Commissioners approve four-week overlap pay for Community Development director ahead of January retirement

Kootenai County commissioners on Nov. 6 approved overlap pay to support a transition after the Community Development director submitted a retirement notice effective in January, calling for at least a four-week overlap to aid hiring and continuity, the board said.

Commissioner Duncan said the director had submitted a retirement notice and recommended beginning the hiring process after Thanksgiving so a replacement could be in place before Christmas. "I would like to start interviewing probably, as early as after Thanksgiving, give it enough time to, you know, post it," Duncan said. She said the current director typically participates in interviews and that the county's admin supervisor, Michelle, or the programs manager could assist with initial applicant screening.

Board members discussed whether emphasis for a new hire should be on planning or on day-to-day management and noted recent operational improvements in the department, saying that the transition offered an opportunity to examine the director role without committing to an immediate structural change.

A motion to approve overlap pay for the Community Development director in January was moved, seconded and approved. Commissioners asked staff to return with a status update at the next Wednesday meeting and to coordinate recruitment logistics with the admin supervisor.

No vote tallies with individual names were recorded in the transcript; the board recorded the motion as carried during the session.