Commissioners approve $108.9 million budget

Kootenai County Commissioners approved a $108.9 million budget Wednesday night after hearing pleas from Sheriff's Office employees that their low wages put people at serious risk.

The budget, which includes a 3% property tax increase, passed by a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Leslie Duncan said she opposed the document because of the tax increase, which she believes should return to taxpayers. 

Financial director Dena Darrow said that property tax revenue combined with new growth accounts for approximately $53.8 million of the $108.9 million budget. The remaining $55 million comes from nontaxable factors like grant dollars, state sales and liquor taxes, fines, and fees. 

The 2022 budget includes an approximate 2% cost-of-living-adjustment wage increase for county employees. Many departments are currently seeing high turnover rates due to wages, Commissioner Chris Fillios said.

Wednesday night, KCSO Sgt. Michelle Hatley told commissioners how pay is presenting a dangerous enemy for Kootenai County Jail deputies. Hatley said her team of 13 deputies routinely works overtime due to staffing shortages in the Sheriff's Office. Hatley said the team clocked in 160 hours of overtime in a recent pay cycle, the largest amount she has ever seen.

In the last two weeks, Hatley said the risk level at the jail hit a peak when staff discovered a ploy by inmates to kidnap a deputy. The deputy, Hatley said, had previously worked over 40 hours of overtime in that pay period. 

"We are understaffed and completely underpaid for the community we live in," Hatley said. "Until the pay issue gets addressed, this will continue to stay the same." 

Even with overtime pay, Hatley said the $20.28 starting wage is causing a financial burden on employees and leading some to leave the department. She said it is hard to discourage deputies from moving on when the Panda Express down the street is advertising a starting wage of $19.50 and doesn't put them in danger.

"I am watching young men and women highly motivated and excited to begin a career at KCSO struggle and second guess their decision to work for this department," Hatley said. "Not because they do not enjoy and want to work for their community. But because they are frankly being forced out."

KCSO Detention Deputy Colin Schauer also works in the jail. Schauer, a lifelong Kootenai County resident, said he chose law enforcement because it was a noble profession you could "hang your hat on."

"But lately, being noble isn't paying the bills," Schauer said. 

Schauer pointed out that the Spokane County Jail is currently paying a $10,000 sign-on bonus to start, and they're about $2 to $2.50 more than our starting wage. While Schauer doesn't want to leave the county, he said, "you can only hold on for so long."

When standing up to speak about the situation developing at KCSO, Sheriff Bob Norris had to pause as he fought tears. Norris said recent developments within the past 10 days had left him less confident in the future of Kootenai County public safety.

Over the weekend, Norris said he saw a Spokane Detention Center booth at the North Idaho State Fair offering the same $10,000 bonus Schauer mentioned. 

"I have some intelligence from our administration in the jail that we have about five people considering this offer right now," Norris said. "I will do my best to keep county jail employees here in the county, but I need your help." 

Commissioner Leslie Duncan, who voted against the budget, said the county does have money set aside for detention deputies. She told the KCSO deputies are "not falling on deaf ears."

"We're undergoing a study right now that will be implemented as soon as it's finished," Duncan said. "Before the end of this fiscal year, there's going to be retention bonuses for six departments that have been losing people or are unable to recruit as well as countywide retention programs."