Gains made, but tough times loom

PONDERAY — Positive developments are happening in Bonner County government, although county commissioners are tempering that message with concern that economic doldrums will force some hard decisions in the coming year.

“You can expect a continuing conservative government,” commission Chairman Lewis Rich told members of the Ponderay Community Development Corporation on Thursday.

Commissioners were invited to PCDC’s membership luncheon to give a State of the County address, which played up strides that are being made without sidestepping the matter of the gloomy economy and declining revenues.

Rich said while the vexing issue of a new juvenile detention facility has finally been solved and a crackdown on fraudulent homeowner exemptions has brought in nearly $400,000 tax revenue, the state is moving to increase the county’s deductible for indigent services and the county anticipates taking more property to tax deed than ever.

“This board does not want to take anybody’s house away because they couldn’t pay their taxes,” said Rich, adding that the county has no choice when it comes to those who fall badly into arrears.

The county is also bracing for the loss of funding through the federal Craig-Wyden Bill, which helps rural schools and counties.

Commissioner Cornel Rasor said a newly implemented Bonner EMS program for pre-hospital care for heart attack patients is gaining nationwide attention. The program works in close cooperation with Bonner General Hospital, Kootenai Medical Center and Heart Clinics Northwest. Bonner EMS paramedics have also received advanced training in recognizing and treating heart ailments.

“It’s already saved, we think, a couple of lives,” Rasor said.

But the county is not saving any money on the courthouse remodel due to unforeseen issues that arise when you start tearing into 100-year-old walls. He called change orders the “velociraptor” of public funds.

“There were supports on top of masonry that was crumbling,” he said.

Along with more transparency in the use of public funds, Commissioner Mike Nielsen said he will be bird-dogging expenditures to make sure they are absolutely necessary rather than simply wanted.

“One of the things I’m going to be focused is cost containment,” said Nielsen.

Nielsen also hopes to enhance the county employees’ wellness program to reduce health care costs, another significant drain on county resources.