Vander Molen Asks Supervisors To Explore Administrator Position
Mahaska County Board of Supervisors talked on Monday about what the future of a county administrator may look like.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – For Mahaska County Supervisors, the half-pay position can be filled with many tasks and meetings. For Supervisor Mike Vander Molen, a question of needing to hire a county administrator and reduce the pay and benefits of the supervisors was not a new question.
The question about having a county administrator isn’t a new one. Having an administrator would allow part-time citizens to run for and hold an office that has historically been held by self-employed or retired individuals, because of the hours of work required. The idea would be to have the county supervisors run more similarly to how city council governments are.
Vander Molen said that people that work 9-to-5 jobs don’t have an opportunity to run, which limited the “best and brightest” from considering the position. “I’ve had some discussion with people in the community and they think it’s a pretty good idea.”
Supervisor Mark Doland disagrees. He says that he has talked with a couple who have supported it, “but many that don’t.” “I think that the citizen representation that we have, our current system, works. It’s worked for many, many years.” Doland believes it allows those elected to be more attentive to the constituent needs and is diluted when an administrator is brought in. “I don’t see a huge benefit to that.”
Doland believes that it would just create another job with more money out of the budget, but Vander Molen disagrees. Vander Molen believes that once the pay for supervisors is cut, and their benefits are removed, those savings would pay for the full-time administrator job.
“I don’t know where I stand,” said Supervisor Willie Van Weelden. He asked Vander Molen if the preference would be to run it much like a city, with the supervisors drawing a little pay from meeting attendance. Vander Molen said he believes that would be the preference.
“If we had a county administrator, I don’t think we need to pay each of us half-time status,” said Vander Molen. “I don’t think we should be paid half-time status anyway. I also don’t think we should get health insurance.”
“I think this county would be better suited when regular people can actually serve this role,” added Vander Molen.
Van Weelden said he would like a little time to talk with some people on the subject before making up his mind.
In a 2012 interview with Oskaloosa News, Van Weelden said, “That really has been discussed a lot with, not necessarily here but, the other boards. You see how some boards went to five.”
During that same interview, Van Weelden said the costs would need to be looked at, and “It probably would cut the politics out of it a little more, even though there should not be politics at the local level.”
The five member board is something that Vander Molen also said would potentially better serve the residents of the county.
Also discussed was the Employee Assistance Program. It would be enacted as a supplement to Mahaska County Employees to provide mental health assistance. The plan will be looked at being implemented during the upcoming budget planning at the beginning of the year.
Marquetta Huffman was appointed as the Mental Health Advocate. Her appointment to the position used to be from the Chief Judge in the district, but with new legislation that appointment is now the responsibility of the county supervisors. Huffman works with inpatient or outpatient court commitment for 10 counties. Her salary is paid by those 10 counties based upon a percentage of population.
Supervisors approved the Cordova bridge project. The bridge is located on Cordova, just north of 170th. Iowa Bridge was awarded the contract.
Supervisors set the public hearing for the development agreement with The Welders Shield LLC and Co-Line Welding, Inc. The agreement had been tabled until a later date to allow the funding process with the USDA to reach completion before the hearing and agreement were addressed. The agreement is part of the NW Urban Renewal Plan, establishing the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) area for the northwest portion of Mahaska County.
The hearing is set for September 8th, which is the Tuesday following Labor Day.
No updates were made in regards to the mental health region the county is in, or a future region the county may be a part of.
The scheduled hearing is set for Friday, August 21st before the administrative judge. It’s unknown how long it will be before a ruling is handed down from that hearing.
