The 11-day sheriff

On Dec. 31, Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger will resign.

The 11 days of leadership that follow before Sheriff-elect Bob Norris takes office is now subject to a county commissioner and Kootenai County Republican Central Committee decision.

After two terms as sheriff and over 37 years of service within the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, Wolfinger is cutting his position duties 11 days earlier than expected. When he began considering retirement earlier this year, Wolfinger said he had to think about finances. He realized that if he remained sheriff through January, he would lose about $3,000.

"If I waited for the 11th, I would miss three weeks of pay, and I wouldn't get a retirement check until February," Wolfinger said. "That's a financial hardship I really can't do."

By submitting his resignation early, Wolfinger said the Board of County Commissioners and county leadership should have ample time to prepare for his absence.

"Obviously, I knew I was going to retire, and I started thinking about payments, and I couldn't afford to do it. The bank still expects me to pay my mortgage," he said. "I figured about four months was as good as I could give them."

To fill those 11 days, the KCRCC will provide three nominations for an interim-sheriff to be presented Dec. 7 to the Board of County Commissioners. Per Idaho Code 59-906, when there is a resignation, removal, or death of an elected official like the sheriff, candidates will be suggested by the outgoing individual's political central committee.

Wolfinger is a Republican.

"I have spoken to both Sheriff-elect Norris and Undersheriff Mattos, and both have graciously confirmed that they would be willing to serve during the interim period," Brent Regan, chairman of the KCRCC, said Thursday. "I expect our committee will select three well-qualified candidates for consideration."

The KCRCC plans to select the three nominations during their next meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and vacations, the commissioners won't take up the interim-sheriff nominee interviews and vote until Dec. 7.

Commissioner Chris Fillios said the selected candidate would most likely be sworn in on Dec. 31 and take effect on Jan. 4. Due to statute, the commissioners have no power in accelerating sheriff-elect Norris's installation.

"It's kind of silly, and I understand why it is," Wolfinger said. "But I certainly hope the sheriff-elect would be on that list and come in to be the interim sheriff for the week. Other than that, they could let it be the undersheriff. Those two would make sense. Anyone else wouldn't make sense."