(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday evening and held a public hearing on the proposed & published FY 2023-24 Budget. There were no written comments, but Pastor Ray Simmons from the Ascension Reformed Church, in Red Oak, appeared before the Board.

He explained the “Philosophy and the Theology of Taxation,” without which, he said “We’re simply trying to match budget requests and available dollars.” The combined taxation for roads, etc., “Should not exceed 10%, because that’s all that God asks.” He said also, “We don’t want  to keep taxes low just to be greedy, so we can keep more of our own money. We want to keep taxes low so that we can have freedom, and so that we can help those in need.” He concluded by saying property tax is ‘Unbiblical.” He also prayed the the divine spirit give the Board “Wisdom.”

The budget — in effect from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 – calls for a tax rate of $8.14979/$1,000 taxable valuation for Urban Areas, and $12.72979/$1,000 taxable valuation, for Rural Areas. It was unanimously approved a following the hearing.

Montgomery County BOS mtg, 4/18/2023

The Board also acted on Compensation Board recommendations calling for 12-percent salary increases for the Auditor, Attorney, Recorder, Treasurer and Supervisors. They recommended a 15-percent increase for the Sheriff. The Supervisors reduced by half, most of the recommendations, leaving increases amounting to 6-percent for the Auditor, Attorney, Recorder,  and Treasurer, 7.5% for the Sheriff, and 4.8 % for the Supervisors.

Approved salaries effective July 1, 2023 are as follows:

Auditor- $67,478

Attorney- $66,842

Recorder- $66,842

Sheriff- $93,435

Supervisors- $28,236

Treasurer- $66,842

Board Vice-Chair Donna Robinson said during their budget discussions, they looked at many different options, “to the point of, it was brought up, the possibility this Board taking NO increase, and the next day we came back and we said ‘we felt like that was making a statement. It’s not that much of a cost savings, and we keep this as low as it is, as time goes on, there’s going to be very few people who want to run for this office.” Therefore they determined 4.8% was appropriate because of the amount of time they spend in service to the County.

County Engineer Karen Albert reported Jerico Services will not be providing dust control this year, but they hope to be back next year.

In other business, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors: set the mileage reimbursement rate for County Employees at 60.5-cents per mile; They passed Resolutions for the Opiod Settlement Assignment, with a Memorandum of Understanding the settlement funds be directed to Zion Recovery Services, Inc.; and they passed a Resolution with regard to the Destruction of Noxious Weeds. In addition, the Board approved additional heavy gauge Cato’ cable that’s needed for the approved ARPA funding network, in the amount of $1,500.