SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners have approved the transfer of funds from the justice fund contingency budget following a mishap that occurred with the Clerk and HR departments.

Both county Clerk Mike Rosedale and HR generalist Alissa Clark came before the board Tuesday to discuss the agenda item. Rosedale told commissioners that last year, the departments performed their regular processes where the HR department sends out a sheet to each department director to look over their employees’ hourly rates and positions to approve them for the upcoming budget year.

“When that sheet made it to auditing for my court clerk staff, there was a formula in the bottom for the number that was given to auditing to plug in that missed two full people,” he said.

In addition, Rosedale said that somehow, a third employee’s position had been budgeted roughly $8,000 short of what was needed.

The clerk said that the mistake was no one’s fault and it was merely an unfortunate oversight. The departments, he said, are actively working together to find solutions to avoid similar mishaps in the future.

“This is just a mistake,” he said.

Rosedale said that at this point, roughly 50% through the year, the department is right where they need to be money-wise; however, they are three staff short.

“When we’re going back up to our regular full staff, something is going to break,” he said.

The clerk requested that the commissioners approve the opening of the budget to allow the use of the contingency fund. The department needs roughly $58,000 to finish out the rest of the year without having a negative budget.

In the department’s A budget, which accounts for the employees’ salaries, a total of $40,825 was requested. The D budget, which is for employee benefits, will need $17,111 for the remainder of the year.

The commissioners unanimously approved the transfer of $57,936 from the justice fund contingency budget to cover the cost of the two-and-a-half employees for the remainder of the year.