County paychecks grow

Kootenai County employees got more than a $1 million in salary and benefit adjustments this week to keep county pay in line with other Northwest governments and similarly sized businesses.

About half of the county’s 680 employees received increases in their hourly wage – jumps that ranged from 2 cents an hour to $4 an hour. Some sheriff’s deputies saw the largest adjustments with one patrol officer getting an $8,408 annual increase.

The remaining employees didn’t see any adjustment in their paychecks issued today. No employee received a decrease in pay.

County Commissioner Rick Currie said he was “pleasantly surprised” to learn that only about half of the county employees had wages below the market average. He initially feared the outcome could have been worse.

A California-based consultant determined that overall, the county paid employees 10 percent to 14 percent below market. The county hired the HayGroup to conduct a $60,000 study to determine which positions needed salary adjustment and by how much. The goal was to ensure that employees’ pay reflects the value of the position both for the county and in surrounding job markets.

More practically, the county wanted to stop the exodus of county workers, especially sheriff’s deputies and 911 center workers, who were leaving for higher-paying jobs in nearby towns. The county estimates the turnover has cost the county about $3.3 million a year in lost productivity, training and corporate knowledge.

“This is average market,” Currie said of the new pay levels. “It’s not the top end; it’s not the low end. It’s the middle.”

Currie said the county is negotiating with HayGroup to do the second phase of the study, which will help ensure that county salaries keep up with the market. That work is expected to be done by September; Currie said it is unknown how much that part of the study may cost.

Sheriff Rocky Watson said that the adjustments in pay will help entry-level deputies but that more needs to be done to keep the veteran deputies with more experience and training. He hopes that comes with the next phase of the study.

“It’s a good start,” he said.

The pay adjustments affect both salaries and benefits that are tied to wages, such as retirement, Social Security and unemployment. Health benefits weren’t affected by the study.

The county made $853,183 in salary adjustments and $162,105 in benefit adjustments for a total just over $1 million. That’s about $167,600 more than what the county had budgeted.

Finance Director David McDowell said the commission will have to find the extra cash in the fiscal year 2006 budget that is currently being developed. He said that’s not a lot of money in a $58 million county budget.

To pay for the anticipated salary adjustments, the Kootenai County Commission tapped $847,700 in unused property tax authority in the fiscal year 2005 budget. It was the first time in years the county has collected foregone taxes, which it opted against in the past to leave more cash in property owners’ pockets.

The commission said it was the only way to get the money desperately needed to solve the ongoing wage woes.

Some people, including Watson, initially opposed the salary study, saying it was a waste of taxpayers’ dollars and money that could be used to keep employees.

In 2003, 79 employees left their county jobs, including eight people who retired – a 12 percent turnover rate. Thirteen of those employees left involuntarily. The most frequently cited reasons for leaving were better wages and working conditions elsewhere, according to a report prepared by the county Human Resources Department.

County employees received individual notices last week outlining their salary adjustments.

The county commission adopted three pay plans – one for law enforcement officers, another for attorneys and a third for the remainder of county employees.

Some department heads and elected officials were concerned that the county commission didn’t release more information about the study so employees could have a snapshot of what was happening countywide.

County Assessor Mike McDowell said his staff saw few salary adjustments, which caused his employees to ask questions. McDowell said he didn’t have the answers because the county commission declined to provide details until paychecks come out today.

Currie said the county only was trying to make sure employees got the information before the media or the general public.

Pay for elected officials also was part of the study. The commission appointed a citizens committee Tuesday that will recommend pay for the three commissioners, sheriff, clerk, treasurer, assessor, prosecutor and coroner.

The committee has until July 15 to make that recommendation. The commission retains the final say.