County sets 2.8% raises for next physical year, OKs new sheriff office wage scale

Salaries and hourly wages for Adair County employees are set for the upcoming fiscal year following action by the Adair County Board of Supervisors at its meeting last Wednesday.

Supervisors approved a blanket 2.8% increase for all elected officials and both hourly and salaried employees, along with a $2,500 adjustment for the county attorney.

The county attorney adjustment was recommended by the county compensation board, which met in late 2025. The compensation board initially recommended a 4% increase for elected officials and county employees.

“I think the board was going off the cost of living because the cost of living increase was 2.8%,” County Auditor Mandy Berg said. “It was originally motioned at 2.5%, but the 2.8% was for cost of living, and some of the supervisors were worried that if we did 2.5%, we’d get behind again with cost of living.”

Approval of the wage increases signals the county’s budget process is nearing its conclusion. Supervisors began hearing budget requests and annual updates from outside organizations the county helps fund in early January, followed by presentations from county department heads.

Aside from wages, Berg said budget requests were largely consistent with previous years with no outliners of organizations of departments asking for help funding anything unusually large.

The county initially budgeted for a 4% increase to align with the compensation board’s recommendation.

“We originally budgeted for 4%, which is just because that’s what the comp board recommended,” Berg said. “Everybody’s budget was about the same except for salaries and benefits.”

From here, supervisors will continue working with Berg to adjust figures and finalize a balanced budget, a process she hopes to complete by the end of the month.

Final property tax levies must be submitted to the Iowa Department of Management by March 5, after which a mailing will be sent to county taxpayers. Two public hearings will follow — one on the maximum levy and one on the full budget. The final deadline to certify the county budget is April 30.

Sheriff dispatcher and jailer pay increases

Sheriff Jeff Vandewater also presented final numbers for approval representing a new step-increase pay scale for dispatchers and jailers, which will take effect this month.

The sheriff’s office has faced challenges in recent years filling those positions, and Vandewater said additional openings are anticipated.

Under the new scale, starting pay for dispatchers and jailers will be $25 per hour, with gradual increases reaching $29.50 per hour after 10 years of service. The starting wage for a civil clerk will now be $34 per hour. Other action

In other business, the supervisors:

• Approved the OSHA 300A report.• Approved a resolution for a paving project and a bridge project along Sheldon Avenue in Section 18 of Harrison Township.