A grievance that was filed over a year ago by the Missoula County Deputy Sheriff's Association against Missoula County has been delayed once again. 

Attorney for the Deputy Sheriff's Association Karl Englund said the issue revolves around the Sheriff's Office's Public Information Officer position.

"One grievance relates to the manner in which the position was filled after Deputy Jason Johnson was removed from the job, and the other  relates to changes in the job description for that position," Englund said. "Both grievances allege a violation of the collective bargaining agreement between the Deputy Sheriff's Association and the County of Missoula."

Englund provides more details on the grievance..

"The collective bargaining agreement states that anytime there is a vacancy, then the sheriff's office has to go through a process of posting the vacancy, getting applications and going through a merit-based selection process that's open to everybody in the department who would qualify for that position," he said. "When Jason Johnson was removed from that position, that procedure wasn't followed. The whole idea of why you negotiate is to ensure that anyone who meets the qualifications for the position can apply."

Englund said the arbitration hearing was scheduled for early October, but had to be postponed.

"The grievances were scheduled for arbitration early in October, "Englund said. "In the last week or so, the arbitrator agreed on by both parties developed a scheduling conflict, and so right now we're in the process of getting the hearing rescheduled."

Meanwhile, Deputy Paige Pavalone has filled the Public Information Officer Position for the sheriff's office, and has garnered favorable reviews from the media.

Attorney Karl Englund

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