New resolution creates discontent amongst county employees

A recently passed resolution concerning holiday pay/compensation/benefits was the main area of contention on Friday, January 3, at a regular meeting of the Elmore County Board of Commissioners.

Sheriff Mike Hollinshead, deputies, sergeants and several other county employees effected by the resolution were in attendance, along with the Mountain Home News and the general public. The stakes were high.

Elmore County Human Resource Director, Heather Reynolds, set the tone of the meeting by “coming in with guns a blazing,” according to Daniel Brennan, an Idaho State Patrolman and Mountain Home City Councilman who was in attendance.

Reynolds confronted the audience with rumors of strife that she had heard through the grapevine about the resolution, and said that it wasn’t the county’s intention to “screw them over.”

When asked if the conversation should be handled in a more private way, Reynolds said, “no,” this was how they wanted it.

Law enforcement personnel were asked by the board to explain their perspectives of how the new resolution was effecting them. As Deputy Greg Geutz was trying to present his understanding of compensation versus benefits, Commissioner Wes Wooten grumbled, “greedy bastards.”

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