Lease agreements, Camp Bay Road focus of meeting

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SANDPOINT — It’s official. Bonner County commissioners voted to deny vacating the final half-mile of Camp Bay Road on Tuesday.

Another major topic at Tuesday’s meeting considered lease agreements and maintenance contracts for county buildings. At the beginning of the meeting, commissioners approved the consent agenda containing a liquor license, four minor land divisions, and the minutes from last week’s meeting.

After a brief public comment portion, the Planning Department brought a road vacation request before the commission.

The commission had recommended denying vacation of the final half-mile of Camp Bay Road on April 7, 2021. Tuesday’s motion made it official.

“There was a road vacation request and we denied it out of Camp Bay. This is the final paperwork for denying it,” said Commissioner Chair Dan McDonald. “We denied it at a planning hearing.”

Commissioners signed the resolution finalizing the denial of the road vacation.

The Airport asked the commissioners to approve a hangar lease at the Priest River Airport, which the commissioners approved.

The hangar was not the only lease before the commissioners. The administration building is also due for a lease renewal.

The agenda item brought by the board of county commissioners office requested approval to renew the building that holds many county administrative offices, including the commissioners’ office.

The county could opt to keep monthly payments the same, or refinance the building’s mortgage note and pay a lower monthly payment. Monthly payments are currently $13,525.

“If we keep payments with the way they are with a lower interest rate, then we can pay it off in half the time,” County Clerk Mike Rosedale said. “I would recommend that we keep the full payment that we are doing right now.”

Commissioners approved continuing the clerical process regarding the lease for the administrative building.

Justice Services brought two items before the commission. The first sought the commission's approval to pay $836 to Northern States Pest Removal for quarterly spraying at the Bonner County Justice Services Building, near the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office. The contract is $32 more than last year’s, according to information provided by Ron Stultz at the meeting.

In a second agenda item, the department asked the commission to approve adding $10,000 in unanticipated revenue to the justice services budget.

“So we run what we call the ‘Plant House’ and basically what that is, is a wood shop that our officer runs,” Stultz said. “Kids who are serving community service build planter boxes, picnic benches, picnic tables, and those types of things.”

According to Stultz, the revenue was going into a trust account. But after the county’s audit by a third party, the department was advised that the money should instead be put into the department’s budget.

The commission approved moving the money within the Justice Service department. The money will be put toward maintaining the Plant Shop and justice service grounds.

Afterward, the commission saw four items during executive session. Two were brought by Human Resources, one regarding personnel, and another regarding hiring. The Public Defender brought a single action item before the commission regarding a case management system contract. The Airport and Davillier Law Group brought one action item before the commission about litigation.

The Board of County Commissioners hold public meetings every Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the administrative building located at 1500 U.S. 2. Those interested in virtually attending can do so via Zoom. A livestream of the meeting can be watched on the Bonner County YouTube page, where an archive of previous meetings can be viewed.