***Monday, April 20, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in regular session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. Commissioner Walt Kirby was out of the office tending to personal matters.

Commissioners gave the opening invocation and said the Pledge of Allegiance.

9:00 a.m., Commissioners held an elected officials/department heads meeting via conference call. Present were: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Clerk Glenda Poston, Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser, Assessor Dave Ryals, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tevis Hull, Sheriff Dave Kramer, Treasurer Sue Larson, University of Idaho Extension Educator Amy Robertson, Chief Probation Officer Stacy Brown, Solid Waste Department Superintendent Claine Skeen, Restorium Administrator Karlene Magee, Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendents Randy Morris and Renee Nelson, County Noxious Weeds Department Superintendent Dave Wenk, Deputy Clerk Pam Barton, Veterans Service Officer Ron Self, Airport Manager Dave Parker, and Emergency Manager/County Public Information Officer Andrew O’Neel.

Commissioner Cossairt asked for department updates. Attorney Hull, Clerk Poston, Assessor Ryals, Treasurer Larson, Mr. Skeen, and Mr. Self had nothing new to report.

Sheriff Kramer said things are going well for his office. The remodeling of the armory is coming along and it’s looking good.

Ms. Robertson said the Extension Office staff are taking turns working in the office. The Extension Office will start offering online classes later this week and they will continue into the next week.

Ms. Brown said the Probation Office is business as usual. Staff are staggering shifts and checking phone messages.

Mr. Skeen said the Solid Waste Department is staying busy.

Ms. Magee said things at the Restorium are going as they should and it’s their new normal.

Mr. Morris said Road and Bridge is plugging along and keeping crews separated. Commissioners asked about roads being opened. Mr. Morris said Road and Bridge will check Meadow Creek Road and roads to the east, but most roads are open so we’re getting there.

Mr. Wenk said he had nothing new; he will start spraying this week if weather cooperates and in the meantime he is still filling in at the Sheriff’s Office working in dispatch.

Ms. Barton said time sheets are due this Friday and employees need to keep track of Covid-19 related expenses on their claims as she is building a file on expenses in addition to payroll.

Mr. Parker said the airport is still slow so there are no changes. There are probably pilots coming in from out of state, but they’ve come and gotten gas and then take off again. Mr. Parker said no one has stayed.

Commissioner Cossairt informed those present on the call that the county has received 1,500 absentee ballots so far.

Mr. O’Neel said as of this morning Boundary Community Hospital has conducted 45 tests for COVID-19 and 40 tests came back negative and five tests are still pending. Kootenai County cases are at 51 and Bonner County is still at four. Things seem to be slowing down and over the weekend Idaho saw only 15 new cases statewide. That’s a good trend to see and hopefully it will continue. The Canadian border is closed for another 30 days. Mr. O’Neel said the hand sanitizer he ordered came in last week and the sanitizer for the Courthouse offices are in the Courthouse now. The state is asking for all of our costs associated with Covid-19 and he listed information the state is looking for.

Chairman Dinning said to start thinking ahead so when we start to come out of this, we can start planning on how we’re going to interact with the public and go from there as we still want to be cautious. Clerk Poston said she does have a sign showing where members of the public should stand while waiting to be assisted.

Mr. Moss said there are a couple of applications that require a public hearing and the applicants know they cannot have a hearing until June, but publications have to be done for these hearings so he doesn’t know how that will work. Attorney Hull said Mr. Moss could publish notice of the hearings sometime in May. Attorney Hull said we know the Stay Home Order has been extended to the 30th of April so we can see what happens after that.

The elected officials/department heads call ended at 9:15 a.m.

Chairman Dinning spoke of drafting a letter to the Idaho Department of Lands about thinning trees in the right-of-way along the highway on Peterson Hill.

9:30 a.m., Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendents Renee Nelson and Randy Morris joined the meeting via conference call to give the departmental report.

Commissioners Cossairt moved to sign the GEICO claim as it pertains to Deep Creek Bridge #3 when it has been approved by the county civil attorney. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Those present discussed the documents from the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council as it pertains to the group guardrail project.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to send the $5,000.00 deposit claim and sign the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council/Local Agreement (Sub-Agreement) (Project Development) for the 2020 Local Highway Safety Improvement Program, Group Guardrail Project, Project No. A021(994), Key No. 21994. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Nelson informed Commissioners that Road and Bridge is starting to have some utility companies wanting to move their utilities, but Road and Bridge doesn’t have anything to show what the right-of-way is. Chairman Dinning said if nothing, the county has a 50 foot prescriptive right-of-way. Ms. Nelson said if this is on a county road where one side is deeded and one side is not so it’s prescriptive, is it still a 50 feet prescriptive right-of-way. Chairman Dinning suggested Ms. Nelson contact Attorney Hull.

