.

A public hearing for a fiscal year 2024 budget amendment was on their agenda.

The extensive discussion surrounded the Mahaska County Auditors Office for additional money for training, mileage, registrations, and meals for that training.

Mahaska County Auditor Teri Rogers said the funds are needed to help train staff in her office since many of those staff members are new, including Rogers.

Mahaska County Supervisor Chuck Webb asked Rogers where the money for the additional training would come from.

“Well, it was my understanding that the previous auditor was gonna put money in our budget for training the new staff, but that did not happen,” said Rogers. “So I’m simply asking for money to make up the gap.”

“No, I think we did put extra money in there for training and stuff,” said Mahaska County Supervisors Board Chair Mark Groenendyk, who said funds had already been previously allocated.

Rogers said that $6700 would be spent primarily on her for a mentor auditor and would also help cover the cost of hiring a retired auditor to train staff on real estate.

“If the board sees fit, not to give, you know, give me all of it [money], at least I need some, a little bit more of what I have in there. So it’s up to you guys [Supervisors] to decide, explained Rogers. “But that’s my proposal. And I definitely want to have well-trained staff because if I can’t train them, well, they might not stay if they’re gonna get frustrated with what they’re trying to learn to do without much support and in the training.”

“Sounds like you’ve got enough to cover you,” said Webb to Rogers.

Rogers said she has been reaching out to other counties for help in the learning process, and Webb said he expects Rogers to continue doing that into the future.

Mahaska County Supervisors Steve Wanders said, “I just hope people stay this go around.”

“I know this office is struggling,” said Groenendyk of the Auditor’s Office, suggesting that other departments and their new staff figure out the software. “It’s just we keep turning over people.”

Rogers said she’s aware of the situation going on in the Auditor’s office. “Four new people in a four-person office. We’re starting at square one with a lot of people that need a lot of training.”

The most significant number came from the county IT, with $194,000 for servers that had slipped past the budgeting process earlier this year.

The budget amendment was $8,500 for the Auditor’s Office for additional training, $194,000 for servers, and other funding for the County Attorney’s Office for communications with law enforcement.

The amendment passed unanimously.