***Monday, March 30, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in regular session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, and Commissioner Walt Kirby who participated via telephone, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.

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 with Clerk Glenda Poston, Assessor Dave Ryals, Treasurer Sue Larson, County Civil Attorney/Chief Prosecuting Attorney Tevis Hull, Veterans Service Officer Ron Self, Solid Waste Department Superintendent Claine Skeen, Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendents Randy Morris and Renee Nelson, Noxious Weeds Department Superintendent Dave Wenk, Restorium Administrator Karlene Magee, University of Idaho Extension Educator Amy Robertson, Chief Probation Officer Stacy Brown, Courthouse Maintenance John Buckley, and Boundary County Emergency Services Director Andrew O’Neel.

Chairman Dinning updated those present with recent information about COVID-19 from the Panhandle Health District and said that there may be 13 more cases in north Idaho with one case in Bonner County. The virus will come to Boundary County at some point and we need to be more vigilant in what we’re doing and to continue following what we’ve put in place. Chairman Dinning said we will be hearing something from the Governor’s Office regarding his emergency order. Employees need to know that if they are home, they need to stay home and not go on vacations, go out of town or invite someone over from out of town, and if someone shows up, people need to use their best discretion. As far as the election, there is a push for absentee voting that will increase. Clerk Poston said she will contact other departments about helping her staff when the push comes so Commissioners will need everyone to be cooperative.

Attorney Hull had nothing new to report.

Assessor Ryals said he has closed his main office and the Auto License Office on Mondays and Fridays and when those offices are open, there is only one staff member working at a time. The appraisers are coming in when they can.

Mr. Self said everything is going fine for him.

Mr. Wenk asked if the ballot requests could be printed off and Clerk Poston said yes. Mr. Wenk said he also approached the Sheriff’s Office to let them know he’s available to help if a dispatcher becomes ill. Chairman Dinning urged everyone to promote absentee voting and people can go to Idahovotes.gov to request an absentee ballot. Attorney Hull asked if there has been mention of pushing elections back. Clerk Poston said Secretary of State Lawrence Denney presented a letter to Governor Little requesting postponement of the election and the Governor has taken it under advisement so it’s still a fluid situation. The ballots coming in will have certain dates on them, but they will still be honored. May 19th might be the day of the election, but the results may come out later when the ballots are handled.

Ms. Magee said her staff is just adapting at the Restorium. Chairman Dinning reminded Ms. Magee to let Commissioners know if she needs help so they can put the right people in touch with her.

Ms. Robertson said the Extension Office is closed, but staff comes in intermittently to check email and deal with work as it comes in.

Ms. Brown said the Probation Office is physically closed and staff are working via telephone and at home, but they have the option to come to the office to check on things off and on.

Mr. Buckley asked about banners for the election and Clerk Poston said they have not come in yet. Mr. Buckley said he’s been storing the correspondence that was left in the drop boxes at the front and back doors of the Courthouse and he has documents that came in on March 25th and 26th that can be opened.

Commissioner Kirby said he’s doing well.

Ms. Nelson said all Road and Bridge crew are out of the office. Ms. Nelson said she’s working from home and has taken care of permits last Friday, Saturday and today. Mr. Morris has been out checking the roads.

Mr. O’Neel said the President extended his declaration nationwide until April 30th so we will practice social distancing longer. There are 27 cases of the virus in the Panhandle Health District’s areas of responsibility, with 26 cases in Kootenai County and one case in Bonner County. There are three cases in Lincoln County, Montana. For the hospital’s statistics, they have sent out 13 tests and all 13 have come back as negative. Three more tests are being submitted today. Mr. O’Neel mentioned posting a release about absentee voting and Clerk Poston said the Secretary of State is going to send out a mass mailer, but she doesn’t know when that will be.

The elected officials/department heads meeting ended at 9:25 a.m.

9:25 a.m., Solid Waste Department Superintendent Claine Skeen joined the meeting via conference call to discuss the plan for the monitored dumpster sites. Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendents Renee Nelson and Randy Morris and member of the public, Chad Kimball were also on the call.

