Would You make a large purchase without getting a receipt?

Would you make a large purchase without getting a receipt?

Hopefully not.

But the city of Hayden has been purchasing law enforcement services from our Sheriff’s Office without such a receipt for many years. Both Mayor Alan Davis and I agree that Hayden should have accurate time log reporting showing they received the services they paid for.

Finding a solution begins with understanding who is responsible for what.

The Board of County Commissioners calculates the cost of providing deputies and approves the contract. The independently elected sheriff directs those deputies, oversees their assignments and performance, and is responsible for delivering and documenting the contracted services.

Commissioners can help facilitate solutions, but we cannot produce operational reports the Sheriff’s Office has not provided.

In an effort to facilitate this process, I've worked directly with the sheriff’s software provider over the last year to help develop an electronic reporting system. 

Simultaneously, I encouraged the Sheriff’s Office to use interim paper time logs. Reporting templates were also provided and I even offered to support a stipend for deputies responsible for maintaining those logs.

I took those steps for one reason: to help Hayden obtain the reporting that Mayor Davis and I agree the city should receive. Unfortunately, the requested reporting was not provided by the Sheriff’s Office. That must change.

But I would also suggest that something else be considered.

I would plead for the mayor and City Council to have an honest discussion about growth and its associated costs. Hayden controls its annexation, zoning and density. As the city grows, so does the demand for law enforcement. Responsible planning must include those additional public-safety costs. But Hayden is not alone with this challenge.

It's such a problem throughout the state I authored a policy paper attempting to address it. That paper specifically excludes cities with police departments or sheriff contracts, meaning Hayden was excluded while its contract remained in place.

Yet for some reason Hayden leaders focus on that policy paper instead of the reporting the Sheriff’s Office is responsible for delivering. This makes no sense.

Progress now requires cooperation and follow-through. I welcome the city, the sheriff and the board working toward a practical solution. Hayden should bring reasonable expectations and collaboration. The sheriff should provide accountability and follow-through.

The path to move forward will include Hayden working directly with the Sheriff’s Office to establish clear and reasonable reporting expectations: what information is needed, how it will be collected and when it will be delivered. The reports should provide meaningful accountability without creating an impractical administrative burden.

The sheriff should provide a concrete plan, realistic deadlines and a good-faith effort to meet those expectations. Any obstacles should be identified promptly, along with proposed solutions. The board should address cost questions and support a workable agreement.

Hayden residents deserve accountability, dependable protection and leaders willing to work together.

Let’s deliver all three.

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Bruce E. Mattare is a Kootenai County Commissioner.