Employee Benefits

Dean Foods: Few changes in contract other than wages (03/19/10)
After a 15-month wage freeze, Dean Foods employees are headed for a raise. This week, the employee committee from the Le Mars plant and distribution voted yes to a new contract with the dairy company that includes at least a 2.5 percent raise each year for the next three years...

Branstad says it's time to clean house, Iowa (02/19/10)
Former Gov. Terry Branstad is OK with ice cream for breakfast, but he's not OK with Iowa's government the way it is now. That's what he told the crowd at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars Thursday morning on a campaign stop for the 2010 governor's race...

Public employee bargaining: The reasons behind the raises (02/12/10)
(Editor's note: This story is the second of two stories taking a closer look at public employees' bargaining.) Le Mars City Employees Bargaining Unit: Pay freeze for six months, 3 percent raise starting in January 2011. Plymouth County Secondary Roads Bargaining Unit: 3 percent raise for each year of a three-year contract...

Public employee bargaining: Designed to protect citizens (02/11/10)
(Editor's note: This story is the first of two stories taking a closer look at public employees' bargaining.) In the business world, salaries and benefits of a business' employees are somewhat dependent on how well the business is doing. However, in the public sector, employees like teachers and city workers are given the chance to organize and bargain collectively based on Iowa Code Chapter 20...

E-911 supplements IT coordinator's salary for 2011 (02/10/10)
Plymouth County E-911 Board members approved putting $5,000 toward the salary for Shawn Olson, county 911/information technology (IT)/GIS coordinator. The Plymouth County Supervisors took them up on that offer Tuesday for the 2011 fiscal year. Olson's new wage was OK'd in the supervisors' with their preliminary approval of the 2010-11 proposed $21,891,804 budget...

Sheriff's bargaining unit employees negotiate 6 percent raise (02/03/10)
The Plymouth County Supervisors signed 2010-2013 contracts with the sheriff and secondary road bargaining units Tuesday. After five months of negotiation and a four-hour mediation session in late December, 30 employees within the sheriff bargaining unit will receive a 6 percent salary increase in 2010 as part of the three-year contract...

¿Habla español? :Plains Area staff trains to be multi-lingual (01/29/10)
Employees at Plains Area Mental Health are learning to say "What do you need?" and "How much does this piano cost?" -- in Spanish. It's all part of a new venture Plains Area is starting to help reduce cultural and language barriers. About 25 therapists and receptionists at the Le Mars mental health center and its Storm Lake counterpart are working on picking up another language and learning about that group's culture...

Job training program revision, could limit local businesses (01/28/10)
One-half million dollars for Plymouth County business could be at stake as the State of Iowa discusses adjustments in funding to the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program. Plymouth County businesses that received job training funding in 2009 were Plymouth Energy - $250,612, Plymouth Oil - $153,000, Wells Dairy - $25,000 and Bodeans Baking Company - $63,403...

Supervisors discuss IT salary increase (01/27/10)
Plymouth County's Information Technology (IT) Director Shawn Olson is seeking a nearly $6,000 salary increase for his position as part of the 2010-2011 IT bugdet he presented to the board of supervisors Tuesday. He stated that having the pay increase would eliminate his ability to occur compensation time...

Proposed raises increase county law enforcement budgets (01/14/10)
Projected costs in salaries, insurance and retirement are the majority of increases in the Plymouth County sheriff's, correction's and communication center's proposed 2010-11 budgets. Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo presented those estimated budgets to the Plymouth County Supervisors Tuesday...

Raises approved for city administrator, assistant city administrator (01/06/10)
Le Mars City Administrator Scott Langel and Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole will be receiving salary increases effective Jan. 1 for the balance of fiscal year 2010. Langel's salary will go from $118,119 to $122,844 and Cole's will increase from $81,500 to $84,760...

Supervisors to consider raise for elected officials at budget time (12/30/09)
The Plymouth County Compensation Board recommended a 2 percent salary increase for elected officials in 2010-11. The Plymouth County Supervisors said Tuesday they will take that into consideration as they prepare the new budget. The first work session on the 2010-11 budget will be Monday...

