Ex-commissioner Tondee fired from county job

COEUR d'ALENE - Former Kootenai County Commissioner Todd Tondee was fired Wednesday from a job he landed earlier this year in the county's Grants Management Office.

He was terminated following an executive session of the current board of commissioners. All three board members were on board with taking that action.

Commission Chairman David Stewart said Tondee didn't receive money in a payout or settlement. Stewart declined further comment because it's a personnel issue.

Tondee on Wednesday afternoon confirmed the firing and said he was "raked over the coals" in multiple negative stories in The Press, starting right after he was hired in February. He declined further comment about the firing.

Tondee was hired as a "transit program specialist," which was a newly created position. His starting pay was $21.74 per hour.

The department is headed by Jody Bieze and overseen by the county commissioners.

Tondee's first day was Feb. 9. He was primarily working on grant funding for the Citylink bus system.

Tondee was defeated in the May 2014 Republican primary election by new Commissioner Marc Eberlein.

Tondee, of Post Falls, served eight years as a commissioner.

Keller Williams Realty, in Coeur d'Alene, announced on May 22 that Tondee had joined the sales team. Keller Williams has more than 150 associates with offices in Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint.

"Well all, I passed my real estate exam," Tondee posted to his Facebook profile on April 30. "Whoooo Hooooo!!! Now I am ready to sign up with a broker and start helping people buy, sell or invest."