Bonner County officials agree to form committee to redesign employee-recognition program

At a Bonner County workshop that began at 10 a.m., elected officials and staff discussed revamping the county’s employee recognition program, including whether to replace monthly awards with an annual employee-of-the-year system and how to structure nominations, selection and awards.

The conversation focused on three takeaways: the existing employee-of-the-month process is inconsistent, the $100 gift card commonly given is subject to payroll tax and thus worth less to recipients, and officials want criteria and a selection process that gives awards more meaning. Veronica, a county staff member who described the current process, said, "Well, currently, we just have a form that you guys can submit online or, you know, kinda through Google Drive. Your nominations for employee of the month ... the commissioners then award them a hundred dollar gift card and ... a plaque," and added that the procedure "is very, I guess, benign ... there's not a lot of substance to it right now."

Why it matters: officials said the program affects employee morale and the county’s public image. Several elected officials argued that awards should reflect measurable or peer-verified contributions rather than becoming a routine "participation" recognition. They raised equity concerns for staff who work behind the scenes (for example, IT/GIS and technical positions) and for field employees who are not regularly present in central ceremonies, such as solid waste and road crews.

Key proposals and discussion points

- Committee and timeline: Participants agreed to form a selection committee composed of all elected officials and the county HR director to draft formal criteria and recommendations. The committee will hold a workshop to develop the program rules, decide award types, and return to the full group with a proposal. The group reached this decision by consensus during the workshop; no formal roll-call vote was taken.

- Nomination process: Staff will continue to accept nominations throughout the year via the existing online form so achievements can be documented when they are fresh. Officials discussed department-level nominations and a manager-signoff step to validate submissions before they enter the countywide pool.

- Frequency and categories: Options discussed included (a) keeping local monthly recognitions within departments but elevating county-level recognition to an annual employee-of-the-year; (b) selecting finalists or winners in multiple categories such as external customer-facing, internal support, and first responders; and (c) allowing the selection committee to determine whether to name one overall winner or several category winners.

- Selection method: Several officials favored a two-stage process: department or manager nominations produce a pool of candidates, a panel or committee vets nominees to ensure they meet objective criteria, then either the committee or a broader employee vote (from a prequalified slate) determines final recipients. Participants specifically discussed guarding against "popularity contest" results by prequalifying nominees.

- Awards and tax considerations: The group discussed replacing or supplementing $100 gift cards with options such as county-logo apparel, branded planners, a comp day or additional paid time off, and public recognition (photographs posted near the commissioners’ office or on the county website). Staff noted that gift cards are taxed as income on the recipient’s paycheck; officials directed staff to get a clear legal/payroll interpretation of tax consequences and whether non-cash, logoed items or comp time would be treated differently.

- Accessibility and outreach: Officials emphasized ensuring field staff and remote sites (for example, solid waste and some road and bridge crews) are included in nominations and celebrations. Ideas included posting winners online, advertising at public-facing sites, and holding a countywide event (potluck or luncheon) to present awards.

Decisions and next steps

- Form selection committee: All elected officials plus the HR director will serve on a selection committee to draft criteria and recommend awards. The committee will schedule a workshop to produce a formal program proposal and guidance on taxable versus non-taxable award options.

- Continue monthly nominations: Staff will communicate to employees that nominations may continue throughout the year; the committee will compile those nominations for annual review.

- Staff follow-up: County payroll/legal staff will be asked for guidance on tax treatment of gift cards versus non-cash awards and on whether comp days can be awarded without affecting accrual caps. The commissioners asked that the office manager circulate instructions to staff clarifying how to submit nominations going forward.

Ending

Officials framed the change as an effort to make recognition more meaningful and equitable across departments. The selection committee will return to the board with proposed criteria and recommended awards for final consideration.