Kalona City Council met July 24. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

The Kalona City Council approved new job titles and compensation rates for two city employees.

City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh presented the job requirements and compensation rates that were proposed by the finance committee. Facilities superintendent Matt Jacoby will become the public works superintendent with a salary of $47,066 per year plus a cell phone stipend. General laborer Keaton Redlinger will be the streets superintendent with facilities duties and have a salary of $34,611 plus a cell phone stipend. Schlabaugh mentions one of the detailed plans for Jacoby and Redlinger, “As we’ve gotten busy with other things some of the beautification things that we’d like to focus more on have kind of fallen by the wayside. And we need to kind of pick that up a little bit, we’re going to put that on really both of them.” Beautification tasks include monitoring flower beds, and cutting down overgrown prairie grasses.

The finance committee decided on an incremental raise for both employees with the responsibility of completed tasks including a sign replacement plan, and a five-year plan for ADA improvements. Council member Craig Spitzer says, “It gives them goals to work toward and I think they’re very deserving of what is proposed here and I have no reservations that they are not going to perform well.”

The council approved the job titles and wages for Jacoby and Redlinger. The council will discuss another raise for employees in December.