Riley announces District 1 candidacy

SANDPOINT — Republican Brian Riley has recently announced his candidacy for the Bonner County commissioners’ District 1 seat, which is currently held by Commissioner Steve Bradshaw until January 2025.

Riley, a resident of Bonner County for almost 38 years, said this area is special and should be well managed, welcoming growth while not destroying the roots of the county.

“I attended Sagle Elementary, Sandpoint Middle School and graduated from [Sandpoint High School]," he said. "My wife Tania and our two boys were born in Sandpoint. We live in a special place and as leaders, we need to be stewards to the communities of our county. This includes understanding we will continue to be a destination area for growth and tourism, but to approach the challenges of this growth with a vision of keeping our rural roots intact and to represent all of the people of Bonner County.”

Riley said his resume — which includes close to 20 years of management experience — will bring what he believes are a few missing elements to the board. 

“The BOCC is essentially a three-legged stool designed to support our county’s residents’ interests, along with providing guidance and support to the departments within the county that report to the board of county commissioners,” he said.

Honesty, integrity and the experience gained from listening to others’ input and perspectives led Riley to a 25-year career with the Idaho Forest Group. He now owns and operates Riley Resources Log Hauling and Logging in Sagle. Prior to retiring from the Idaho Forest Group in 2021 after six years of managing the Laclede operations with close to 170 employees, Riley had over 10 years managing the Chilco and Laclede Facilities Maintenance, Procurement and Filing departments.

In addition to his time spent working for IFG, Riley has also coached baseball for Sandpoint Little League and North Idaho American Legion teams. He has also been a volunteer for the Bonner County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team and has been a part of multiple community committees, including Priest River Timber Days and Winterfest.

In an effort to provide opportunities for local youth to gain experience in the professional trades, Riley spearheaded apprenticeship programs between the IFG and Sandpoint, Priest River and Lakeland High schools. He also has experience on North Idaho College’s advisory boards in the professional trades sector.

Further information about Riley can be found on Facebook at Brian Riley for Bonner County Commissioner Dist 1.