Senior meals get a deal

COEUR d'ALENE - After listening for hours at a public hearing where folks vehemently and sometimes tearfully pleaded to have cuts restored and raises increased, the Kootenai County commissioners voted to tweak one item in their proposed $74,127,159 budget for the next fiscal year.

The commissioners agreed to restore the $13,000 they had been prepared to cut from the Lake City Center, which uses the dollars for its Meals on Wheels programs.

Those dollars will be taken out of the county contingency fund.

Commissioner Dan Green observed that was the only change the officials could make to the proposed budget - which under law cannot be increased from the amount published last month - without raising taxes.

"There are people outside this room who are hurting a lot," Green said.

The rest of the budget, 3.82 percent bigger from this current fiscal year, stayed as proposed.

That includes several new positions, pay increases for some employees and cuts to some non-mandated services.

There will be no property tax hike.

The sheriff's department received a $1.4 million increase to a total $21,024,304. The department will receive about 8 new vehicles and seven new personnel. Another $594,780 will provide a new digital surveillance system in the jail.

County assistance will receive an additional $1.3 million for a total $3,166,304, to catch up with expenses after being underfunded for years.

The Public Defender's Office will also receive two new positions, and another that started this current fiscal year.

"There were several reductions," Finance Director David McDowell noted. "So there is only a net gain of six positions (county wide)."

The Extension Office saw a $20,000 cut, with the county only supplying $140,000 in its funding partnership with the University of Idaho.

The North Idaho Fair and Rodeo also saw funding reduced from $90,000 to $75,000.

The 180 sheriff's department employees on a salary matrix will receive a 3 percent wage increase, though they won't get the $25 cost-of-living raises that civilian employees will take.

Non-matrix employees will only receive the COLA increase if they haven't had a pay raise in two years. Department heads will also have the option of providing some merit increases.

The county will also take $564,651 in new growth. The levy rate will bump from .29 percent to .33 percent.

Rare for a budget hearing, the meeting room on Tuesday night was packed with roughly 200, most county employees.

"Since I have been here, this is by far our most attended budget hearing," Commissioner Todd Tondee observed.

Many sheriff's department deputies testified that they needed higher pay. Some spoke of barely making ends meet.

Sgt. Barry Allen, with the sheriff's department for 23 years, said he sees many deputies leave for better paying departments.

"This should not be training ground for other departments, and that's what it's becoming," he said.

Others mentioned that the raises won't be enough to cover the heightened health care deductibles proposed.

"My 3 percent (raise) is not going to pay my medical," said Kirk Kelso.

Several spoke vehemently about maintaining funding for the Extension Office, speaking of lives changed by its 4-H, nutrition, forestry and gardening programs.

Extension volunteer Sharry Robinson pointed out that keeping a few folks out of jail could fully fund the office, and what better way to do so than keep youths off the street and in Extension programs?

"We will help you, if you help us," she said.

More testified about the dire need for the Meals on Wheels service at the Lake City Center. Volunteers spoke of recipients whose incomes barely cover the essentials.

"What about the investment of seniors who have paid taxes all these years, don't they get a return on their investment?" said county resident Lorna Carpenter.

Rick Currie, director of the center and former county commissioner, said all funding sources for the program are depleting.

"I know the funds the county gives the senior center is a gift, but it's an important gift," he said.

Green pointed out that so many charities are struggling for funds that the county doesn't fund.

"I've had someone approach me that we should be funding CASA, or the Boys and Girls Club," he said. "Where do make those choices? It is (a question of) what is the role of government?"

But he noted that the commissioners should have given the senior center more notice about losing the funds.

He would like to see other services like the Extension Office and the fair do more to pay for themselves, he added.

"I'm also a fan of people who use services should pay for them," he said.

Commissioner Tondee said he agrees the county should provide non-mandated services. But the Extension Office will survive the cut, he added.

"I think it will be tough, but they will see it through with fundraising efforts," Tondee said.

The commissioners noted that while many are struggling with low pay at the county, others who pay taxes are also underpaid and jobless.

Commissioner Jai Nelson noted that she appreciates the concerns of all who spoke passionately about seeing services fully funded, and about earning enough to feed their families.

"I think we're listening. We're cognizant of all sides," she said. "Fundamentally, it comes down to what's the proper role of government in balancing revenue and expenditures."