Kootenai County commissioners review FY26 budgets for coroner, prosecuting attorney; public raises pension and vacancy-funding concerns

Coequal review: Kootenai County Board of Commissioners on June 17 reviewed proposed FY26 budgets for the county coroner and the prosecuting attorney, focusing on modest line-item increases, costs tied to taking on a county-owned building and one-time equipment and travel needs.

The coroner, Dr. Duke Johnson, told commissioners the proposed coroner budget centers on three items: continuing an on-call pay program begun midyear, new operating costs tied to assuming responsibility for the Pierce Clague Building, and modest outreach and advertising to invite coroners from other North Idaho offices to tour a planned county autopsy facility. "So that's really all that we've added to our budget," Dr. Johnson said. "It's a very small change overall."

The coroner's presentation included specific line items: continuation of on-call pay that was adopted midyear at $5,000 and is proposed at $13,000 for a full year (an increase of about $8,000 compared with the adopted midyear figure); $3,000 for computer supplies for a part-time visiting medical examiner; an increase of about $3,600 in janitorial services tied to the Pierce Clague Building; $2,000 for local meetings and expos to invite other North Idaho coroners to use the new autopsy facility; airfare and lodging increases of about $2,000 each to cover required continuing education; and a $388 advertising/print cost. Dr. Johnson said redirecting autopsy work from Spokane to the county facility would keep revenue in Idaho. The coroner said the overall departmental budget would rise from about $1,036,000 to $1,062,000, roughly a $25,000 increase, with the largest single component the on-call pay.

Prosecuting Attorney Stanley Mortensen presented both civil and criminal budget components and described primarily small increases to cover expected overages and recurring costs. For the civil division Mortensen said the requested B budget increase is "just over $2,100" to cover items such as professional reference materials and mandatory continuing-education costs. On the criminal side he said the B budget increase is "just under $4,800," citing transcript costs, continuing legal research subscriptions and similar recurring needs. He said transcripts alone account for about an $1,800 increase because the office must obtain transcripts for appeals, grand-jury work and trial preparation.

Mortensen also discussed personnel and staffing choices for the A budget. He asked that temporary part-time investigator and a temporary part-time victim coordinator positions be funded through the next fiscal year (the board previously approved funding through the current fiscal year). He said doing so would be largely offset by not hiring a proposed legal assistant, and asked the board to approve continuation of the temporary positions. He also said the office plans to promote three deputy prosecutors into felony work within their first year of advancement. "My budget's going down despite the fact that we're operating with more attorneys than we have been over the last few years," Mortensen said, noting overall savings from a frozen attorney position that he described as about $122,000.

Commissioners pressed Mortensen on a $2,000 line item described as onboarding or program-expansion funding for a part-time investigator who has already begun work. Mortensen said the investigator is operating without some equipment; commissioners urged buying needed items now rather than waiting until later in the fiscal year. Mortensen said the office has funds within other line items and could purchase equipment without exceeding the overall departmental budget.

During public comment Ron Hartman of The Record urged the county to change how it budgets for long-vacant positions and suggested converting new hires to 401(k) plans instead of pensions, as private employers have done. "I think it's time that maybe the finance department looks at what it would take to... anybody new hire gets a 401(k) and no longer gets a retirement pension," Hartman said. A commissioner responded that Kootenai County is required by Idaho law to contribute to pensions and that the county has limited discretion on that point; the commissioner also said positions vacant more than 100 days are being budgeted at 50% and that the board retains the ability to change vacancy funding percentages.

No formal votes were recorded at the meeting; both department heads presented budget requests and commissioners asked clarifying questions and gave informal direction on timing of equipment purchases for the investigator. Commissioners indicated support for proceeding with the requested continuations and for addressing the investigator's equipment needs immediately.

The meeting ran about 19 minutes and covered two substantive budget presentations plus public comment. The board recessed after public comment and adjourned at 11:19 a.m.