BOCC approves new fair board and BCNRC members
Multiple residents criticized Bonner County commissioners Tuesday regarding the board’s process for appointing individuals to various committees.
During their business meeting, the commissioners voted 2-1 to approve new members to both the Bonner County Fair Board as well as the Bonner County Natural Resources Committee. However, Commissioner Asia Williams as well as multiple members of the audience criticized the move, saying they don’t feel like the county followed proper procedures in selecting the new board members.
Three new fair board members were approved Tuesday morning, none of whom have previously served on the board.
“This looks like a restacking of the fair board so you can get your RV park onto the sheriff’s property,” said resident Daniel Rose. “We had three capable, understanding persons that wished to be reinstated to their positions and none of them were considered.”
Williams agreed, saying the process that the commissioners are following regarding the fair board are inconsistent with how they’re interacting with other county boards and committees.
“We did not do our due diligence to go through this selection process,” she said.
Immediately after approving the new fair board members – which Williams voted against – the commissioners also approved seven new BCNRC members. All of those individuals who requested reinstatement were automatically reinstated, Williams said.
“This is inconsistent with what we did in the prior board,” she said. “We need to be consistent with every board.”
Williams said her votes against the appointment to both of these boards did not have to do with her view of any of the individual members. On the contrary, she said she only voted no because she disagrees with the inconsistencies within the appointment process. Williams also mentioned the decision the board made last week regarding how it would appoint planning and zoning commission members going forward and how it decided to keep applicant details closed to the public.
“There is a massive difference between the Planning and Zoning commissions … and the fair board and their roles in the community,” Commissioner Luke Omodt responded.
Other public commenters questioned the overall process on how the board chooses which applicants will get a final vote. Many voiced their unhappiness that all the applicants’ names were not made public during the procedure.
Commissioner Steven Bradshaw responded, reiterating what he explained at last week’s meeting. Applications to any county board or commission have the same rights to privacy as would a regular job applicant. Many individuals do not wish to have their applications publicly released, and Bradshaw said the commission is not about to release that information to the public anytime soon.
The commissioner went on to say that all three commissioners receive every application submitted, the chairman – a position currently held by Bradshaw – decides which applicants will go through and the other two vote to approve or decline that decision.
“I’m dismayed that the vision of the county is in your hands, Mr. Commissioner,” public commenter George Gehrig said.
All three fair board members will serve four-year terms with their contracts ending Jan. 18, 2027, while the BCNRC members will serve varying lengths of time depending on their position.