10/15/26 Board of County Commissioners: Human Resources

The Kootenai County Board of County Commissioners’ Human Resources meeting was held October 15, 2026. Human Resources reported 66.5 open county positions, including 23 considered hard to fill, compared with 72.5 and 34.5, respectively, a year earlier. The Sheriff’s Office requested that its temporary premium-overtime policy become permanent for sworn deputies, detention deputies, and dispatchers, subject to minimum-staffing needs. Commissioners approved the permanent policy. During discussion, commissioners sought clearer overtime and comp-time tracking and questioned whether the change would generate savings. The board also noted county budget pressures, including more than $2 million drawn from fund balance for jail overtime and a roughly $1.3 million cost associated with a 3% increase.

The board approved reclassifying Community Development position 1 190-012 from administrative secretary to administrative assistant, with an estimated annual loaded-cost increase of $5,081 funded from the budget pool; the action was to take effect the next pay period with a retroactive bonus from October 1. Human Resources presented proposed grades of 7 for the Office of Emergency Management readiness and training coordinator and 9 for its planner, but consideration was postponed to the following Tuesday for further review. No contracts, vendor selections, bids, or other procurement activity were identified.