Hard-working staff keeps county running smoothly

With 2024 bringing another big election year for the county everyone wonders what changes are on the horizon. Despite the uncertainty, our amazing and hard- working county staff are working diligently to make sure county services continue to run smoothly. 

Bonner County's Self-Insured Retention (SIR) program entered its seventh year with continued success.  Public entities across the US faced rising liability GL, Auto, and PEMP cost increases, but Bonner County's policy costs were stable.  Property insurance costs rose greatly due to Bonner County's property values increasing and construction cost increases. Most property Insurance carriers left the Pacific Northwest Market due to wildfire risk and realized losses from other customers.  Bonner County's insurance broker, Redman Insurance, was able to secure property coverage with several carriers after the existing carrier, Liberty Mutual, refused to renew the policy at the last minute after giving indications that it would renew. In March of 2024, the property insurance coverage was moved to Farm Bureau mid-year, at a lower premium than the 2023-2024 policy Bonner County was able to secure in November.  Cyber Insurance is getting more difficult to procure due to the market realizing loss potential.  Bonner County continued to be insured with Coalition (insurance). Bonner County IT continues to make improvements to protect the County from Cyber-attacks. Bonner County's workers compensation insurance experience modifier rate (MOD) rose slightly from 1.13 to 1.16. State Insurance Fund (SIF) continued SIF Care, which aids in reporting and treatment of new claims, as well as a new Bonner County program with site visits and consultation between all managers and SIF in an injury reduction push. Going forward, the unexpected price increase in property insurance premiums appears to be reversed and averted, but a tight insurance market and high inflation levels threaten Bonner County's ability to contain costs. Risk Management recommends cooperation and coordination among the elected officials to reduce risk and improve the safety program.

Bonner County Road and Bridge was able to Complete several projects in fiscal year 2023. These projects consisted of the reconstruction of a failed 11-foot diameter culvert on Dufort road, 3.5 miles of new asphalt on East Dufort Road, .28 Miles of new asphalt on Bear Paw Road and .30 miles of new asphalt on Peterson Road. We also completed 49 miles of chip seal, 300 + miles of Magnesium Chloride on our gravel roads for dust abatement, and two big guardrail projects on Bear Paw Road and the Big Creek Bridge, off the East River Road. We were able to finish the design, planning and bidding of two bridges set to be replaced in 2024, Grouse Creek Bridge over Grouse creek and the Rapid Lightning Bridge number 5. We are working on four other bridges that are being replaced as well over the next couple of years. Our department has plans to apply asphalt to an additional 1.75 miles of Sunnyside Road from the end of asphalt near Hawkins point to Cedar Lane at the end of County maintenance. Also, several Aprons in the Town of Blanchard in 2024 along with another 45+ miles of chip seal, 300+ miles of mag for dust abatement, and several other gravel construction projects in all 3 districts. 

During the year 2023 Bonner County EMS handled 4,629 calls for service, which resulted in around 1.3 million in billing revenue, making up approximately 1/3 of our budget. BCEMS Station 1 (Sandpoint) continues to account for the highest call volume each year, finishing 2023 at handling 40% of all calls. BCEMS chute times (911 dispatch to enroute) remained at 1 minute and 34 seconds which is well below the set 2-minute benchmark we have set. Response time average in our mostly rural county was 10 minutes and 18 seconds. BCEMS was officially designated a Time Sensitive Emergency (TSE) Advanced Life Support Service, by the State of Idaho TSE Council. This was because BCEMS has continually exceeded benchmarks for Trauma, STEMI and Stroke established by the Council.  2023 saw some personal changes, including the addition of a Deputy Chief position responsible for oversight of all Clinical, Training and Operations within the department. We greatly appreciate the support of our community entrusting us to deliver them with the highest level of prehospital care.  

Solid Waste saw a significant increase of 9.9% waste disposal in 2023.  Also increased was our 2023 traffic counts with 530,580 vehicles visiting one of our 11 attended collection sites.  In May of 2023 the Bonner County Board of Commissioners approved the approximate $6.3 million Colburn Improvements construction project.  A new metal disposal area was completed in mid-August after which the new 124’ X 62” waste transfer building began.  The project will include the much needed maintenance on the existing waste transfer building starting in early summer 2024.  The project is scheduled to be completed at the beginning of August.  The project is within budget and no schedule deviations are anticipated.  Solid Waste has initiated efforts to change the way our tire processing is handled.  This strategic change creates cost savings and operational efficiencies within the department.  We expect to implement the same plan with refrigeration de-commissioning in the future.

The main efforts by the Planning Department in 2023 were focused on the Comprehensive Plan Update. The Planning Commission drafted eleven components of the Comprehensive Plan and ten were adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in 2023. Major steps left in the project include the Land Use component, updates to the Compressive Plan Map, and updates to the Zoning Map. Additionally, 1145 building location permit applications were received compared to 1419 in 2022. Throughout the year there were 412 land use applications received: 81 land divisions, 91 quasi-judicial files, and 240 administrative land use files. Land use applications dropped 24% year-over-year due mainly to a significant reduction in Minor Land Division applications. 

On July 11, 2023 the Bonner County Board of Commissioners awarded the EMS Station No. 1 and Office Complex project located at 521 South Division Avenue to Kilgore Construction for the amount of $7,190,000.00. The project involves construction of a new mixed use occupancy building totaling approximately 24,000 square feet. The new building will house the new EMS Station No. 1 and new EMS Administration offices in addition to new spaces for the Information Technology, Solid Waste, Veterans Services, Human Resources and Coroner departments. Project construction commenced on July 26, 2023 and is approximately 45% completed with the majority of the site, utility work and all of the foundation work completed in the Fall of 2023. Current tasks include installation of the drywall and insulation, installation of the building wrap and site work for the generator pad. The scheduled project completion date is July 26, 2024. Currently the project is on schedule and within the BOCC approved budget.

Thank you to all of Bonner County’s hardworking employees, without you county services would not be run as effectively as they are. 

Contributions by: Jessi Reinbold, Business Operations Manager, BOCC; Jason Topp, Road & Bridge director; Jeff Lindsey, EMS director; Melissa Gault, Operations Manager, Solid Waste; Christian Jostelin, Bonner County Risk Manager;  Spencer Ferguson, Manager, Bonner County Engineering Department; and Jacob Gabell, Planning Director.