Housekeeping items fill commission agenda

SANDPOINT – Commissioners handled $3,155,147.87 of local, state, and federal funding for routine expenditures and surplus budget reallocations at Tuesday’s weekly business meeting.

For the Clerk’s office, commissioners approved four routine expenditures totaling $2,332,570.90 for county and EMS costs.

The Treasurer’s office asked the commission for permission to destroy documents. The destruction is procedural and follows the current document retention policy. The commissioners approved the resolution.

The Planning Department will be leasing three 2022 Chevy Blazers for daily field operations. The total cost over the four-year lease will come to $257,653.44. Commissioners approved.

A total of $497,401.73 was added to the Solid Waste budget after they gained unexpected revenue collected from residential, commercial, and gate fees.

The Public Defender’s office asked commissioners to approve three contract renewals for Court Appointed Special Advocates. These advocates prevent conflicts of interest in court cases. The contracts are standard practice. Commissioners approved.

The Engineering Department asked the commission to grant an easement to allow for utility construction in Laclede. The Midway collection site will gain electrical services via Northern Lights. Commissioners approved the easement because of its necessity to the project.

The Road & Bridge Department asked the commission to approve tire purchases from Elite Tire & Suspension and Commercial Tire totaling $38,021.80. The funding for the tires will come from the Road & Bridge budget. Commissioners approved.

The Sheriff’s Office brought three items in front of the commission. The first was a request to receive $10,000 in federal ARPA funding. The money will go toward the jail’s expected pandemic related expenses.

The second was an extension of the Inmate Telecommunication Locations Agreement with Telmate LLC. Telmate LLC handles the electronic communications and systems for the jail. The extension will keep the contract active until Oct. 26, 2023. This is the fourth extension of the contract, rates and fees for inmate calls and auxiliary charges will be revised as a result, although it wasn’t specified by how much.

Lastly, the Sheriff’s Office requested $19,500 in excess funds from last fiscal year be shifted to a different account in the budget. This change will allow funding to go toward fuel, education, and equipment. Commissioners approved all three resolutions.

At the request of the Planning Department, two planning and zoning commissioners were reappointed to their seats for upcoming three year terms. Sheryl Reeve for District 1, and Kevin Hatcher for District 2. Commissioners approved, and reappointed the commission members. Terms will last until Sept. 30, 2024. Jennifer Casey was appointed for the remainder of the current term for District 2, expiring in October 2022.

The Recreation Department asked the commission to approve moving their 1990 GMC Sierra into surplus; citing that the vehicle is no longer in running condition after it was stolen and many items were removed from the dash. Commissioners approved, the vehicle will be sold at the next public auction. According to Pete Hughes of the Recreation Department, the vehicle was found hanging from a tree. Commissioners made statements that the suspect in this crime was apprehended.

Of the two items brought by the Airport, the first requested that the commissioners approve an increase in spending for the runway repaving project totaling $28,475.98 citing that more base rock was needed to bring the runway up to elevation. The project remains within the determined budget for the project.

The second item was a memorandum appointing new members to the Airport Advisory Board. Six members will be reappointed along with one new member. All except two terms will go through Aug. 20, 2024, the others go through August 2023. Commissioner’s approved both agenda items.

The County Commissioners’ Office also brought agenda items before the commission. The Bonner County Economic Development Professional Council asked the commissioners to approve funding for grantees in the Rural Idaho Economic Development Professional Program. The council will match funds from grantees, and the grant will not use any county funds. Commissioners approved before recessing the meeting before the executive session.