Supervisors Approve Two Percent Increase for County-Elected Officials
Mark Groenendyk is sworn into office by Judge Rose Anne Mefford on Tuesday morning, January 3rd, 2017.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – “I, Mark Groenendyk, do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Iowa, and that I will faithfully and impartially, to the best of my ability, discharge all of the duties of the office of Supervisor in Mahaska County as now or hereafter required by law.”
With those words, the changing of the guard was complete, and Mahaska County had its newest county supervisor. Mark Groenendyk was formally sworn into office Tuesday morning, after winning a four-way June GOP primary in 2016, and running unopposed in the November general election. Groenendyk replaces Mike Vander Molen, who retired from office after one term. Also sworn into office Monday was Russ VanRenterghem, who ran unopposed for sheriff in the November election, after winning a four-way GOP primary in June. VanRenterghem replaced Paul DeGeest, who retired from office after serving three terms. Current auditor Sue Brown was also sworn into a second term.
The most controversial item for the new board’s discussion was a recommendation from the compensation commission to increase salaries of Mahaska County’s elected officials by four percent. The salary increase would apply to the supervisors, auditor, sheriff, recorder, and treasurer. At the onset of the discussion, Supervisor Willie Van Weelden made a motion to modify the recommendation to a two percent increase.
“I just think two [percent] is fair,” Van Weelden said.
Supervisor Mark Groenendyk made a motion to modify the recommendation to a one percent increase. Groenendyke stated that he supported one percent, because few area employers, particularly manufacturing businesses, gave their employers Christmas bonuses or salary increases.
“I talked to a lot of people out in the private sector in businesses, and they I guess, haven’t gotten a raise this year,” Groenedyk said.
Groenendyk’s motion ultimately failed for lack of a second.
Board chairman Mark Doland stated that in the past, the board has typically modified the compensation commission recommendation to allow for a basic cost of living increase for the elected officials. After brief further discussion, the board voted 2-1, with Groenendyk voting no, to approve a two percent increase in salary for elected officials.
Much of Tuesday’s meeting dealt with yearly formalities. Mark Doland and Willie Van Weelden were unanimously elected chairman and vice chairman. Van Weelden had served as chairman for 2016. The board also unanimously approved a variety of internal organization appointments, which were merely formalities. Also unanimously approved was the naming of MidWestone Bank, TruBank, Bank Iowa, US Bank, and Leighton State Bank as the county’s official depositories. The board also voted unanimously to name The Sun and The Oskaloosa Herald as the county’s legal publications.
A series of board/commission appointments were also made. Dave Dixon and Greg Gordy were reappointed to the Board of Health for three-year terms; Ken Van Gilst was reappointed to the Civil Service Commission for a six-year term; while Charles Van Toorn was appointed for a two-year term; and James Seudner, President of Bank Iowa in Oskaloosa, was appointed to the compensation commission in the auctioneer-banker-farm manager category.
In other action, the board unanimously:
· Approved the weed commissioner’s report.
· Removed Leslie Miller and Eric Dickinson from the Sheriff’s office payroll. Both have accepted new jobs, and will be leaving their positions as jailers.
· Approved a resolution, and waived further readings, establishing a Local Option Sales and Services tax.
The next regular meeting of the Mahaska County Supervisors will be on January 16 at 9 a.m. in the Supervisors’ meeting room.
