BOCC reinstates public comments

After a week’s hiatus, Bonner County Commissioners reinstated the public comment period at their weekly meeting. “It’s brought back by popular demand,” Commission Chair Dan McDonald said.

Commissioner Jeff Connolly told constituents that although the commissioners think it’s important for them to hear from the public, it’s also important for the public to follow the guidelines.

“If you’re being disruptive or out of control we can ask you to stop,” he said. “It’s okay to make a statement, but not to call someone out. You can talk to commissioners anytime you want outside this meeting, but in here we don’t want to get bogged down with politics.”

Several regulars voiced their support for the decision. County resident Dan Rose said that had first-hand experience with being silenced and that he believed that commissioners should show mercy on the first offense. “On the second offense, the person can put their comments in writing for the commissioners to read.”

Kevin Moore reiterated that “any citizen can have a private talk with commissioners.” He said that he thinks the public comment period affords the ability to have influence on one another. McDonald agreed and said that the commissioners “look forward to hearing people speak.”

With that said, the first public speaker was an 11-year-old named David Hunding. This young man described for attendees how his mother became frighteningly ill and suffered an apparent heart attack in front of him. Doctors, he said, found that her heart was in excellent condition and that they believed that she suffers from microwave disease.

“We hired a professional with a lot of cool equipment,” he said to check out their phones, computers, etc. And, the Hundings refused to put in a smart meter for their electricity. He said that even the neighbors’ smart meters affected her health.

“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. We are a family who knows the truth whether or not you believe that,” he said regarding her diagnosis.

Robin Hunding, the boy’s mother, then told officials that she was experiencing palpitations in the meeting room due to all the cell phones. “I hope I don’t get a nosebleed, or pass out,” she said. Her concern is T-Mobile’s 5G cell tower. She said that it is adversely affecting her health and she wanted to alert commissioners of the risk of others.

Reinforcing what Robin Hunding said was her husband, Dave Hunding, who said that authorities have the ability to say no to 5G and to limit the power of output. “Your hands are not tied. It’s your responsibility to protect the community,” he said.

Public input wasn’t confined to the comment period as members of the audience asked questions about other business matters. For instance, when the Director of Justice Services, Ron Stultz asked commissioners for approval to purchase a replacement security camera for the Juvenile Detention Center, a constituent asked why it was needed.

Stultz said that cameras installed in 2011 were now obsolete. He explained that in phases all the cameras will either be upgraded or replaced and that additional cameras will be added to areas that have been identified as opportunities for incident. The funding source, he said, was unexpected revenues that he’d reported on a few weeks prior. The purchase was approved.

When Assessor Donna Gow asked for consent to renew the license agreement with Selkirk Association of Realtors for obtaining data from the Multiple Listing Service, a resident questioned what information the county gleaned from this agreement and why would they rely on a third party. Another asked if he could access this information.

“We look at sold properties to help determine market value,” Gow said. And, she said that there wasn’t any other way for the county to get this information. “If someone closes on a property we have no way to know what it sold for.”

“Idaho is a non-disclosure state,” McDonald added. “This is a MLS product, if you want to get information you need to pay them.” Connolly added that “this is the fairest and best information. Everyone should be paying equal taxes. We have to have this.” And, the commissioners approved the expenditure.

There were a couple of questions about funding approval for 30 computers which Tech Manager Bonnie Glazier answered that they were to replace aging equipment. And, when a constituent asked why fifteen firewalls were being requested, Glazier said it was because the county has 15 facilities. These expenditures were also approved.

The county commissioners meet every Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building, 1500 Highway 2, on the third floor. The agenda is posted 48 hours prior to the meeting at bonnercountyid.gov.