TRANSPARENCY: Salary salvage a threat

Caution, do we have a “slush fund” in the making? I do not question the integrity of any of our current elected officials. The term “salary salvage” raises a serious potential transparency and integrity concern. This article clearly shows a breakdown in the current system for Kootenai County government in both transparency and structure.

When elected department heads can individually decide that some money should be provided as an employee bonus, whether deserved or not, that is not transparency. Having worked in government, I understand the concern if you don’t spend the money allocated to an agency, that amount may be reduced from future budgets.

If employees are inadequately paid in comparison to other jurisdictions that is not a reason to justify arbitrarily giving certain employees bonuses. Bonuses like all other expenditures should be a line item in the budget with money allocated for it. There should be criteria to decide who deserves a bonus and the amount. Any system where elected department heads can arbitrarily provide bonuses not provided for in the publicly approved budget creates a potentially serious problem. Issues such as this clearly call for a more transparent county government structure in which department heads are appointed based upon their professional qualifications by the County Administrator and approved by the elected County Commission who set policy and approve the budget as prepared by the professional staff.

PHIL WARD

Coeur d’Alene