Bonner County commissioners decline sheriffffffff"Recruiter proposal blocked; commissioners ask HR to study a

The Bonner County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday rejected a proposal to create a full-time sheriff27s office recruiter, leaving in place a plan to ask human resources to study a countywide recruitment option.

The sheriff (name not recorded in the transcript) and members of his command staff told commissioners a dedicated recruiter could help fill persistent vacancies in patrol, jail and dispatch. The sheriff said the office has had long-term shortfallsffff and that a recruiter would engage schools, fairs and targeted outreach.

"The bottom line is if we don't have enough positions, then I can't 27field an officer,27" the sheriff said, describing operational limits when staffing is low. "They're answering 50 calls for service on graveyard, and...they don't have enough time." The sheriff argued daily follow-up with prospective applicants and school outreach require a full-time, dedicated role.

Commissioners split 1-1. One commissioner said the county needs a recruiter but opposed creating a position within the sheriff27s office and urged HR to evaluate whether a county-level recruiter with law enforcement experience would be more efficient. That commissioner asked staff to hold $80,000 in contingency while HR studies a countywide option. Another commissioner voted no, saying the sheriff27s office should use existing staff or find lower-cost alternatives.

The discussion also covered field training officer (FTO) pay. County staff provided rough estimates for paying FTOs a straight hourly premium rather than an "activated" stipend. County calculations showed a $1-per-hour increase for all current FTO assignments would cost about $47,008 annually across sheriff, jail, marine and dispatch budgets; a straight-dollar approach across all departments was estimated near $31,000 just for one component. Commissioners deferred final action and asked staff to supply exact hours and historic FTO usage before deciding.

Why it matters: The county has carried unfilled public-safety positions for years, the sheriff said, and commissioners must balance hiring costs with countywide needs and equity across departments. The compromise to reserve funds and ask HR to study a countywide solution keeps money available while delaying a department-level hire.

Discussion vs. decision: Commissioners rejected the sheriff27s request for a dedicated sheriff27s-office recruiter (no formal vote recorded beyond the 1-1 split that resulted in non-approval), directed HR to study countywide recruitment options and asked staff to hold $80,000 in contingency pending HR guidance. FTO pay changes were deferred pending detailed payroll reporting.

Ending note: Commissioners stressed that any final hires or new pay schemes remain tentative until the board's formal budget vote in August and asked the sheriff27s office and HR to provide more detailed usage and cost data.