SIOUX CITY – Woodbury County jailers will receive an 8 percent wage increase, with the county designating a portion of its COVID recovery funds to cover the increased cost of $285,000.
The jail head administrator's pay will also increase by more than $11,000.
The board of supervisors approved the wage increase on Tuesday in an effort to retain and recruit jail employees, especially for the new jail facility estimated to be complete in late 2023.
Supervisors Matthew Ung and Jeremy Taylor proposed the wage increases, based on a recommendation from human resources, after the topic was brought forward by Sheriff Chad Sheehan in the budget process.
The wage increase is on top of a previously approved 2.75 percent pay increase for the Civilian Officers union.
The board and human resources will craft a memorandum of understanding between the county and deputies union for the wage increases approved Tuesday.
The new rates will be: $12.33 an hour for 3rd class officers; $24.28 an hour for 2nd class; $25.26 an hour for 1st class; $28 an hour for senior; $31.26 an hour for master and $34.57 an hour for sergeant.
Melissa Thomas, the county's human resources director, compared wages to counties in close proximity and those with comparable sized jails.
In nearby Dakota, Sioux, Cherokee, Union and Plymouth counties, average county jailer wages range from $19.54 to $22.47 per hour. In the larger Iowa counties of Dallas, Pottawattamie, Story and Blackhawk, wages range from $24.05 to $31.38...
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