No headline

resource plan

Natural resource

plan is flawed

On Jan. 18, I attended the Bonner County commissioners’ public hearing regarding the proposed Bonner County Natural Resource Plan.

I have concerns with the manner in which the public hearing was conducted.

At the beginning of the hearing the commissioners stated any letters mailed to the board that in their opinion had been “cut and pasted” were not going to be given consideration. There were several times those who were speaking were interrupted by the commissioners, who then proceeded to argue with them. All citizens who take the time to write a letter or to attend a public hearing should be listened to, whether pro or con and treated with respect by their elected officials.

All in all, six people spoke in support and I estimate that 20-25 were opposed. It became quite clear by the end of the hearing that all of the commissioners are in favor of the plan and that they were not really interested in the opinions of the public, especially of those who had an opposing view.

I am a voter, a long-time resident and an informed citizen and like many others in the county I expect that my representatives in local government are representing all of us and are making decisions to run our county in everyone’s best interests. This was not the case at the public hearing and this plan is not representative of our county. It is not supported by the Idaho Forest Group or the Idaho Conservation League.

A natural resources plan should involve all stakeholders and be developed with input from a broad spectrum. Input should be provided by Federal Agencies, State Agencies, Sportsmen’s groups, the Outdoor Industry and the Forest Products Industry.

Our board of commissioners should be representing all of their constituents and respectfully take into consideration all opinions and value the input that could be provided by those qualified people within the groups listed above.

CONNIE BURKHART

Hope

follies

I agree with

Diane Wheeler

Just a brief response to Diane Wheeler’s Guest Opinion, published in the Jan 21st edition of the Bee: Thank you. You have at least one person out here who agrees.

AARON KIN

Cocolalla

disclosure

Scott has curious

take on disclosures

I read in the Spokesman-Review today (1-18-18) that our esteemed State Representative Heather Scott voted against ?the financial disclosure for state officials that the committee chairman had recommended. The Review quoted her as saying she voted against the bill because it did not require school board members to disclose. She was quoted as saying ‘if it didn’t include everyone it should include no one’.

No partial victories for this crusading lady!

ED KARASEK

Sandpoint