Hale still on payroll despite resignation

SANDPOINT — Despite tendering his resignation as undersheriff last week, David Hale remains an employee of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Daryl Wheeler announced in a 13-word press release on April 21 that he accepted Hale’s resignation.

Many, including Bonner County commissioners, assumed that the resignation meant Hale was no longer employed at the sheriff’s office.

“That was the impression and that’s what we thought,” said commission Chairman Cary Kelly said on Wednesday.

However, commissioners have since been advised that Hale is staying on at the department until May 7 for reasons which were not disclosed to them. It’s also not clear what his job title is.

“Really, most of the emails we have had have gone unanswered,” Kelly said, referring to messages the commission sent Wheeler.

Wheeler said Hale turned in his equipment, badge and identification. Wheeler added that Idaho Code prohibits him from discussing personnel matters.

“I have been advised by legal counsel not to discuss this any further, Wheeler said.

Hale’s resignation as undersheriff came a week after the existence of an impostor website for Terry Ford, who’s challenging Wheeler for the Republican nomination in the May 17 primary election, came to light. The site was traced back to computer servers registered to Hale.

Ford’s campaign argued the rudimentary, one-page site was calculated to make Ford, a retired Idaho State Police trooper, appear amateurish or unqualified.

Hale disputed the allegation and said the site was intended to provide information about the sheriff’s race.

The site at one point purported to be paid for by friends of Terry Ford, although the statement was removed once the site’s provenance became clear. The site also backlinked to a personal website of Wheeler but that link also was removed. Ford’s campaign contends the backlinking was done to legitimize the fake site and boost its ranking in Internet searches.

Wheeler has disavowed the site and Hale contends Wheeler was unaware of its existence until it was discovered by Ford’s campaign.

Since Hale may be the subject of investigations by the Idaho offices of attorney general and secretary of state, commissioners were concerned that he may still have access to computer equipment, databases and other items that could be pertinent to the investigation.

Kelly said the standard protocol in terminations and resignation — especially ones which come amid investigations — is to have the employee surrender their keys, identification, computers and phones. They are then escorted from the premises and placed on leave until further notice, said Kelly.

“We got involved for a variety of reasons,” said Kelly. “We wanted to make sure that information was protected because of an ongoing investigation.”

The board also got involved because payroll clerks are at a standstill because they don’t know Hale’s current job title or what he should be paid.