No surprises at BOCC weekly meeting
Year-end reports submissions, a request to destroy outdated files and a lot of renewed liquor licenses were approved by Bonner County commissioners at Tuesday’s regular business meeting.
In commissioner Jeff Connolly’s absence, commissioners Dan McDonald and Steve Bradshaw dispatched county business with little discussion.
County resident Doug Paterson asked a question regarding expenditures noted on the consent agenda for the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office. McDonald said there was an expense of $11,758.78 for 22 bullet-proof vests, some in custom sizes; security software “which can’t be discussed other than it’s twenty-four grand and a crime-reporting system of $11,500 that is also confidential.”
Liquor licenses have been issued or renewed for Second Avenue Pizza, FOE Sandpoint Aerie 589, Odie’s Bayside Grocery, Willow Bay North, Rara Corporaton, Powder Hound Pizza and Powder Hound Pizza 2; I Saw Something Shiny, Fiesta Bonita, The Bank: Barroom and Bistro, Pizza Hut, Winter Ridge Natural Foods, Mickduff’s Brewing Company and MickDuff’s Brewing Company Beer Hall.
Jason Topp, director of Road and Bridge, requested commissioners authorize terminating an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service regarding Lower Mosquito Creek Road, located west of Clark Fork. He said that, in 1968, the county agreed that this road, which was formerly called Antelope Road, was to be county maintained.
“Bonner County maintained this portion of the road until 2005,” he said. “In 2005 we had landowners on the road that demanded that the county stop maintenance activities and we were more than happy to oblige them.”
Topp said that although the road is identified as county maintained, that hasn’t been the case since that time. This spring, a portion of the road washed out and the county was responsible for making repairs at the taxpayers’ expense. He explained that now that Road and Bridge has completed the roadwork, they want to terminate this easement which should have been done previously.
“The Forest Service has agreed that this in the public’s best interest and will continue to hold the road open to the public and as such no property will be landlocked.” he said. The request to terminate the agreement was approved by both commissioners. Topp also requested a budget adjustment and submitted the annual financial report, both of which were also approved.
End-of-year reports were also submitted by the Justice Department and Weeds. Chase Youngdahl from the county Weed Department also presented a cost-share plan with Boundary County for early detection and eradication of noxious weeds which was also approved.
In some of the other county business, officials approved the Clerk’s office request to destroy election records whose time to retain are expired. They approved requests from Risk Management to renew an insurance policy with TriStar and the Treasurer to transfer excess sale proceeds to the state.
Swati Rastogi from Planning Department told officials that the developer of Golden Tee Estates had completed the required work for improvements of the property and was asking for a return of 100 percent of the over $400,000 surety deposit. Commissioners approved the motion.
Bonner County commissioners meet every Tuesday at 9 a.m. at 1500 Highway 2, Suite 338. Meetings are live streamed and can be attended by Zoom. For more information, go to www.bonnercountyid.gov/departments/commissioners.