[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6218946,"mediaKeyId","3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81","parentId",3624283,"title","Search-and-rescue donations, K-9 fund and animal-control costs discussed as separate funding streams","audioSeconds",298,"startMs",8292000,"endMs",8590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81&start=8292&end=8590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81/thumbnail_8292000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6218946/Bonner-County/Idaho/Search-and-rescue-donations-K-9-fund-and-animal-control-costs-discussed-as-separate-funding-streams","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218946-aa30940b925ba3fdf417333b858c4183/orig.mp4?Expires=1775173844&Signature=bt19EMPl0-XewFpmQxfFEnXYxeVAyMfSax95HlD-5Z1Jf5geqOJHzxDp2GW1wZTkXkxeHk~NKZB5cBxY~qjaPnpOgX9CNDDA675ZTz95NXRovl4K~0diotRBZHs9jSgYN9szbUUirKAdtp3~ORRGW7ozCCtb7d5JTxbhzBjyRT3ZNzwAHWvhj9LLLAMFBNNnov~gboUknGBYj-9TN8Vqm-9XRusieO-UP-WQSNqjeQ2ctZjtta6Rv848a4btlcwnsvRhpS4qA4ELvCKp4bJtA0FiMlqBwBR2Gh9b1gTrW7f7e~efE-x6ci2jZn1xIwbO9v8S~wS9J2E~62tZmKb3tQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-02T19:56:34Z","article","Bonner County commissioners reviewed several community-focused, nonstandard funding streams during the sheriff's budget discussion, including volunteer search-and-rescue donations, K-9 funding and the county's emerging animal-control costs.

Search and rescue: Meeting participants explained that donations to search-and-rescue are held in a separate fund and are typically spent on volunteer equipment, drones and training rather than routine operational costs that the county absorbs. Commissioners said donations sometimes are earmarked by donors for specific equipment (for example, a drone) and that the account also pays for volunteer training and small logistical items during responses. Commissioners discussed whether some reimbursements from state or federal partners that now go into broader justice funds might be directed back to the operating unit; staff said reimbursements usually post to justice funds but can be reallocated with board approval.

K-9 fund: The sheriff's office asked commissioners to start building a sinking fund for an additional K-9 and associated training. Commissioners heard an approximate market figure for an untrained dog (about $20,000 out the door excluding handler training), with additional costs for handler training and equipment. The county currently has one dog; staff said it may be wise to build funds over multiple years rather than rely on donations.

Animal control: After Better Together declined to sign an agreement, county staff reported that the county's local shelter options have been limited; commissioners were told the county can house animals during summer months but still needs some winterization and remaining capital improvements. Commissioners instructed staff to hold the line-item at a size that will allow completion of outstanding facility upgrades.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to document donation-account purposes and to consider whether reimbursed revenues should be remapped into departmental accounts where appropriate. They also asked the sheriff's office to bring a plan for a K-9 sinking fund and timeline for the animal-control facility to the next meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget Workshops - Sheriff's Office - 06/02/2025 @ 1:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners reviewed donation accounts and separate funds used by search-and-rescue volunteers, discussed starting a K-9 sinking fund and considered funding needs for a county-run animal-control facility after Better Together withdrew.","taxTitle","Bonner County, Idaho","taxId",49415,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6218951,"Sheriff's staff cite heavy overtime, training mandates and staffing limits as budget constraints",260,3600000,3860000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81&start=3600&end=3860","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6218951/Bonner-County/Idaho/Sheriffs-staff-cite-heavy-overtime-training-mandates-and-staffing-limits-as-budget-constraints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218951-55517ad23ae6107a9090c809b6c42db0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775173844&Signature=efkdHKRwQ498EDP2BrwD9RQSc1T8s8qqHBT5hG1FAcNMSFZwhm0WGZr3-6q9IQQWeDPdDUrbMK6R~FB1m4cfE80NN5AZQWz0tSyt3Oqud1rR6H9wNE0dChJvN1gio5JUFsyuZmE4GUC0~1yirA5j0GIu87DiAIKTP~60u9ndVVUlDuUE4w3wdhWWviVBxTqV~J-hzVGY4Pi5i5w4072wcwcS4RLP0KT7kePZ2RsiFPubYJSwhjRZ3RJFMUHy0rQ~RqBYz5~5ureqKMvoGqBT2s36AlT4uFY8c6PM363YQc1wJ0ZfsCR6gr3TAhBjl1mOpJknbfQ2TBctI2WwUbD5Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff's Office leaders told commissioners the agency is dealing with sustained overtime, minimum-staffing constraints and evolving training mandates that make budgeting and scheduling difficult.

