Ask The Answer Person: What are the county supervisors' duties, time commitment, and compensation?

(Jane asked The Answer Person about county supervisors' duties, time commitment, and compensation) The Answer Person says: "According to the Winneshiek County Auditor's office, the current salary for the county supervisors is $37,315 per year. The chair earns an additional $958 per year. The benefits include FICA, IPERS, and insurance. The supervisor role is labeled as a part-time position, but no information on the exact time commitment required is found. Iowa Code Chapter 331 states that a county supervisor's duty is to 'protect and preserve the rights, privileges, and property of the county or of its residents, and to preserve and improve the peace, safety, health, welfare, comfort, and convenience of its residents.' Iowa Code Chapter 331 also says that the duties of a county supervisor are including but are not limited to: · Agriculture and Conservation · Budgeting · Business Management and Finance · Collective Bargaining agreements with three unions: jailers, sheriff deputies, and secondary roads · Court System · Drainage Districts · Elections · Public Health and Human Services · Libraries · Planning, Zoning, and Public Safety · Secondary Roads and Bridges · Supervision of Personnel · Economic Development · Insurance for County · Appointment and Supervision of Department Heads · Approve appointments for elected officials' departments · Approve appointments to County boards and commissions Additionally, the individual responsibilities of the board of supervisors members are as follows: Shirley Vermace - Safety Committee, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health Clinic NEIBH, Upper Explorerland Regional Planning UERPC, Northeast Iowa Rural Housing Trust Fund NEIRHTF, Deputy Sheriff, Jail and Road Dept Bargaining, Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation NEICAC, Iowa Rural Conservation and Development Iowa RC&D, Winn. County Development and Tourism, County Social Services Mental Health Region - alternate, and the Transportation Policy Board - alternate. Dan Langreck - Wellington Place liaison, Winneshiek County Development and Tourism Board, IRP/RLF Board, Security Committee for County, Deputy Sheriff, Jail and Road Dept Bargaining, 1st Judicial District Dept of Correctional Services - alternate, and Title VI coordinator. Mark Faldet - North Iowa Juvenile Detention, County Social Services Regional Rep, 1st judicial District Dept of Correctional Services, Bear Creek Watershed Rep, Empowerment/DECAT/HAWC, Community Foundation Ex. Committee, CEO/Workforce Board - alternate. Steve Kelsay - Safety Committee, Turkey River Watershed - alternate, Historic Preservation Commission liaison, Courthouse and Annex buildings rep, LEPC representative, UIRWMA representative, Emergency Mgmnt Committee - alternate and EOC delegate, North Iowa Juvenile Detention - alternate, CEO Workforce Mark Vick - NE Iowa Response Group, Pioneer Cemetery liaison, E911 Board, Smith and DHS buildings, Emergency Mgmnt Comm rep and EOC delegate, UERPC, Turkey River Watershed board rep, Transportation Policy Board, Board of Health, County Farm Land, Security Committee. According to District 3 Supervisor Shirley Vermace, her office hours are every Monday immediately after the regular Board of Supervisors meeting. Any county employee or member of the public can come in and chat with her. Supervisors spend time researching various things they know will be coming up on an agenda, or driving around the county to check on road/bridge projects, or attending various other civic/county meetings that they know they may learn something new by attending," she said. "Supervisors attend the Iowa Association of Counties conference in DesMoines three or four times per year where they meet with other supervisors from all over the state of Iowa. Those conferences offer not only that peer connection, but also workshops and seminars on Open Meetings Law, Roads/Bridge funding sources, how to market your community to attract tourism, Conservation, and so much more!"