Bonner County revises deputy prosecutor pay scale, sets elected prosecutor salary at $155,000

The Bonner County Board of Commissioners agreed to revise the prosecutor's office pay scale and set the elected prosecutor's salary at $155,000 during a public meeting, while deferring a final decision on on-call pay.

The board voted to adopt a four-tier structure for deputy prosecuting attorneys starting at a $90,000 base (grades DP‑01 through DP‑04) with a 12-step progression to reduce previous pay compression. Commissioners and staff discussed funding sources and implementation steps before the salary decision.

The change to the deputy pay scale removes a previous lowest tier, raises the starting base for entry-level deputy prosecutors to $90,000 and preserves four job grades commonly described in the record as deputy prosecuting attorney, lead deputy, senior deputy and chief deputy. Staff said moving from a compressed 10-step system to 12 steps would widen progression and ease retention pressures.

Commissioners and the prosecutor debated how to fund the adjustments. Staff identified existing savings and reallocated revenue as potential offsets, including the planned cancellation of a roughly $30,000-per-year contract with the City of Sandpoint and savings on Westlaw subscriptions; one staff member summarized those sources as roughly $140,000 in available budget relief. Separately, the county reported adding $115,000 to the budget earlier — described as $65,000 tied to pay-scale differences plus $50,000 for sign-on or relocation bonuses — to cover part of the changes.

Board members discussed competitive pay in nearby counties as part of the justification. Commissioners compared Bonner County to Kootenai County and Twin Falls County and reviewed a statewide IAC (Idaho Association of Counties) survey that showed wide variation in prosecutor pay by county size and local market conditions. One commissioner recommended a midpoint adjustment so the elected prosecutor would not continually lag behind market rates, saying an appropriate long-term target was in the $157,000 range; commissioners compromised at $155,000.

Louis Marshall, identified in the record as the county prosecuting attorney, had asked the board to consider higher pay for the elected position and proposed an on-call stipend of $400 per week to compensate attorneys for 24/7 availability. Marshall described the on-call duty as including urgent legal advice to officers, drafting and processing search-warrant paperwork during off hours and work connected to mental-health holds. He told the board: "I suggested $400 a week." That proposal provoked pushback: several commissioners expressed concern about internal equity with other county on-call roles and differed on how to define and compensate on-call work across departments.

One participant cited a remark from Chief Judge Furbig reported in the meeting: "The prosecutors are more important than the judges," a comment used in the discussion to underscore recruitment and retention pressures for experienced prosecutors.

On the question of on-call pay, the commissioners did not reach agreement. Two commissioners voiced support for a lower stipend (one suggested $300 per week, another $350), and one commissioner asked staff to develop a county-wide definition of on-call pay before approving a stipend. The board deferred final action on on-call compensation and directed staff to return with more information.

The board concluded the public portion of the item by accepting the revised deputy pay scale (DP‑01 through DP‑04, base $90,000) and agreeing by board action to set the elected prosecutor's salary at $155,000. Commissioners then moved into executive session for personnel matters under Idaho law.

Votes at a glance - Pay scale adoption (DP‑01 through DP‑04, base $90,000): accepted by the board (consensus recorded in the meeting). - Elected prosecutor salary set at $155,000: accepted by the board (consensus recorded in the meeting). - On-call pay stipend: postponed for separate review; no action taken. - Motion to enter executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74‑206(1)(b) (personnel): motion made, seconded and approved by roll call.

Financing and next steps Staff told commissioners the cost to move current staff from the county's existing pay grid to the proposed scale would be about $64,397 annually (payroll-only estimate, excluding benefits). Commissioners directed staff to finalize implementation details, to confirm budget offsets, and to return with a definition and cross-department analysis of on-call pay for county personnel before adopting any stipend. The board also noted an existing $10,000 sign-on/relocation allowance had been available as a recruiting tool.