County addresses wage issues

Kootenai County officials hope to have the results of its employee wage and benefit study complete by February so they can use the information to ensure county workers are paid adequately.

A California-based consultant has been working with the county since September to compare county employees’ wages and benefits with those for workers in similar jobs in the Northwest. The consultant also is reviewing all the county job descriptions.

The county will use the recommendations from the study to solve any wage discrepancies.

The commission adopted a new compensation philosophy Tuesday, which outlines 10 objectives developed by the commissioners, consultant and staff.

The goals strive to ensure that employee pay reflects the value of the position both for the county and in surrounding job markets.

The philosophy also states that the county is committed to keeping the salary structure up to date by conducting market surveys.

All county employees will receive copies of the philosophy with their paychecks this week.

County Finance Director David McDowell said developing the philosophy is one of the first steps in the compensation and benefit study.

The commission said it needs the study to solve ongoing wage woes that have hit sheriff deputies and 911 center workers the hardest.

“It’s too early to know how this all will apply to the budget,” McDowell said.

The commission did tap $870,000 in property taxes in the fiscal year 2005 budget to pay for the adjustment of any wage discrepancies found in the study. Until now the county had opted not to collect the $870,000 in foregone taxes so it could leave more cash in property owners’ pockets.

If that’s not enough money to fix the wage problems, McDowell said, the county must look at other options not yet determined.

The debate over whether to pay for the $60,000 study caused controversy earlier this year, but the commission finally agreed to include it in the budget.

In other news during Tuesday’s meeting, the commission postponed the reappointment of three Planning and Zoning Commission members – Chairman Mark Triplett, David Weinstein and Dan Green. All three commissioners currently serve on the board.

Commissioner Rick Currie said he needed more time to get additional information, but he wasn’t specific.

“It’s important and I wanted more time to think it over,” he said.

County Planning Director Rand Wichman said he was unaware of any concerns and that he anticipates the commission will reappoint all three planning commissioners.

The County Commission is expected to bring up the committee appointments next week.