The sheriff's office explained that sworn staff are required to complete 40 hours of training every two years under Post (Peace Officer Standards) requirements, and that the required content now includes specific core competencies such as arrest-control techniques and emergency-vehicle operations. The office said it relies on in-house trainers where possible but sometimes must send officers to out-of-area schools; those trips trigger overtime to cover shifts. Commissioners heard examples of employees who have accumulated large amounts of overtime and vacation that they cannot take because backfilling shifts is difficult.

Commissioners asked staff to build training budgets that list the number of staff expected to attend specific conferences or classes and the average cost per attendee. The goal is to produce a defensible budget number tied to anticipated courses and travel rather than a blanket estimate. Jackie and Jessica were asked to help staff break training requests into identifiable line items in Munis.

The meeting also covered drug-testing budgets and employee-related testing: random monthly tests, pre-employment tests for hires, and post-accident testing. Commissioners asked historic counts be included in line notes so future budgets show whether a decrease is due to fewer hires or fewer accidents.

Ending: Commissioners asked the sheriff's office to return with a more detailed training projection (number of staff, anticipated courses, estimated per-person cost) and to work with Human Resources on leave accrual issues for law enforcement given 24/7 staffing constraints.","Commissioners heard that mandated training hours, minimum staffing and high overtime are straining the sheriff's office budget and complicating when deputies can take required classes. Commissioners urged clearer training budgets and recommended accounting for training needs by job and year.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6218956,"Radios, phones, vehicles and tasers: commissioners flag higher maintenance and replacement costs",168,5967000,6135000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81&start=5967&end=6135","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81/thumbnail_5967000.jpg","/articles/6218956/Bonner-County/Idaho/Radios-phones-vehicles-and-tasers-commissioners-flag-higher-maintenance-and-replacement-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218956-2c0ccc76316306175fc2aae0c320cf3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775173844&Signature=X7wW5iduA8V6fm292kibvOT07vHudSPiDEgzclnYd9pRyNXhPYY8XWU9RXa5no7zeT-NqdbgZVG8H8-1tdYliLehXNTGJYGOA0pJQekXFpW-1Y6kdg-hwefzV-gdHQwC7HBon9yHX1Vdh5uQfCaLgCZqIMPFlsxkE08U5Ae3KphGHb7pR~ITbuC-NyW9RuIicoQA-UzmGuKPs7hhyx-YIZGHrVO3vBbasFKpI~2CLq3yKgh~YzeZfVVOI3YFmkPd-lVV5lFpqqwyU0~KFkBW-3zh7qClqwLF-4M6a~WqXhljQpTuzajDnQwzNIYTKY9LS-rCF3Wb2aEp~ShwK430ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners heard detailed requests for increased funding to maintain and replace equipment used by the sheriff's office, including radios, cellphone plans, vehicle maintenance and less-lethal gear.

Communications: Staff presented a quote to recalibrate and reprogram county radios (described in the meeting as 'deviation checks'/recalibration). Commissioners were told the service would cost roughly $18,000 and that maintaining a residual balance (about $9,300 in the discussion) would be prudent to handle future incidental repairs to handheld units. The sheriff's office explained radios occasionally fall 'out of balance' and need a technical re-tuning; aging handhelds and intermittent repairs also require budget reserves. The county confirmed the sheriff's office keeps Verizon service because of better rural coverage and first-responder priority service; staff said Verizon first-responder discounts and priority access already apply to the sheriff's lines.

