The Bonner County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 23 approved amended job descriptions for two Human Resources generalist positions and authorized certification pay for the two employees who hold required HR certifications.

The board first discussed whether adding a certification requirement to the job description would automatically trigger certification pay under the county's Personnel Policy 600.13. HR Director Jonathan Holmgren told the board that certification pay is governed by policy and is brought to the board for a separate decision, but provided budget scenarios for the commissioners to consider.

Holmgren presented three effective-date options and the associated costs: making the increase effective at the start of fiscal year 2026 would raise the HR budget for the remainder of the year by $7,030.40; making it effective for the current pay period (the Dec. 26 paycheck) would increase the budget by $5,678.40; and making it effective for the next pay period (the Jan. 9, 2026 paycheck) would increase the budget by $5,408.

Commissioners extensively debated whether the certification requirement should be added retroactively and whether a back-pay approach would be equitable. Commissioner Williams pressed staff for clarity on whether adding certification as a requirement to the job description creates an immediate entitlement under existing policy. In response Holmgren said, "There currently is a certification pay policy. It does not automatically go into effect. It's brought before the board for a board decision." (as stated at the meeting).

After the board first voted down an initial motion to approve the job description revisions, members agreed on an amended motion that kept references to risk-management duties in the Compensation and Benefits generalist job description while clarifying that supervision would rest with the HR director. That amended motion passed.

On HR item 2 the board then voted to apply the two-step certification pay increase to the two HR generalists effective Jan. 9, 2026, citing the county's existing policy and staff recommendations. The chosen option corresponds to the $5,408 budget impact estimate for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. The board recorded that funds to support the adjustment were available in a workforce investment enhancement fund identified during the budget process.

Supporters said the certification requirement raises professionalism in HR and that funds were identified during the budgeting process. Dissenting commissioners said adding a certification requirement that triggers pay increases should be timed carefully and explained the desire to avoid retroactive pay where the requirement did not exist previously.

The board directed HR and the comptroller to reflect the decision in payroll and to bring proposed updates to Policy 600 (Certification Pay) for future consideration to clarify how certification and step increases should be handled going forward.

The board's votes on both the amended job descriptions and the certification pay were taken by roll call.