New fair board member approved
SANDPOINT — A new Bonner County Fair Board member was approved Tuesday at the commissioners’ regular business meeting.
After an unnamed fair board member resigned a few months ago, ads were placed in local papers, resulting in multiple candidates. After review of the applicants’ resumés, Commissioner Luke Omodt recommended that the board approve Quentin Ducken to the fair board.
Ducken’s four-year term on the board would run until May 6, 2028.
However, Commissioner Asia Williams voiced concerns about the commissioner’s process in selecting Ducken for the position.
“The board did not interview anybody,” she said. “I have never seen it where we appoint someone without an interview.”
Williams claimed that Omodt declared himself the liaison to the fair board and announced that he had already met the candidate. Commissioner Steve Bradshaw cut her off, saying that Omodt did not declare himself a liaison, but was appointed.
The two continued to speak over one another until Bradshaw told Williams to “learn her job.”
Williams continued, saying the fair board did not elect to have a liaison. What they did request, she said, is that when positions on the fair board did open up, “that we work with them instead of in opposition.” Additionally, the fair board requested the ability to be able to give more input during the decision-making process because sometimes they need people with certain sets of skills to be able to fill a specific need at events.
“They weren’t asking to make the decision of who takes the position, they were just asking to be welcomed at the table for that discussion,” she said.
Not only did the fair board not get to give input, but the board of commissioners did not interview any of the candidates, Williams reiterated.
“We have to do our job to improve relationships in our business, and an easy step would be to just interview the next member,” she said. “I’d like to improve relationships with the fair and this board and this is not the way to do it.”
Omodt said when the vacancy first came up, the board of commissioners tried to work with the fair board to fill it, but instead of working together, the fair board hired a law firm to handle its communication with commissioners.
“‘Any vacancy occurring on such a county fair board shall be filled by appointment by the county commissioners at their first regular meeting after the occurrence of such a vacancy,’” he quoted from county code. “We are months and months behind and it was at the fair board’s request that we fill this vacancy.”
There has been too much unnecessary turmoil between the boards, Omodt said, but he believes Ducken will do well in the position. According to the commissioner, Ducken has volunteered for many years at the fair and is experienced in what it takes to put on a successful event.
“We could not do much better than this type of individual’s willingness to volunteer, serve and give time,” he said.
Ducken was approved to fill the vacant fair board position in a 2-1 vote, with Williams voting no.