Six-month pay freeze for city employees, then a raise (12/23/09)
The wages for the 41 Le Mars city employees in the bargaining unit will be frozen for six months next year, then see a 3 percent raise. The Le Mars City Council made the motion Tuesday afternoon to freeze bargaining unit members wages starting July 1, 2010 for six months -- with the exception of three positions...

LCS board proposes no teacher salary increase for 2010-11 (12/22/09)
No increase in base salary. No step movement on the salary schedule. No changes in contract language other than date changes. That's the opening proposal put forth by the Le Mars Community Schools board of education negotiating team in response to contract talks with the Le Mars Community Education Association (LCED) for the 2010-11 teachers' contract...

LCS teachers seek 3% package increase (12/08/09)

Boosting employee morale when dollars aren't there (09/25/09)
In the past year, more than 70 percent of employers laid off employees or restructured their organization. About 60 percent of employees say they're not getting bonuses this year. And about 50 percent of workers saw negative effects from pay and benefit changes...

County employee bargaining talks begin (09/04/09)
Bargaining employees in two county departments have entered into initial 2009 employee negotiations with the Plymouth County supervisors. The Plymouth County sheriff's department and the secondary road department submitted their first proposals Aug. 25...

County Veteran Affairs office to offer more hours (06/12/09)
Changes are ahead for the county Veteran Affairs office. Jim Henrich, Plymouth County supervisor chairman, read a letter describing those new requirements to the board during its Tuesday meeting. Legislation passed this year requires Veteran Affairs offices to be open a certain number of days depending on the county's population...

LCS board OKs gym doors, freeze superintendent's salary (06/10/09)
There will be new doors at the entrance of Carey Gymnasium this fall. The Le Mars Community School Board of Education conducted a bid opening and hearing on the project at the start of its Monday meeting. It also accepted the low bid of $61,000 from L & L Builders of Sioux City...

County says OK to TIF district extension (06/03/09)
The Plymouth County Supervisors Tuesday gave their stamp of approval to extend the duration of a Tax Increment Financing district near Akron another five years. The City of Akron's timeline to receive TIF revenue from the Akron Urban Renewal Area, which includes the Akron Portlandville Heights Subdivision, is set to expire June 2010...

Arbitrator splits decision on LCS teacher contracts (05/07/09)
Le Mars Community School District teachers will receive an increase in base pay and in insurance contributions by the district following an arbitrator's decision received Wednesday. According to Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt, the decision of arbitrator Sharon Gallagher was split...

Arbitrator will decide fate of LCS teacher contract negotiations (04/24/09)

Thrift store gives child care center a hand with costs (04/03/09)
Akron community members joined hands last year to help save parents money on child care. Helping Hands thrift store was born to help with costs at Akron Children's Center after minimum wage increased last year and the nonprofit center had to hike its rates to offset employee salaries...

Uncertain economy pinches health care patients and centers (12/22/08)
Today's economic downturn isn't only affecting what consumers pay at the pump or for groceries, it's also affecting how they pay for health care. Some families have to make a decision as to whether to pay for their health care needs because of higher insurance deductibles, co-pays and larger responsibilities in paying for care...

Golf course manager commended for staying in black (12/18/08)
The Le Mars City Council had praise and a raise for Willow Creek Golf Course Manager Doug Schultz during their Tuesday meeting. The city council approved a new two-year contract with Schultz, who has managed the course for some 20 years. The contract includes a 2 percent base raise for 2009, bringing the base compensation to $132,863, and another 2 percent base raise for 2010, brining the total to $135,520...

Museum officials seek county dollars to ride economic storm (12/18/08)
The Plymouth County Historical Museum officials requested the same amount as last year for its 2009-10 fiscal year. Museum officials asked for that $7,000 amount because they understand the economic challenges facing the county's budget for the next year...

Board suggests increases to elected officials' salaries (12/17/08)
The Plymouth County Compensation Board recommended salary increases for elected county officials for the 2009-10 fiscal year Monday. The compensation board approved a 2 percent increase for county supervisors and a 3.5 percent raise for the county auditor, recorder, treasurer, sheriff and attorney...

