A survey of Kootenai County employee salaries and benefits will kick off immediately, the commissioners decided Tuesday.

The three elected officials voted unanimously to contract Boise consulting firm BDPA, Inc. to evaluate county employees' compensation packages.

"To determine where we are in the market," said Commissioner Todd Tondee of why the survey is necessary. "It's not a one-time, do-it-and-you're-done kind of thing."

BDPA, contracted by the county for $13,440, expects to complete the survey within three months.

"They were the most qualified and most competitive," said Commissioner Dan Green of why the commissioners picked BDPA above two other bids.

"And pretty expedited," Commissioner Jai Nelson said of the company's fast turn around.

While the county has roughly 700 employees, the consulting firm will evaluate 47 benchmark positions that represent a variety of pay grades and positions.

Compensation for those positions will be compared to those of counterparts at 44 other market employers, both in the private and public sector.

Green emphasized that the survey isn't just looking at salaries, but also vacation and sick days and other benefits.

"Other salary surveys too often look at paychecks," Green said. "We're looking at the complete compensation package."

The contract approved on Tuesday also includes a $2 million liability insurance that Tondee identified as customary.

Some county departments like the sheriff's and assessor's offices have complained of high turnover as employees are lured away by better paying jobs, often just across the border in Spokane.

The commissioners said they couldn't predict whether the survey will show county compensations below, above or even with the rest of the market.

They will evaluate the survey upon its completion.

But that doesn't mean any employees' salaries will change.

"Whatever the results are, it doesn't guarantee action," Green said.