Ms. Nelson said she did send another email to Attorney Hull regarding Riverside Road as she needs the county’s counsel to say what the right-of-way is for the Riverside Road project.

Chairman Dinning mentioned having Road and Bridge personnel still maintain a social distance of six feet and drive in separate vehicles when the order is lifted. Chairman Dinning asked if there is a way to track the mileage, as a result of the separation, for Boundary County Emergency Services Manager Andrew O’Neel, even if it’s an educated guess.

Mr. Morris discussed the flat deck that Road and Bridge had picked up and he added that they have not yet picked up the snow plows.

The Road and Bridge Department report ended at 9:40 a.m.

Attorney Hull contacted Commissioners via conference call at 9:43 a.m.

Attorney Hull spoke of working on the letter that Road and Bridge needs regarding the Riverside Road Improvement Project. Attorney Hull mentioned waiting until there was a redesign for that property.

The call to Attorney Hull ended at 9:49 a.m.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to accept the assignment of 87% to the Catastrophic Health Care Cost Program for reimbursement payments made on behalf of indigent 2019-17. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to approve the minutes for the weeks of April 6, 2020 and April 13, 2020. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to authorize the Chairman to sign the State of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Contract for the mosquito surveillance study for the Boundary County Mosquito Abatement District. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Certificate of Residency for Kianna Higgins. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Storm Water Easement Deed with the City of Bonners Ferry regarding Lots Six (6) and Seven (7), Block Three (3), Second Riverside Addition to Bonners Ferry. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to set the county tax deeded property auction for Monday, May 18, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. for the following two parcels: RP61N01W132408A and RP002700020010A. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Boundary Ambulance Service Chief Jeff Lindsey contacted Commissioners via conference call.

10:00 a.m., Commissioner Cossairt moved to recess as the Boundary County Board of Commissioners and convene as the Boundary County Ambulance Service District Governing Board. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

*Please see Boundary County Ambulance Service District Governing Board meeting minutes*
Commissioner Cossairt moved to adjourn as the Boundary County Ambulance Service District Governing Board and to reconvene as the Board of Boundary County Commissioners. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioners tended to administrative duties.

Commissioners and Clerk Poston discussed delaying the drug testing process for employees in certain county positions for approximately two weeks so those employees can avoid going to the hospital.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to suspend county employee drug testing until May 4, 2020. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioners tended to administrative duties.

10:30 a.m., Restorium Administrator Karlene Magee contacted Commissioners via telephone to give her department report. Ms. Magee commented that the resident count as of today is 34 and she mentioned that it’s a concern of hers. Ms. Magee asked Commissioners about admitting new residents. If the Restorium accepted any new residents, they would have to be quarantined in their room for 14 days and staff would have to wear a lot of personal protective equipment each time they enter that room. Chairman Dinning said once COVID-19 hits an assisted living facility, everyone gets it and so far we’ve been fortunate so he doesn’t want to risk it. Ms. Magee said she does agree with that as well and she added that she fears what the outcome could be if they were to accept new residents right now as staff would burn through the personal protective equipment on a “suspected” case and if they were to get an actual case, the supply of protective equipment would be depleted fairly quickly. Commissioners agreed to wait a couple of months before admitting new residents. Chairman Dinning said Commissioner Cossairt had mentioned earlier that in addition to capturing expenses as a result of the virus, to also capture the lost revenue as we’re not filling rooms at the Restorium and we’ve usually had approximately 37 or 38 residents.

Chairman Dinning reviewed the quarterly report for the Restorium and pointed out some questions he had pertaining to comparisons of various years. Ms. Magee said she would ask Assistant Restorium Administrator Diana Lane about those figures. Ms. Magee added that she did know the Restorium expenses did increase when their supply truck did not come as usual and other food costs tripled. Chairman Dinning said a $60,000.00 increase seems like a very large one, but he could be wrong. Commissioners asked Ms. Magee to check the figures.

Ms. Magee spoke of having more employees to help residents get around and she is 10 hours over than what was budgeted for due to way they have to schedule staff now. Chairman Dinning said to capture those costs for possible reimbursement.
Ms. Magee discussed various matters with Commissioners, such as holding the next Restorium board meeting via conference call and getting thermometers coming in that had been ordered. Chairman Dinning asked Ms. Magee if she could get a month’s worth of cleaning and food supplies built up. Ms. Magee said she is doing that now. Clerk Poston discussed the laundry detergent orders with Ms. Magee.

