Bonner County commissioners weigh monthly, quarterly and annual staff recognition options

Bonner County commissioners and staff debated whether to maintain monthly employee recognition or move to a quarterly-into-annual model during a workshop session, with discussion focused on program design, taxable rewards, department size and budget implications.

The county workshop centered on whether the Board should continue a monthly “employee of the month” program or instead recognize staff quarterly at the department level and select a smaller number of annual countywide honorees. Commissioners and department leaders said some small departments lack enough employees to sustain a monthly program and that monthly awards had become “obligatory” in some places rather than a meaningful recognition tied to performance evaluations.

Supporters of a less frequent, higher-value award said tying the county-level recognition to annual performance evaluations would make the award more substantive and encourage directors to complete evaluations. Assessor Englehart recommended having…