Optional Forms group rescinds recommendation
In a Tuesday night meeting, the Optional Forms of Government Study Commission voted to rescind its earlier recommendation to make some changes to Kootenai County's administrative structure. Courtesy photo.
COEUR d’ALENE — Despite a failed vote to remove the chair, the Optional Forms of Government Study Commission on Tuesday reversed its decision to recommend some changes to Kootenai County’s administrative structure.
The group voted 5-4 last November in support of increasing the size of the Board of County Commissioners from three to five members, as well as switching to the commission manager form of government.
Under that form, the commission manager handles administrative work that otherwise falls to commissioners and serves as chief budget officer, a role currently filled by the county clerk.
The commission manager’s role is not to create policy but to implement it.
Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Hayden and Rathdrum all have unelected administrators who work with their mayors and city councils to manage the day-to-day operation of their cities, a role similar to the one recommended by the study commission.
Both Ada County and Spokane County have a chief operating officer who fulfills a similar function, though the counties have just three commissioners each.
The study commission also recommended the county clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, coroner and prosecuting attorney remain elected positions, rather than hired.
All recommendations are allowed under Idaho Code 31-5001.
The study commission formally submitted its original recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners in early March.
But in a packed meeting Tuesday night, the group voted 5-4 to rescind that recommendation.
The group then voted, by the same narrow margin, to instead recommend no changes to Kootenai County’s form of government.
Prior to the reversal, a motion to remove Dave Botting as chair of the study commission failed. Several members cited concerns about transparency, as well as Botting’s temperament, as reasons for the motion.
Though five members voted in favor of Botting’s removal, the group’s bylaws reportedly require a supermajority vote in order to remove the chair.
The final recommendation will be submitted to the Board of County Commissioners.