County schools job to go part-time

LAKE COUNTY — Between Christmas and New Year’s, the Lake County Commissioners passed a resolution making the office of Superintendent of Schools a part-time elected official position.

Commissioner Paddy Trusler said the change would affect any candidate considering running for the position in the next election. The sign-up for potential candidates begins today.

The commissioners made the change because of budget issues and the lack of necessity for a full-time official.

“I guess one reason is the economy,” Chuck Whitson, a commissioner, said. “Another reason is the sitting superintendent feels like part-time is adequate to fulfill the duties of the superintendent.”

The superintendent of schools oversees the rural schools in Lake County — such as Dayton and Valley View — as well as helps oversee budget matters for the larger districts.

Places like Polson, Ronan and Mission have their own superintendents, Gale Decker, current superintendent of schools, said.

“They take care of almost everything for their district. I help with budgeting and setting levees,” he said.

The commissioners said the idea to make the position part time was partly from Decker.

“I told the commissioners that I probably wouldn’t run again if the position was full time,” Decker said. “But I told them to look at what was best for the office.”

As of right now, Decker has not officially announced his campaign.

Trusler said part of the resolution called for there to always be a full-time deputy in the superintendent’s office. 

“In the fall and spring, the superintendent will probably work more than part time hours, but the rest of the year part time hours are more than sufficient to do all the necessary work, especially when the deputy is full time,” Decker said.

The budget had to be trimmed, and this seemed like a better solution than combining the superintendent’s office with another elected official like other counties have done, Trusler said.

Combining elected offices is quite common in smaller counties across the state, Commissioner Bill Barron said.

“In Lake County, the offices of the sheriff and the coroner are combined. That’s a really common one,” Barron said.

Decker agrees that part time hours are the best solution.

“I think it is something good, but will take another four-year term to see what the weaknesses are,” he said.