Squatters' rights should be held close to throne
The county jail can be anywhere in the county but the sheriff’s office has to be in the city limits of the county seat. When the county purchased the property for the hoosegow, it wanted the sheriff on site and invited the city to annex the property, of which then-Mayor Ron Chaney was more than happy to oblige, along with trying to annex half the rest of the county, bless his heart.
At that juncture, the county should have known that the city would want the county to give them 60 feet of property full length. If not, blissful ignorance only goes far.
With all the venues located on the property, there is now an indication that just maybe there was a little poor planning going on. All city emergency services appear to want the street. One would think that the two law enforcement agencies could settle their wants over a donut.
Wondering, why would the city taxpayers want to foot the bill for a 1,300-foot paved street. No matter who builds the street, the city folks will have to pay their fair share and than pay into eternity the cost for maintaining the street.
Whose ego is being stroked here?
If the street goes between the jail and the fairgrounds there will not be dollar collected for the ongoing expense of the street. If it is placed at the southern boundary of the jail property, at least there maybe some taxes collected if and when the private property south of the street is developed.
The street to the south is being railed against as it would be to close to the new juvenile detention center. A heck of a plan.
With the Bonner County Fairgrounds predating the city of Sandpoint’s annexation by some 30 years, you could possibly come to the conclusion that giving up land for a city street would be a dung deal.
Unless, when the fairgrounds requested from the city the privilege to hook to its sewer, the county/fair board was informed that the right of way was eminent. Squatters’ rights should be held fast to the throne concerning this smelly issue.
PAT GOOBY
Sandpoint