Phones and data: Commissioners noted a large monthly cell-phone budget covering the entire sheriff's office and asked whether carrier changes had been considered; the office said switching carriers was not cost-effective because of service gaps in remote areas and loss of first-responder prioritization.

Fleet and vehicle maintenance: Vehicle-repair and maintenance funding was raised to reflect higher parts and labor costs, loss of the county's salvage supply for used parts and more work pushed to dealerships because of specialized diagnostic equipment. Commissioners discussed whether to add a cushion (suggested 12.5' 15%) to fuel and maintenance lines to hedge against global price swings and supply disruptions.

Less-lethal equipment and vests: Commissioners and staff debated classifying taser purchases as 'enhancements' (one-time buys) or as recurring equipment-maintenance costs. The sheriff's office said model upgrades by the proprietary vendor can force a time-limited need to replace units; commissioners recommended budgeting annually so the county is better prepared if a forced upgrade occurs.

Capital replacements: The capital-vehicle line was discussed at length. Commissioners asked for a clearer vehicle-replacement schedule; sheriff's staff said the office historically aims to replace roughly four vehicles per year and estimated an all-in per-unit cost (vehicle plus outfitting) in the mid-$70,000 range. Commissioners asked staff to confirm a replacement schedule and consider raising the capital-vehicles allocation to avoid emergency replacements later.

Ending: Commissioners instructed staff to keep a contingency in the communications and vehicle-maintenance lines, to document expected life cycles for radios and tasers, and to present a vehicle-replacement schedule at the next meeting for final budget decisions.","The budget review highlighted rising communications and fleet costs: a proposed radio recalibration quote, continued Verizon phone expenses with first-responder priority, higher vehicle-maintenance spending and debate over whether taser and bulletproof-vest costs are annual maintenance or one-time enhancements.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6218961,"Commissioners press sheriff's office on cost-sharing with small towns and parks",225,840000,1065000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81&start=840&end=1065","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81/thumbnail_840000.jpg","/articles/6218961/Bonner-County/Idaho/Commissioners-press-sheriffs-office-on-cost-sharing-with-small-towns-and-parks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218961-e4c8f4c97eea60ae1708c2c0c4e977ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1775173844&Signature=L-Ji77JBWAa6flkgG2XaG2Ok9TOlRwdBOCtcSVcaj~H866eggpiJ-C~x1NOpetuaJpwLMjlzRLmsuWbwhqYkLx-NY-qJWmFwrXfv883~j0aWnRgxVZ0jy3Lw8sEeC7HgPYqEFcyktDhcBrxHvpgYRhch9RrIZa9if6jrQJ4drynrdDFx3OwuC7QeEmpMwzdDQWek5hq0J6oiLjT~I9Ny6PBuLpvmIxEKXpJ~WQpDtkodvJhSiI30lvjVUOUHY8r1vdvokRkpr4OBl50SzneroE3aIkCfd2f7xovGUirxb7OkABXvvpuUSDXYZJY2xv3wFpDuNy5R086nqMg7ogptVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bonner County commissioners questioned whether the sheriff's office should seek inflation adjustments or clearer hourly guarantees in its contracts with small towns and park entities.

The meeting named Clark Fork, Oldtown, Dover and park contracts such as Albany Falls Dam and Park check agreements as examples. Sheriff's Office staff told commissioners that many contracts bill by number of calls or overtime hours rather than guaranteeing a set number of patrol hours; that arrangement allows the county to bill for overtime when needed but means annual revenue from those contracts can be small. The sheriff's office also said it can include municipal names on citations so towns collect additional revenue, but overall the contracts have historically been a 'flat line' contribution rather than a major revenue source.