Commissioners, Clerk Poston and Ms. Magee discussed a pest issue the Restorium was experiencing, but that the person hired to remedy this matter is confident the Restorium caught it in time and there is no more sign. Commissioners and Ms. Magee discussed keeping the exterior doors at the Restorium locked, taking the temperature of someone who walks in, wearing gloves, etc.
The call with Ms. Magee ended.

Commissioners tended to administrative duties.

11:00 a.m., Airport Manager Dave Parker and Trey Dail, engineer for T-O Engineering, contacted Commissioners via conference call to discuss airport grant matters.

Mr. Parker spoke of the final completion of the snow removal loader and he said that Pape’ came by the other day to fix things that needed addressed. Signing the final completion document will free up funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so Pape’ can be paid the final approximately $30,000.00 that had been held back.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to authorize the Chairman to sign the Certificate of Final Completion for Project No. FAA/AIP No. 3-16-0004-016-2019 for the procurement of the wheel loader and attachments for airport snow removal. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Chairman Dinning referred to the Construction Project Final Acceptance Airport Improvement Program Sponsor Certification for the environmental assessment and snow removal equipment building. Chairman Dinning questioned the percentage the grant is covering for the environmental assessment and snow removal equipment building. Mr. Parker said grant funds will be at 100% due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Mr. Parker said this was also verified by Gary Gates with the FAA. The environmental analysis will be primary as the cost or price of the building is not yet known. The FAA proposes doing both the environmental assessment and the building together, but if the building cost comes in too high, the county may need to stop that part of the project. It was said the environmental assessment would be for the entire airport, including the slide area and any runway work or land purchase down the road; anything the county might want do in the next five years, not that the county has to do something. The cost for the assessment is $421,792.78.

Mr. Parker informed Commissioners that he received a letter signed by the FAA agreeing to the fees. Mr. Dail said it’s correct in expecting 100% grant funds for both projects, but the application that is here today is for 90%. It was said that Mr. Gates suggested the county still submit the grant application for 90% as that is the standard form as they didn’t yet get guidance from the FAA regarding the 100% coverage. It was also said that from what T-O engineering was told, there is no way the 100% grant funding is not coming through, but we still need to submit the grant application for 90% funding and the FAA will resolve that. Mr. Parker said we’re asking for a grant, but we haven’t gotten it yet and the county could still bow out. Mr. Dail said the grant application doesn’t bind the county as it’s simply an application. The county is only bound when the grant is awarded, according to Mr. Dail.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to authorize the Chairman to sign the Construction Project Final Acceptance Airport Improvement Program Sponsor Certification for Airport Improvement Project 3-16-0004-017-2020 for the environmental assessment and snow removal equipment building (Phase II Construction). Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioners referred to the Application for Federal Assistance Form FS424. Mr. Dail said this is the actual application for $675,000.00 and he added that these are what the estimated costs are at this time until the bids are opened on Friday and it will be based on how the bids come in. This has to do with both the snow removal equipment building and the environmental assessment, according to Mr. Dail.

Commissioner Cossairt moved authorize the Chairman to sign the Application for Federal Assistance Form FS424 for an amount of $675,000.00. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioners said on the agenda is the mention of a contract with T-O Engineering. It was said that this contract doesn’t need to be signed until the grant is awarded. Mr. Parker mentioned that he wasn’t able to get the Airport CARE Act documents for today, but he will send them to Attorney Hull for review and have them added to the agenda.

Mr. Dail explained that due to the coronavirus, the FAA is doing documents online as opposed to mailing hard copies. Commissioners will need to Esign the documents when they come in, email them to Attorney Hull to Esign and then he will email them to the next party.

The call to Mr. Parker and Mr. Dail ended at 11:17 a.m.

11:25 a.m., Commissioners discussed a possible increase in Planning and Zoning Application fees and the need to hold a public hearing.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to hold a public hearing on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, to consider an increase is Planning and Zoning Application fees. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

11:45 a.m., There being no further business, the meeting recessed until Commissioners’ special meeting held on Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 9:00 a.m.

***Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in special session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, and Commissioner Walt Kirby via telephone, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.

9:00 a.m., Commissioners held an elected officials/department heads meeting via conference call. Present were: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Walt Kirby, Clerk Glenda Poston, Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser, Assessor Dave Ryals, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tevis Hull, Sheriff Dave Kramer, Treasurer Sue Larson, University of Idaho Extension Educator Amy Robertson, Chief Probation Officer Stacy Brown, Solid Waste Department Superintendent Claine Skeen, Planning and Zoning Administrator John Moss, Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendent Randy Morris, Noxious Weeds Department Superintendent Dave Wenk, Deputy Clerk Pam Barton, and Veterans Service Officer Ron Self.

