Kootenai County converts vacant deputy prosecuting attorney criminal post to civil role

The Kootenai County Board of County Commissioners voted July 3 to convert one vacant criminal deputy prosecuting attorney position into a civil deputy prosecuting attorney slot.

Stanley Mortensen, prosecuting attorney, told the board the request is "budget neutral" and is largely a change in title and job description so the office can "post and advertise that position and and hire somebody into it." He said he would like to recruit and, if possible, have the position filled before Sept. 1.

The conversion matters because it changes how the office allocates prosecutorial resources between criminal and civil work and starts a hiring process. Mortensen said the criminal position had been frozen to fund summer intern positions and that the conversion is "only budget neutral if it stays frozen till September 1." He added there is a chance funds could be made available earlier but he had not yet discussed that with the auditor's office.

Randy Falcon, speaking for the auditor's office, said the county would take steps in payroll/accounting to avoid an automatic budget downgrade next year. Falcon said the county will use a "manual workaround in the system so that his next year's budget doesn't decrease" and that the position would remain at an ATP 3 for next year, so "at this point, it's not gonna impact" next year.

Board members pressed for timing and budget clarity. Commissioner Duncan asked, "Do you think, you'll need it before September 1?" Mortensen answered, "I would like to try to fill it before then," but repeated that filling the position earlier depends on whether budgeted vacancy savings remain or the auditor's office releases funds.

There was some discussion about classification details. Falcon stated he saw a downgrade in the payroll system to ATP 2 step 5, while Mortensen characterized the change as "converting an 84 criminal position to an 84 civil position." Commissioners and staff agreed to proceed with advertising the job and resolving payroll-classification questions with HR and the auditor's office.

Commissioner Duncan moved to approve the conversion; the motion was seconded by Chair Metairie. The board voted unanimously: Commissioner Eberlein, Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted "aye," and the motion carried.

The board approved the conversion and directed staff to post the position and proceed with recruitment. Mortensen said he would manage the hiring timeline and work with the auditor's office on any necessary earlier unfreezing of the position.