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Steve Minert takes former mayor Tom Jolas’ place as county compensation board chair

Steve Minert is new chairman of the county compensation board

MASON CITY – There is a new chairman of the Cerro Gordo County Compensation Board, as the long-serving former mayor of Mason City, Tom Jolas, was ousted in favor of local businessman Steve Minert.

The ‘Comp Board’ is a little-known, but quite influential and powerful entity in the government of every county in Iowa. Mr. Jolas served admirably for 28 years here in Cerro Gordo county and helped make the county supervisor seats attractive with pay rates exceeding $50,000 per year.

Mr. Jolas, whose long career in government includes having served as a high-ranking appointee of Iowa’s Economic Development agency, was bounced from the chairmanship by the supporters of Mr. Minert, who was named to the ‘Comp Board’ – as it’s known – in 2015. Minert’s term runs through June 30, 2019, whereas Jolas’s term expires in June of 2017.

Tom Jolas

In the state of Iowa, the county Compensation Board sets the salaries and benefits of every elected official. This includes the Sheriff, all three Supervisors, the County Attorney, the Treasurer, Auditor, and Recorder, and all elected county officers. In some ways, Jolas losing his decades-long chairmanship is in sync with what Cerro Gordo county voters decide in the 2016 Elections. Donald Trump won Mason City, and the county, defeating Hillary Clinton. Two longtime, Democratic party Supervisors – Jay Urdahl, and Phil Dougherty – were defeated, after 44 years of combined service. The Mason City School Board members recently voted to oust interim Superintendent Mike Penca, less than six months after the same Board terminated the contract of longtime Superintendent Anita Micich, who was also let go by the Clear Lake school district in 2016.

Minert, who is the President and co-owner of Harley-Davidson of Mason City, can be counted on to bring a fresh, more business-oriented perspective to the ‘Comp Board’, insiders told NIT. Since 1990, Steve Minert has served as the General Manager of his family’s dealership, before being promoted to the position of corporate President in 2011.
He lives in Clear Lake and is a licensed pilot who frequently flies his own airplanes, which he keeps at the Mason City airport and at Lake Okoboji.

Members of the Compensation Board are appointed by the elected officials that the Board oversees, and sets compensation. Members are named to overlapping, four-year terms, with the chairmanship being a one-year position. Mr. Minert, who is 47 years old, will be required in 2017 to seek re-election by the Board members is he wishes to continue as chairman.

A longtime observer of north Iowa government, when asked about the change in leadership, told NIT, “every dog has its day. For Tom Jolas, his days of running our Comp Board just came to an abrupt end. I, for one, truly appreciate all the years of service from Tom Jolas.  However, Steve Minert is like a breath of fresh air. Or, maybe I should say: a loud blast of Harley smoke! Seriously, though … Minert will do a very good job.”

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