Chairman Dinning informed those present that on Idaho Public Television at 10:00 a.m. today Idaho Governor Brad Little will hold a press conference to announce steps to take for Idaho after April 30th as it pertains to reopening businesses and once this information is learned, Commissioners will bring it up on Monday.

Commissioners asked for department updates.

Assessor Ryals, Treasurer Larson, Ms. Robertson, Ms. Brown, Mr. Moss said they had nothing new to report.

Clerk Poston discussed information from the Supreme Court that included mention that there will be no trials before specific dates in August and October and anyone going to court will not be permitted into court unless they wear mask. Attorney Hull said he also received this order from the Supreme Court. Clerk Poston stated that the order of laundry soap for the Restorium may arrive soon and the order for thermometers may come through.

Sheriff Kramer commented that the Sheriff’s Office K9 vehicle should be ready the first week of May. Things at the Sheriff’s Office are going well and staff are monitoring new inmates and screening them before they come into the jail.

Mr. Skeen said there is nothing new for the Solid Waste Department. Mr. Skeen informed Commissioners that he had a letter from the Department of Environmental Quality for Commissioners to review regarding the landfill’s operation plan. Mr. Skeen spoke of getting the employee time sheets to the Clerk’s Office.

Mr. Morris said Road and Bridge has been using the Durapatcher on roads as well as doing some brushing and grading and keeping staff separated.

Mr. Wenk said he had nothing new, but added that next week may be his last week filling in at the Sheriff’s Office.

Ms. Barton briefly detailed when Life Flight memberships and employee time sheets are due.

Chairman Dinning said when restrictions due to COVID-19 start becoming less, we still need to be very vigilant within county offices and the Courthouse.

The elected officials/department heads meeting ended at 9:10 a.m.

Clerk Poston asked about the ability to obtain masks.

Commissioners discussed writing a letter to the Idaho Department of Lands regarding removing trees along the right-of-way of Highway 95 on Peterson Hill.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to send a letter to the Idaho Department of Lands requesting trees be removed along the right-of-way of Highway 95 on Peterson Hill. Chairman Dinning yielded the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioners recessed until 10:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m., Commissioners participated in Governor Little’s conference call in which he is to give a press release. The press release ended at 11:03 a.m.

1:00 p.m., Chairman Dinning, Commissioner Cossairt and Clerk Poston participated in Governor Little’s COVID-19 conference call. The call ended at 2:10 p.m.

2:30 p.m., Chairman Dinning and Commissioner Cossairt participated in a conference call with City of Bonners Ferry Mayor Dick Staples and City of Moyie Springs Mayor Steve Economu. The call ended at 2:47 p.m.

3:10 p.m., There being no further business, the meeting recessed until Friday, April 24, 2020, at 9:00 a.m.

***Friday, April 24, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in special session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. Commissioner Walt Kirby was out of the office tending to personal matters.

9:00 a.m., Commissioners held a bid opening via conference call for the snow removal equipment building for the Boundary County Airport. Present were: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. Also participating via telephone was T-O Engineer Trey Dail, Ivan Wedel with B.F. Builders, Luis Manilla with CoyotePak Construction. The bid opening was recorded.

Chairman Dinning explained that due to COVID-19, the Courthouse has put a system in place for receiving incoming mail, correspondence, election ballots, payments, etc. The bids from Mountain Dove Construction and CoyotePak Construction were dropped off in person. The sealed bid from B.F. Builders was placed in the box and as protocol, the box is brought inside every afternoon to sit overnight and it’s not opened until the next morning. The bid from B.F. Builders was date stamped on April 21, 2020 as that is when the box was opened, but the bid had to have been delivered on time so that date stamp is not reflective of the date the bid actually came in. Chairman Dinning asked about the bid bond and Mr. Dail stated that the bid bond is 5%.

Three sealed bids were received and they were from B. F. Builders, CoyotePak Construction and Mountain Dove Construction Company.

The bid from Mountain Dove Construction had a bid bond totaling 5% and their total bid amount is $244,750.00.

The bid from CoyotePak Construction had a bid bond totaling 5% and their total amount bid is $235,000.00.

The bid from B.F. Builders had a bid bond totaling 5% and their total amount bid is $205,000.00.

Commissioners will forward the bid documents to Mr. Dail for review.

The bid opening ended at 9:11 a.m.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:13 a.m.

__________________________________
DAN R. DINNING, Chairman

ATTEST:

_______________________________
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy Clerk