The Conference Board meeting Monday to approve a budget for the Webster County Assessor’s Office became heated with multiple members raising their voices, a member of the public challenging the chairwoman to “call the police” on him, and 10 failed votes to approve a budget.

It finally concluded with the board approving a 9.75 percent raise for Assessor Angie Vinson, who then withdrew her resignation.

Her current salary is $103,627; the raise will boost her salary to about $114,000.

A 3 percent raise was approved for the rest of the Assessor’s Office staff.

The Conference Board, which oversees all aspects of the Assessor’s Office, met not only to pass a new budget, but also to accept the resignation of Vinson. Vinson tendered her resignation to the Conference Board on March 10 when it could not come to an agreement on her salary. Former member of the Examining Board Gary Nelson said at the time that Vinson was paid “below market rate.”

The Conference Board, which is made up of members of the Webster County Board of Supervisors, Webster County mayors, and school board members, put forth 11 motions for a variety of salary increases for the assessor, including 11 percent, 5 percent, 8.5 percent, 10 percent, 10.5 percent, 9.5 percent, 11.1 percent, 10.9 percent, and 9.5 percent. None of the measures passed the roll call votes.

Fort Dodge Mayor Matt Bemrich motioned to adjourn the meeting after the fourth vote failed, citing an impasse. The meeting continued and Bemrich withdrew from the meeting.

“Let’s get real,” said Barb Passow, mayor of Clare. “We’re either going to lose her or we’re going to try to keep her.”

After the fifth failed vote, Supervisor Bob Thode told the board, “The only thing I will settle for is what the original budget was passed back on March 6.”

That March 6 budget included an 11 percent increase for the assessor, which was voted down with nay votes on Monday from Bemrich, Supervisor Austin Hayek, Supervisor John Cochrane, and Supervisor Niki Conrad being the tie-breaker vote.

“I started at 5 percent and I’ve come up to roughly 8.5 percent,” said Hayek. “I’m trying to be flexible to get to a number I think I can be comfortable with where we’re spending our tax money and still giving raises and getting people to where they need to be. I’m trying to be flexible. I would just like to see us get a budget passed that’s fair to our taxpayers and fair to our assessor.”

Nelson, who resigned his position on the Examining Board after Vinson resigned March 10, attended the meeting as a member of the public and spoke at the podium multiple times to provide context on Vinson’s salary as well as to chide Conrad for what he deemed to be a botched motion when an 11 percent increase was put forth for a second time.

“If you don’t like what I’m saying, call the cops on me and get me thrown out of here,” said Nelson when Conrad stated that a motion of 11 percent made by Supervisor Nathan Montgomery had already been voted on and failed at the meeting and therefore could not be voted on again. “Point of order, ma’am. You have a motion and a second. You have to address it or step down, lady.”

“Sir, please be respectful,” said Conrad, as she reminded the board members of Robert’s Rules of Order.

“You’ve got to read your book, ma’am,” said Nelson. “This is a new motion. It’s new and has a second. You have to take action on it. Bring it to a vote. Throw me out of here, I don’t care.”

“Like I mentioned, we have already voted on 11 percent and 3 percent and it failed,” said Conrad.

“Call the sheriff and have me kicked out because this is going to be on public record,” added Nelson. “You’re the one that’s out of order. Read your book.”

Twenty minutes after his outbursts, Nelson apologized and stated that Conrad was correct in her statements.

Immediately following, Montgomery made a new motion of a 10.5 percent increase for the assessor and 3 percent for staff. The motion failed.

Hayek motioned for 9.5 percent, but it failed for lack of a second. Montgomery then made a motion of 11.1 percent, but Conrad stated that it was higher than the budget presented to the board. Montgomery then made a motion of 10.9 percent, which also failed.

Keenan Schuur, a member of the Fort Dodge Community School District board, made a motion of 9.5 percent for the assessor and 3 percent for staff. Hayek seconded the motion, but Badger Mayor Chris Wendell, Passow, Montgomery, Cochrane, and Thode all voted nay and the 10th vote failed.

After two-and-a-half hours, 11 motions, and 10 votes, the board finally passed a budget that included a 9.75 percent increase for the assessor and 3 percent increase for the staff.

“My position was, and has always been, that when considering wage increases, I, as chair of both boards, must keep in mind the fairness, full impact, and sustainability of any decision I make,” said Conrad following the meeting. “While the increase was more than I was willing to accept, given all of the factors noted above, it was clear that a budget would not be approved any other way.”

After passing the budget, the board then voted to not accept Vinson’s resignation.

“My opinion is that because she was promised something she didn’t get is what caused that resignation to go in,” said Thode. “This is to the benefit of all the taxpayers to keep her in that position. That’s why that compromise of 9.75 percent was passed with the hope of keeping her on.”

Both Thode and Conrad noted that Vinson’s resignation would need to be approved by the Conference Board before being approved by the Board of Supervisors, which is also why the measure appeared on Monday’s agenda.

“To Bob’s point, I don’t think anyone here at this meeting wanted Angie to go,” said Hayek. “I for certain didn’t. I developed a very good relationship with her. She’s been a tremendous asset, and none of this was done because of that. None of this was done because I ever wanted her to go. That’s not the case at all. In fairness, I understand where it’s coming from, but I don’t think anyone here is wanting Assessor Vinson to leave or resign. We’re all here to find a way to compromise and keep her around.”

With the new budget and salary increases approved by the Conference Board, Vinson rescinded her resignation Monday afternoon. The board will need to formally accept the rescission at a coming meeting.

“My sincere hope is that now that we have approved a budget, we can move forward with the duties we are tasked with in regards to the Assessor’s Office, one way or another,” said Conrad prior to Vinson’s rescission.

Deputy Assessor Lori Owen also submitted her resignation on March 10. Owen indicated during Monday’s meeting that she did not plan to rescind her resignation.

“I wish her the best in her retirement and thank her for her decades of service to Webster County,” said Conrad.