Arguments arise over public comment at BOCC meeting

SANDPOINT — Bonner County Commissioner Asia Williams was approved to put her commissioner report back on the agenda last week, but problems have already arisen from doing so.

During the commissioners’ regular Tuesday meeting, Williams gave her initial report without incident. However, after she was done, she invited the audience to ask questions, which is where issues arose. Commissioner and Chair Luke Omodt stopped Williams from allowing audience members to speak, saying they would have the opportunity to talk during the public comment section, which was next on the agenda.

“The purpose [of this meeting] isn’t to stifle people’s rights to speak,” she argued.

Omodt responded that the county and its taxpayers were already subsidizing an hour-long period of time for the public to ask her questions, during her weekly community chats that are held before the regular business meeting.

“This is a meeting of the board of county commissioners,” he said. “It is not the meeting of a single commissioner.”

After a few minutes of back and forth argument between the two, Williams again tried to call on an audience member to speak, but Omodt stated they were not recognized by the chair and were not allowed to comment at that time. Williams argued that this was not the public comment section of the meeting and audience members did not need to be recognized by the chair if called on to speak by another commissioner.

“Excuse me, I think we have a chairman that runs this meeting,” Commissioner Steve Bradshaw said. “Let’s stop arguing and go on.”

Omodt agreed, saying that Williams had finished her report, thanked her for her report, and said the meeting was moving on.

Next on the agenda — public comment. Omodt began the public comment time by claiming that the last few weeks, he had provided opportunity for additional public comments, but many people had taken advantage of it. Because of that, the commissioner said the board would be returning to strictly following the standing rules and county ordinance for public comment.

However, Williams asked Omodt for clarification on how and when the public had taken advantage of the public comment section of the meeting. After going through everyone who had signed up to comment, the chairman has allowed attendees who had not signed up the ability to comment. Time permitting, he had even let individuals comment twice if they felt the need to.

“So where did the people take advantage of the meeting?” she asked. “You actually agendized a stop so people couldn’t continue past an hour, but where did the people do something wrong?”

Omodt claimed he had put the hard stop time in place to give county employees a definitive time to be able to attend executive sessions and get back to their regular jobs rather than having to wait all day for an unclear meeting time.

“There have been times where we’ve had employees that came, and directors that came and sat around for hours waiting for the opportunity to attend an executive session so that they could give their information to the board,” he said. “But because of certain behaviors and disruptions, that was unable to occur.”

After a few more minutes of back and forth between Omodt and Williams, the chairman said that the board was returning to its regular meeting.

“May 21,” Williams mumbled into the microphone, which is the date of the primary elections. Omodt’s seat is up for vote this election cycle.

One audience member, Monica Gunter, spoke during public comment about an Idaho Transportation Department’s proposal to create a freeway from Coeur d’Alene to Sandpoint — which would go right through her family’s farmland. Gunter said she took to Facebook to raise awareness regarding the issue, and her post was commented on by Omodt, whom she claimed called her and her family liars regarding the issue.

Williams responded to Gunter’s comments once she finished, discussing the issue of the freeway. When she wrapped up her response, Omodt said that since the board was “apparently giving comments” on the issue, he would also respond to Gunter’s issue.

Omodt claimed that his comments online did not call anyone a liar, but he told Gunter she was allowed to think so if she so desired, as the truth had never stopped her in the past. Williams immediately cut in, asking if his comment would be considered “disparaging” toward Gunter.

“This is a huge issue for Bonner County and I don’t want to get it thrown under the bus over you throwing barbs at a resident,” she said. “You are literally laughing while she’s standing there crying over her property being lost. That’s not okay. We are supposed to fight for our people.”

Omodt attempted to respond, but Williams cut him off, telling him to call for a meeting recess if he wanted to. And that’s exactly what happened — Omodt called a recess until the 11 a.m. executive session, much to the chagrin of the audience.

The meeting ended with multiple audience members booing and yelling at Omodt for ending public comment before everyone was given the opportunity to speak.