The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will discuss, but are not expected to act on, procedures for taxpayer protests of assessments made by the County Assessor’s Office. The discussion is with regard to the Cass County Board of Review, a 5-member Board that reviews all assessments, and is appointed by the Conference Board. The meeting takes place in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the courthouse, beginning at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.

The Supervisors will also act on passing a Resolution waiving the right to appeal an Iowa DNR construction issuance permit for Southwest Iowa Egg. They’ll also act on approving plans for bridge replacement projects, one on Yankton Road, the other on 740th Street.

And, the Supervisors will act on approving a FY 2017 Bargaining Unit agreement for Sheriff’s Deputies, Jailers and Sheriff’s Office Assistants.

Employers in Iowa are scrambling for more information on a new federal rule change on overtime pay. The U-S Department of Labor has raised the threshold on who’s eligible from around 23-thousand to more than 47-thousand dollars a year. Rob Green, executive director of the National Council of Chain Restaurants, expects a lot of legal challenges in Iowa and elsewhere. “We’re going to fight this,” Green say. “The regulation was just issued and we’re going to be going to lawmakers in Congress and telling the story of how it impacts Millennials. It impacts non-profit organizations, it impacts retail establishments, it impacts universities.”

Green says employers in Iowa are looking at ways to manage the new ruling, like limiting hours or raising salaries to just over the threshold. He says others workers could see pay cuts to offset the mandatory overtime. Green says, “If you’re working 50 hours as a manager, your employers can basically say, ‘Can’t afford that overtime, we’re going to bump you down to 40,’ and you’re going to be off the clock and it’s going to affect customer service.” Green calls the rule change a disaster.

He says, “What does that do for flexibility in the workplace, for career advancement, for an opportunity to move up the career ladder and to really get the experience you need to survive in this 21st century economy?” Under the change, the threshold was raised from $23,660 a year to $47,476. Starting December 1st, employees who earn that amount or less will be eligible for time-and-a-half pay for more than 40 hours a week.

(Radio Iowa)