Commissioners argued that steady county cost increases (fuel, maintenance, personnel) make it reasonable to build an inflationary component into contracts so municipalities share rising costs. Others cautioned that asking for increases can create expectations of more guaranteed service; the sheriff's office said staffing limits constrain the amount of service it can promise.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to add notes in budget records identifying which entities each law-enforcement contract covers so future reviews clearly show historical billing and facilitate discussions about equitable cost-sharing.","During the budget review, commissioners asked whether contracts with municipalities and park districts should include inflation adjustments and clearer usage-based billing; sheriff's staff said most contracts bill by calls or hours and do not guarantee set hours.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6218966,"Bonner County commissioners review sheriff's budget, note revenue declines and pressure from rising costs",10986,564000,11550000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81&start=564&end=11550","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624283-1c7a8aa20e685e78e9f73e41f40efa81/thumbnail_564000.jpg","/articles/6218966/Bonner-County/Idaho/Bonner-County-commissioners-review-sheriffs-budget-note-revenue-declines-and-pressure-from-rising-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218966-25bbc21cd0d130994b7363d8a92967ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1775173844&Signature=fNzER~nCF2ZwIlx--uuTdSJVQw0v2AzFk1XBjIlkUlUH33RiZMvRUgpWb7pU2AzKufbjbjXK~ijdSSRa9Da32sBKPdA2~IYq5KS3vJd5cev~qDUf~xpxVdD8S4dY6-Jz4Ms5plkyalGvC9VSy3ULi0e6l2s9d4IfufeF0JxYH5yDmY1mR~Q8zPcd0RqxOpIGHvVTxuDzWzjyVy7VEZSkIlyd55h1KTnursSkMcWBfJOKJTXoCwEd3iGN8AKPdj-n~qgswx5c3tLa-sSMo4zhb3-8y6y0W3AYfTSGG2k6WO0GtWD8CAgeTktvrzyKo4gyOarKHFTIcK9W1N4YjvSl4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bonner County commissioners on June 2 reviewed the sheriff's proposed fiscal-year budget, focusing on falling fee revenues and growing operating pressures.

The review covered revenue lines such as driver's-license fees, concealed-weapon permits, offender-registration fees and reimbursements from housing federal inmates. County finance staff said some fee lines have been reduced to reflect recent collections; concealed-weapons and offender-registration estimates were trimmed after the department's historical receipts proved lower than prior budgets. Jessica, a county finance staff member, pulled historical data in Munis during the meeting to explain the changes.

Commissioners pressed the sheriff's office about law-enforcement contract revenue from small towns and park agreements, and whether those contracts should include inflation adjustments. The sheriff's office said contracts generally bill by time or calls and that municipalities rarely guarantee a set number of hours; staff warned that aggressively raising fees can create expectations for more services. Commissioner comments framed the question as a fairness issue: if county costs rise, should municipal partners share inflationary increases so the county does not absorb the entire cost?

Jail-related revenues drew attention. The county has historically received reimbursements for housing U.S. Marshals and for inmate-board and inmate-medical charges. Commissioners noted a recent decline in marshals housed in Bonner County beds after regional shifts and in the number of inmates from outside jurisdictions, which reduced the county's boarding income. Finance staff recommended conservative estimates because underestimating revenue is preferable to overestimating and drawing down cash reserves.

Across the budget, commissioners and staff emphasized moving recurring purchases out of a generic 'miscellaneous' category and into specific line items to improve transparency and forecasting. Jackie, described in the meeting as the county's accountant, and Jessica were asked to recategorize several items (software subscriptions, office supplies, evidence supplies) so future boards can see what historically funded each expense.

The board did not take formal votes at the session; commissioners scheduled a follow-up meeting to complete review of the jail, marine patrol and 9-1-1 budgets.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return cleaned-up line-item notes and to add context for contract partners and revenue histories so the final budget reflects realistic income and shared cost expectations.","At a June 2 budget review, Bonner County commissioners and staff examined Sheriff's Office revenue lines and spending requests, flagging declining fee revenue, uncertain inmate-board income and inflationary pressure across contracts, supplies and vehicle maintenance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Search-and-rescue donations, K-9 fund and animal-control costs discussed as separate funding streams

Sheriff's staff cite heavy overtime, training mandates and staffing limits as budget constraints

Radios, phones, vehicles and tasers: commissioners flag higher maintenance and replacement costs

Commissioners press sheriff's office on cost-sharing with small towns and parks

Bonner County commissioners review sheriff's budget, note revenue declines and pressure from rising costs