Kootenai County commissioners approve FY26 pay matrices, COLA, longevity and retention bonuses

Kootenai County commissioners on Sept. 18 approved new FY2026 pay matrices, authorized cost-of-living and longevity increases effective Sept. 21, and signed off on one-time retention bonuses for the prosecuting attorney’s office and the sheriff’s dispatch staff.

The actions came during a regularly scheduled human resources meeting attended by county commissioners and staff. Dorothy Cross of human resources sought to place a clarification on the record and then presented the compensation proposals that the board approved by unanimous voice vote.

Human-resources clarification

Dorothy Cross, speaking for human resources, asked the board to put on the record that “HR did not recommend that the assessor have a policy regarding candidacy for election office,” citing a request by a person named Sylvia to record that fact.

Why it matters

The approvals alter pay tables and one-time payouts that affect dozens of county employees and will change payroll costs. Commissioners discussed budget impacts, questions about how longevity increases were calculated, and staffing pressures in public-safety offices that motivated bonus requests.

Pay matrices and COLA/longevity increases

The board approved new FY2026 pay matrices prepared by human resources so the county can publish them and departments can begin internal communications. Separately, commissioners approved cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and changes to longevity pay that will take effect Sept. 21, 2025. Cross told the board the department provided a spreadsheet of every pay increase that will be effective on that date and requested approval because the changes will not be processed via the standard salary-change form.

Commissioners asked for clarification about how many employees were already receiving longevity and how much of the approved increase represents new or additional payments. Cross and other staff described the difference between “unloaded” and “loaded” costs: the unloaded increase total for longevity was $246,462.20, with an unloaded budget amount of $73,840; a rough estimate for loaded costs (including benefits) would add roughly 20–30 percent. Commissioners agreed the budgeted amount appears to cover the increases but requested final loaded numbers after Brandy (HR staff) completes a review.

Open position report

Cross reported the county currently has 79 total vacancies and that vacancies for detention deputies have fallen to 14, down from higher levels a year earlier. She said HR is tracking applicants and has four candidates “in the pipeline” expected to be hired by early December, and that offers for four positions had already been accepted by Oct. 6. The board asked that the open-position report be provided monthly.

Prosecuting attorney bonus request

Stanley Mortensen, Kootenai County prosecuting attorney, asked the board to approve retention bonuses for his office and one merit increase for a staff attorney who took on supervisory and training duties. Mortensen said his office is short five attorneys and has experienced turnover; he provided updated graphs of caseloads to commissioners and said vacancies have produced “a trickle down effect” on nonattorney staff.

“My attorneys are doing more work than is expected of any one attorney,” Mortensen said. He asked that a portion of salary-savings from vacancies be used for one-time retention bonuses distributed according to years of service. Commissioners approved the request and asked Mortensen to return with a staffing plan and sensitivity analysis showing how many attorneys would be needed to reach target caseloads.

Dispatch bonus request and training bottleneck

Lieutenant Howard of the sheriff’s office requested continuation and an increase of one-time bonuses for dispatch staff, describing sustained 60-hour work weeks and an average of about 40 hours of overtime each pay period for dispatchers. Howard said the sheriff’s office has roughly 10 vacancies in dispatch and is relying on a small number of trainers; he warned that recent regional changes to neighboring dispatch centers will increase local competition for trained dispatchers.

“The money that the bonuses that they're currently receiving is not equal to the lack of time with their family and the ability to rest,” Howard said, arguing that increases and retention bonuses are needed while trainees complete an extended training pipeline.

Howard told commissioners he plans to present an AI-based training program at an upcoming business meeting intended to accelerate trainee readiness and reduce trainer burden. He asked for the larger option of the bonus request ($312,000); commissioners approved the request and discussed monitoring the training progress and contingency steps if trainers leave.

Executive session and classification update

The board entered executive session under Idaho Code §74-206(1)(b). Upon exiting, commissioners voted to approve a reclassification and job description update that restores former language specifying reporting to the Board of County Commissioners.

Votes at a glance

- Approve new FY2026 pay matrices — outcome: approved (voice vote: Commissioner Eberline, aye; Commissioner Duncan, aye; Chair Metoyer, aye). Motion carried. - Approve COLA and longevity increases effective Sept. 21, 2025 — outcome: approved (voice vote: Eberline, Duncan, Metoyer). Motion carried. Staff to provide loaded-cost figures after HR review. - Approve prosecuting attorney retention and merit bonus request — outcome: approved (voice vote: Eberline, Duncan, Metoyer). Motion carried. Prosecutor to return with staffing/caseload analysis. - Approve sheriff dispatch retention bonus request (commissioner record reflects the requested figure of $312,000) — outcome: approved (voice vote: Eberline, Duncan, Metoyer). Motion carried. Sheriff’s office to report on training progress and contingency plans. - Approve reclassification/job-description update after executive session — outcome: approved (voice vote: Eberline, Duncan, Metoyer). Motion carried.

What’s next

Commissioners asked HR to circulate final, loaded budget impacts for the longevity and COLA changes after Brandy completes her review. The prosecuting attorney was asked to return with a staffing proposal and sensitivity analysis showing how additional attorneys would affect caseloads. The sheriff’s office said it would present a training-acceleration program at the next business meeting and track whether the roster of trainers remains sufficient.