IOWA CITY

Johnson County employees are likely to receive 4% across-the-board salary increases as a result of a salary discussion at the Board of Supervisors work session held March 15.

Most county employees were scheduled to receive 2.5% salary increases, with elected officials falling underneath that, following a lengthy discussion at a February work session that was held in advance of finalizing the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

However, a 30-day delay in county and city budgets, per state legislation, allowed for further discussion last week.

At issue was the Consumer Price Index and cost-of-living data, which has risen above 6%.

“I think 4% is responsible, from a budget standpoint for the county,” said Supervisor Jon Green, a former Lone Tree mayor.

“It gets it a little bit closer to the gap,” Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said.

The higher salary increases could cost the county another $600,000, but Dana Aschenbrenner, Director of Finance, said it could be handled in an amended budget.

“I don’t think it would be a huge financial burden, if that’s what the board wants to do,” Aschenbrenner said.

“It’s important we value our people,” Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz said. “I’m very excited and enthusiastically supporting this because I think it is the right   to do.”

County employees are also eligible for pay increases on merit, but Supervisor Rod Sullivan was among those saying the merit program should end and pay increases should instead be focused on annual cost-of-living increases for all employees.

“I would like to see us do away with it, frankly,” Sullivan said. “Keep the performance eval aspect so that everybody’s got goals, everybody’s got things that they’re working toward and an employer, a (department) supervisor, has the ability to offer suggestions to their employee. But that doesn’t have to be tied to what they’re paid.”

The FY24 salary plan for employees and a separate one for elected officials has not yet been voted on because the overall county budget has not yet been finalized and approved. The new state deadline for budget approvals is April 30.

Road Projects

Pavement construction work along a portion of 540th Street SW, stretching from east of its intersection with Highway 1 near Stringtown Grocery and going west to Hillcrest Academy and Calkins Avenue, was among the projects on a five-year roads plan approved by the Board at its formal session March 16.

The project will cost nearly $5 million over two years, including a stretch of the road from Highway 1 to Gable Avenue SW this year. The next part of the project, set for FY24, will go along 540th Street from Highway 1 to Calkins Avenue, where Hillcrest is located.

Other projects in the five-year plan include pavement rehabilitation work on 500th Street SW from Angle Road to Highway 1 in 20124, and 500th Street SW and Oak Crest Hill Road near Hills in 2027.

Board Action

The Board approved a FY24 budget of $21.668 million for Secondary Roads.

The Board approved a resolution in support of the Iowa City Community School District’s proposed expanded preschool program. Financial details will be worked out at a later date.

Next board meeting: The board will hold its next formal meeting at 9 a.m. March 23.