Negotiators propose 1.19 percent raise for teachers (12/16/08)
Members of the Le Mars Community Schools Board of Education bargaining team presented their initial proposals for the 2009-10 master contract to the Le Mars Community Education Association bargaining team members at a 5 p.m. meeting Monday. The board's proposal calls for a 1.19 percent total package increase, or $122,059 spread among the teachers as set forth in the teacher salary schedule in the Master Contract. The proposal also includes no benefit changes...

LCS teachers group proposes salary, insurance increases (12/02/08)
Le Mars Community Education Association members are proposing increases in base pay and insurance for the 2009-10 school year. Members of the bargaining team for the LCED met with Le Mars Community Schools Board of Education members Monday to present their initial proposal...

LCS board crunches numbers for 2009-10 (12/01/08)
It was numbers and more numbers as Le Mars Community Schools Board of Education pondered whether to seek an Instructional Support Levy (ISL) or implement a Cash Reserve Levy as a funding source for the 2009-10 budget year. At the Nov. 24 board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt gave the board information on preliminary fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget information. He also outlined various options for the board to consider as they decide whether to pursue the ISL for the next budget year...

School board predicts money crunch, weighs ISL option (11/20/08)
A "mixed bag" is how one board member described the input on the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) received from the Le Mars Community School's District Learning and Instructional Impact Team, (DLIIT) at the board's meeting Monday, Nov 10. The Instructional Support Levy provides a funding source for general fund expenditures through property tax, income surtax and a small amount of state aid...

LCS board OKs allocation of state money for teachers (09/11/08)
An agreement between the Le Mars Community School District and the Le Mars Education Association provides for the distribution to teachers of more than $800,000 in additional state money for the 2008-09 school year. The Educator Quality Basic money is allocated by the Iowa Legislature in an effort to increase the average teacher salaries in Iowa and raise Iowa's ranking in average teacher salary in the United States...

School board members answer questions about ISL (08/26/08)
On Sept. 9, voters in the Le Mars Community School District will decide whether to approve a tax levy that would raise money for LCS teacher salaries, books, programs and transportation fuel. That Instructional Support Levy (ISL) has proved the source of much debate. Two LCS School Board members -- Patrick Murphy and Mark Stelzer -- sat down with the Daily Sentinel editorial staff to talk through some of the questions about the levy...

LCS board sets July 25 hearing on ISL resolution (07/15/08)
The Le Mars Community School Board has set a public hearing on their intent to participate in the Instructional Support Program, a tax levy which would raise money for salaries, supplies and program costs for the school. The hearing will be noon on Friday, July 25, at the Education Service Center located at 940 Lincoln St. S.W...

Employee health insurance plan awarded to Avera Health (06/19/08)
Le Mars city council members Tuesday voted to continue the city's Employee Health Plan with Avera Health with Northwood continuing as the city's reinsurance carrier. City Finance Director Bill Cole said that while the plan represents a 10 percent cost increase, the plan was the lowest of 15 proposals received. Despite the increase, he said, the city will be paying less for the insurance fixed costs in 2009 than in 2006 due to the health contract accepted at that time...

Council approves city administrator pay hike (06/18/08)
Le Mars City Administrator Scott Langel is in line for a 3.75 percent pay increase for the coming year following action Tuesday by the city council. The council, meeting in a closed executive session, approved a fiscal year 2009 salary of $118,119 for Langel, compared to his present salary of $113,850...

Supervisors approve deputies' salaries for 2008-09 (05/28/08)
Plymouth County Sheriff deputies' salaries and others were approved Tuesday for 2008-09. The Plymouth County Supervisors approved salaries for the sheriff deputies, the deputy recorder, the auditor's deputies, the tax, motor vehicle and driver's license deputy, and the assistant Plymouth County attorney...

LCS middle school principal hired (05/16/08)
The Le Mars Community Schools board of education approved the hiring of a new middle school assistant principal for the 2008-09 school year. Christopher Schmit, a middle school instructor at Waterloo, was recommended from the candidates interviewed for the position. He will replace Amy Johnson, who resigned the position this spring...

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