Madison County compensation board recommends 23% pay increase for sheriff to comply with state statute
January 18, 2026 | Madison County, Iowa
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The Madison County Compensation Board on a unanimous roll call recommended that the county supervisors raise Sheriff Jason Barnes' annual salary from $117,659 to $144,715, an increase of about 23 percent, to conform with state guidance on comparable law-enforcement pay.
Board members said they relied on a comparables spreadsheet and the terms of the "Back to Blue" legislation and Iowa Code 331.907 when making the recommendation. "Let's follow the law," an unnamed board member said during the discussion, urging compliance with the statute.
Michael Kinnan, appearing as the sheriff's attorney, told the board that the compensation board's role is to recommend a sheriff's pay level that is "commensurate with counties and municipalities, police chiefs in cities and towns that are comparable," and walked the group through the provided ISSDA template of comparables. Board members cited Indianola (2020 police chief pay noted at $162,957.90) and Newton ($147,406) as reference points for salaries in similarly populated jurisdictions.
A motion to recommend the $144,715 figure was made, seconded and then approved by roll call; named members present (identified during roll call) answered yes and the recommendation will be forwarded to the Madison County Board of Supervisors for final action. The compensation board emphasized that its vote is a recommendation and that supervisors retain final authority.
Members also noted a secondary motivation: limiting the county's exposure to legal challenge by conforming the recommended salary to the statutory guidance. The board instructed staff to include the required comparables and numerical rationale in the materials sent to the supervisors.
Next steps: the board's recommendation will be delivered to the Madison County Board of Supervisors, which will consider (and vote on) any final salary change. The compensation board did not set an effective date for the increase; that determination rests with the supervisors.
Board members said they relied on a comparables spreadsheet and the terms of the "Back to Blue" legislation and Iowa Code 331.907 when making the recommendation. "Let's follow the law," an unnamed board member said during the discussion, urging compliance with the statute.
Michael Kinnan, appearing as the sheriff's attorney, told the board that the compensation board's role is to recommend a sheriff's pay level that is "commensurate with counties and municipalities, police chiefs in cities and towns that are comparable," and walked the group through the provided ISSDA template of comparables. Board members cited Indianola (2020 police chief pay noted at $162,957.90) and Newton ($147,406) as reference points for salaries in similarly populated jurisdictions.
A motion to recommend the $144,715 figure was made, seconded and then approved by roll call; named members present (identified during roll call) answered yes and the recommendation will be forwarded to the Madison County Board of Supervisors for final action. The compensation board emphasized that its vote is a recommendation and that supervisors retain final authority.
Members also noted a secondary motivation: limiting the county's exposure to legal challenge by conforming the recommended salary to the statutory guidance. The board instructed staff to include the required comparables and numerical rationale in the materials sent to the supervisors.
Next steps: the board's recommendation will be delivered to the Madison County Board of Supervisors, which will consider (and vote on) any final salary change. The compensation board did not set an effective date for the increase; that determination rests with the supervisors.
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