County employees say morale is at all-time low

SANDPOINT — Morale is down like four flat tires, according to a number of Bonner County employees.

Unease has been simmering over the last year amid changes to medical insurance, a steady stream of bickering among elected officials and persistent concerns that the county’s budget will be balanced on the back of employees.

But the troubled remodel of the county courthouse is turning things up to a steady boil.

Several employees with more than a decade of service said the collective mood has never been gloomier.

Clerk Marie Scott, who’s held elected office since 1991 but began working for the county in 1986, also said she’s never seen such a depressed morale.

“During some election cycles, like when there’s an in-house battle for one of the elected positions, things get a little tense at that time. But morale-wise, no. Not like this,” said Scott.

Scott added morale was better even during a remarkably tumultuous period in the mid-1990s, when county commissioners were shutting down entire departments and running off department heads they were at odds with.

Many employees place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the current county commission, with particular emphasis on commissioners Cornel Rasor and Mike Nielsen.

The employees, however, would only speak on the record if they could do so anonymously. They fear speaking out publicly would cost them their jobs.

They list a litany of concerns, including the change in medical insurance, perceived bullying tactics with other officials, belittling an employee for using a county Dumpster to dispose of personal trash. Workers further contend that board acts as if it wants employee input on matters affecting them, but then disregards that input.

But the courthouse remodel appears to be one of the more significant sources of employee ire.

“The courthouse remodel has taken a toll on all of the employees,” said one worker.

“I feel that the biggest mistake that was made was the commissioners thinking they themselves knew what the heck they were doing when they make decisions on a building that should not have been remodeled,” said another employee.

The courthouse remodel was originally projected to cost about $800,000. Rasor said $1.4 million has been devoted to the project and another $1.1 million more is needed to reopen the building for business.

The project was conceived by a previous commission and Rasor said that board, which included Commissioner Lewis Rich, had no idea of the building’s striking structural deficiencies until the roof was removed and walls were breached.

“Those things could not have been known,” said Rasor.

Courthouse employees, however, said even they have known about the building’s shortcomings. They assert that selling the century-old facility and building anew would have been cheaper.

Rasor disputes that contention. He said the entire project, which includes future expansion of the building, is tracking toward $5.7 million and a new building on existing county land would cost as much as $9 million.

Rancor involving the remodel increased following the release of an email Rasor wrote to department heads asking them to find ways to reduce their budgets. The email, which was eventually forwarded to every employee in the county, suggests limited employee furloughs to cut costs.

The email did not go over well.

Employees received a modest raise in the current budget but they also saw their taxes increased, which effectively nullified any gains.

Unpaid furloughs, if implemented, would amount to a reduction in pay. There is also concern the escalating courthouse remodel costs would trigger another tax hike.

“I have bills to pay, bills that I have accrued based upon my monthly income and now they want to reduce my income. How am I supposed to pay my bills as well as pay my higher property taxes with a reduction in pay?” said yet another employee.

Rasor said furloughs can be avoided if the county verifies that the county can borrow money from one fund to replenish another. The county also plans to seek confirmation from a district judge that it can take out a loan to pay for completion of the courthouse.

“Only if necessary will we contemplate furloughs and then only just enough to make up any shortfall in the other two budgets,” Rasor said, referring to each departments’ operations and expense budgets.

However, Rasor doubts that the furloughs would be implemented for public safety personnel such as deputies and 911 dispatchers, which does not sit well with other workers. They contend there is already a law-enforcement bias on the board.

Assessor Jerry Clemons and Road & Bridge Director Gordon Bates are urging commissioners to make the furloughs across the board if they are enacted, according to emails obtained by The Daily Bee.

“I would be very disappointed if ALL county employees did not suffer equally, including elected officials,” Clemons said in his email.

There is a palpable amount of employee disgust directed at Nielsen, who is accused of being too brash with employees and overly aggressive with other elected officials such as Scott and Treasurer Cheryl Piehl. He’s also consistently drawn fire for the change in health insurance providers.

Nielsen defends the change as a sound business decision that lessened the amount of money employees have to contribute to their medical and dental plans. It’s also saving taxpayers’ money.

“I did not run for office to make friends or become popular. I ran to serve the taxpayers,” said Nielsen.

Some employees, however, are convinced they would be better off with at least two new commissioners.

“The morale in the county offices is at its ultimate low. Who is to blame? I say the commissioners in office, mainly Nielsen and Rasor. Idiots they are,” said another employee.