SANDPOINT - Bonner County commissioners declined on a split vote Tuesday to block raises to 15 sheriff's employees, a move that is rankling other elected officials.

The Bonner County Sheriff's Office drafted a spending plan that allows for wage adjustments that won't increase the budget's bottom line and includes a $184,000 decrease.

Commissioners Cornel Rasor and Mike Nielsen did not object to the parity adjustments because once Sheriff Daryl Wheeler is given budget authority, they effectively lose their say in how that authority is managed.

But other elected officials are calling foul on the move because none of the pay increases were reviewed by a wage committee rule they have observed.

"If we don't follow the process it starts to look discriminatory," Treasurer Cheryl Piehl told commissioners.

Piehl said the wage increase protocol has been in place since 2002.

Predictably, other officials are now resubmitting budgets with wage increases, although commissioners said they will not allow any increases if it exceeds their 2012 budget amount. This year's budget amount is being used as a benchmark in the budget process for the coming fiscal year as commissioners try to scale back non-essential budget expenses to help finish the courthouse remodel.

Nielsen has advocated for revisiting the wage analysis tied to the 2002 resolution that guides the wage-increase process. Commissioner Lewis Rich said last week that if the sheriff was allowed to hike wages, other officials should be allowed to also.

Nielsen moved to "acknowledge" the sheriff's wage increases on Tuesday, but Rich declined to second the motion due to the controversy. Rasor stepped down from the chair to second it and it passed on a 2-1 vote.