Cerro Gordo supervisors approve pay raises for elected officials, but once again turn down a salary hike

MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors this morning approved the recommendation by the county’s Compensation Board that the county’s elected officials get a two-and-three quarters percent pay raise in the next fiscal year that starts in July, with the supervisors turning down the recommended pay raise for themselves.

The supervisors had the choice of accepting the Compensation Board’s recommendations or approving a lower percentage of a raise for the county positions of sheriff, attorney, treasurer, auditor as well as themselves. Iowa law prohibits the supervisors approving anything higher than the board’s recommendation.

Chris Watts was the only supervisor to comment about not accepting a pay raise.  “My only comment I guess would be my promise to the voters when I first ran, and this is four years in a row that the County Supervisors have taken this action.”

With the pay raises being approved starting on July 1st, Sheriff Kevin Pals will annually make $109,031; County Attorney Carlyle Dalen’s salary will be $130,253; while County Treasurer Patricia Wright, County Recorder Colleen Pearce and County Auditor Adam Wedmore’s salary will increase to $80, 263.