The supervisors and the auditor both act as caretakers of the courthouse, but the auditor acts subject to instruction from the supervisors. The supervisors, not the auditor, have authority to hire, fire, and assign maintenance and custodial personnel for the courthouse, purchase maintenance and custodial supplies, and determine the budget therefor. First, you ask about the respective authority of the county auditor and the county board of supervisors over the courthouse. Third, you ask whether the auditor has authority to hire, fire, and assign maintenance and custodial personnel, purchase maintenance and custodial supplies, and determine the budget therefor. I. Applicable Law Chapter 331 invests supervisors with many defined duties and powers.
Supervisors also have many duties and powers undefined by statute.
See generally Iowa Const. Chapter 331 invests the auditor with many defined duties and powers, albeit far less than those of the supervisors. In addition to the auditor and the supervisors, other members of the executive branch as well as of the judicial branch may exercise authority over the courthouse itself or its operation. We limit our discussion, however, to the duties and powers of the auditor and the supervisors. You have asked about the respective authority of the auditor and the supervisors over the courthouse.