Green Owl plan on hold

SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners are forming a citizens advisory committee to solve the dilemma of the Green Owl waste collection site near Priest River.

Commissioners Joe Young and Lewis Rich voted Tuesday to table plans to relocate the site closer to Highway 57.  The county sought to close the existing site because of illegal dumping and shift it to the 1200 block of Peninsula Road so it can be expanded and staffed with an attendant.

But scores of residents turned out at a public workshop in Priest River to denounce the new site. Many urged the county to simply close the existing site, which would force residents to use nearby sites at Idaho Hill in Oldtown, 11 Mile on Highway 57 and Dickensheet.

“The opinions expressed there are definitely going to be part of the process,” said Rich.

More than 40 people at the meeting listed closing Green Owl as the most desirable course of action. Fifty people indicated relocating the site on Peninsula Road was the least desirable.

Young said he was fine with either of those options.

“If we don’t find another place, we’ll probably close it,” he said.

However, commissioners declined to strike the option of moving it on Peninsula Road, much to the dismay of the legion of opponents of that relocation scenario. Hundreds have signed a petition protesting its relocation on Peninsula Road and it was the clear loser in last week’s popularity contest.

“What does it take?” asked Rod Stafford.

Young and Solid Waste Director Leslie Marshall said the Peninsula Road relocation should be put through the advisory committee wringer with any other options. Young added that any decisions about the project should include Commissioner Cornel Rasor, who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting because of a scheduling conflict.

Commissioners plan to send out another direct-mail advisory to affected residents and are seeking people interested on serving on the relocation subcommittee.