Last month Jefferson residents and the Jefferson city council had a spirited discussion about the wages paid to Jefferson police officers. According to mayor Matt Gordon, the Jefferson PD has seen a 180 percent turnover rate, with the Greene County sheriff’s office as being one reason for the turnover.
Officer Ashley Wilson has become the newest law officer to leave the black uniform of the JPD for the dark olive green uniform of the sheriff’s office.
The Greene County supervisors at their March 16 meeting approved hiring Wilson as a fulltime deputy at a starting annual wage of $46,000. She will receive a $1,000 increase when she completes certification at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy later this year.
Wilson was hired as a Jefferson police officer last August at an annual salary of $42,554. She had no law enforcement experience prior to being hired.
The Mount Vernon police department was used as a comparison to the JPD. Police chief Mark Clouse said then that the best comparison is the Greene County sheriff’s office.
During the reports portion of the supervisors meeting sheriff Jack Williams and ambulance director Michelle Madsen discussed their staffing concerns related to COVID-19. Two new persons were added to the ambulance staff last week.
County conservation director Dan Towers was presented a certificate from the Iowa State Association of Counties for 35 years of service in that position.
Towers also reported the McMahon river access in Jackson Township slated for repair with FEMA funds may be moved 2-1/2 miles to a better location. The river access was damaged a year ago by ice flow on the Raccoon River.
