County approves FY25 budget, elected officials’ salaries
County approves FY25 budget, elected officials’ salaries
Board of Supervisors
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     The Jones County Board of Supervisors took final action during their April 23 meeting to approve the county’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

   First on the agenda was establishing the elected officials’ salaries. That vote passed 3-1, with Supervisor John Schlarmann opposed. (Supervisor Ned Rohwedder was absent.)

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   “I thought we should be a little lower on salaries with what we’ve been dealt,” commented Schlarmann on the reasoning for his “nay” vote. “I do have faith in all our employees; I’m just worried about what’s coming these next few years with trying to get our budget down. That’s where I’m at.”

   In December, the Jones County Compensation Board recommended a 7 percent pay increase for all elected officials (attorney, sheriff auditor, treasurer, recorder, and supervisors).

   The board of supervisors reduced those to 4.75 percent for the attorney, sheriff auditor, treasurer, and recorder; and 2 percent for themselves.

   The approved salaries will include:

   • $133,881.50 for attorney

   • $137,388.17 for sheriff

   • $84,966.39 for auditor

   • $83,382.33 for treasurer

   • $80,429.76 for recorder

   • $34,552.66 for supervisors

   The board also approved the Fy25 county budget.

   County Auditor Whitney Hein outlined the county’s expenditures and revenues going into a new fiscal year.

   Expenditures are $23,986,469. Those are broken down as follows:

   • Wages and Benefits, 42 percent

   • Services, 26 percent

   • Supplies, 16 percent

   • Roadway Construction, 7 percent

   • Equipment, Buildings, Land, 7 percent

   • Conservation and Trail Projects, 2 percent

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   • Medical Services, 0 percent

   • Debt Services and Misc., 0 percent

   Revenues are $20,586,994. Those are broken down as follows:

   • Property and Utility Taxes, 52 percent

   • Intergovernmental, 32 percent

   • Other Taxes, 7 percent

   • Charges for Services, 4 percent

   • Use of Money and Property, 2 percent

   • Misc., 2 percent

   • Delinquent Taxes, Penalties and Interest; Licenses and Permits; Proceeds of Long-term Debt; and Proceeds of Fixed Asset Sales, all 0 percent

   “Revenues are less than our proposed expenditures,” noted Hein. “But there are things like ARPA funds that are in this budget to be spent that we’ve had for a whole. It’s not necessarily a current year revenue, but it’s in the bank and we’re proposing to spend it. That would be why our expenditures are more than our revenues.”

   When the county reports its expenditures to the state, it’s done so by function. Some of the major functions include:

   • Roads and Transportation, 34 percent

   • Public Safety and legal Services, 22 percent

   • Administration, 20 percent

   • County Environment and Education, 7 percent

   • Physical Health and Social Services, 5 percent

   • Government Services to Residents, 4 percent

   The FY25 budget shows a countywide tax levy of $8,528,777 against a $1,298,791,946 valuation, which produces a rate of $6.56670 per $1,000 of valuation. The budget shows a rural tax levy of $2,874,384 against a $931,783,371 valuation, which produces a rate of $3.08482 per $1,000 of valuation.

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