Commissioners said that last week they had approved shutting down the three monitored sites in the county, but that caused an impact they had not considered, which is to cause more people to drive through town to go to the landfill. Commissioners would much rather people stay at home to the best of their ability and not come into town for non-essential business. Chairman Dinning said he thinks it’s a very valid thought that he did not originally think about. Commissioner Cossairt thinks all outlying sites should be open three days per week and at least one of those days being over the weekend. Chairman Dinning said his thought is to have the sites open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays or Sundays. For the benefit of what the county is trying to accomplish we need to do something. Mr. Skeen said the main reason to close the sites is so the site operators won’t be exposed to the garbage in a roll off container and he added that his operators in the trucks don’t have the compactor. Mr. Skeen said he understands the inconvenience, but there is still the landfill being open seven days per week so it’s not like they’re trying to close service down in Boundary County. Mr. Skeen added that by adjusting hours to where it’s safer for the operators to go through this process, they can control being open seven days. Chairman Dinning said he understands, but we need to look at the bigger impact. Chairman Dinning asked if there are roll offs at the outlying sites that can be used and Mr. Skeen said they do not have roll offs at these sites. They have four containers that household garbage is being dumped into. If roll offs are used at the sites, then there isn’t a place for wood and metal. Chairman Dinning said he just doesn’t want the public out and about as much. Commissioner Cossairt said the more we can limit travel to town, the better. Commissioner Kirby said having a sporadic schedule confuses everyone. Chairman Dinning mentioned that he knows the site monitors go out and sort through materials that don’t belong in certain dumpsters, but a piece of this plan is eliminating that practice. Mr. Skeen said that has already been addressed. Chairman Dinning said we need to purchase everything the site monitors need to keep them safe, such as gloves, etc., and it will come out of the landfill budget, but we need to keep track of those additional costs. Commissioners wants to keep everyone safe. Chairman Dinning said his thinking is that he would like to have the sites open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to limit exposure. Commissioners have limited exposures in the rest of the county where they can while still keeping services functioning, but they had not thought about travel on the roads. Commissioner Kirby said he understands and Commissioner Cossairt added that we can see how this works. Chairman Dinning commented that if something is not going right, it can be addressed at that time. Commissioners asked Mr. Kimball for this thoughts. Mr. Kimball spoke of medical staff who are affected so what about personal protection equipment at the landfill and what about procedures to follow. What about holding off on bringing in metal and wood products to the local outlying sites and using the containers for garbage only. People would have to hold onto their wood and metal garbage at their homes for a bit. Chairman Dinning said when giving notice to the public, Commissioners can say the county is not accepting wood and metal at the outlying site at this time or that people need to keep wood and metal at home until we get through this situation. Mr. Kimball said it was just an idea. Mr. Skeen said he has no issue with that. Chairman Dinning said it will get people educated. The main landfill can accept wood and metal, but not the outlying sites. Those present discussed the roll offs having covers on them when going down the road. Commissioner Cossairt asked about type of roll off Frederickson uses and Mr. Skeen said it’s a different type of system. Chairman Dinning said this is short term and we will do best we can do. Mr. Kimball said he can see the disadvantage of having the same roll off traveling throughout the county. Mr. Skeen said he will get in touch with County Public Information Officer Andrew O’Neel regarding a press release. The schedule for the outlying sites will be Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with no metal or wood accepted at these outlying sites. Hours of operation will be as per normal, which is 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chairman Dinning suggested getting rubber gloves and something for protection for the truck drivers. Mr. Skeen said he’s okay on gloves for now, but is requesting masks. Mr. Skeen said gloves have always been his protocol.

The call with Mr. Skeen ended at 9:46 a.m.

9:46 a.m., Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendents Renee Nelson and Randy Morris stayed on the call to provide their department report. A report was submitted. Chairman Dinning asked the status of Road and Bridge employees who fell ill and Ms. Nelson provided an update and said the employees who are sick are still at home. Ms. Nelson spoke of disinfecting practices they have taken. Chairman Dinning suggested that Ms. Nelson contact Panhandle Health District regarding the employees who are home and to ask how long the county is to keep working employees out of equipment and vehicles previously driven by the employees who are now sick.

Mr. Morris asked about how other offices are disinfecting their spaces if they’re trading off work schedules. Mr. Morris also asked if Commissioners want Road and Bridge to be open four days per week or five. Chairman Dinning said to go ahead and change the schedule back to four, ten hour days.

Ms. Nelson discussed the funds from the Kootenai Trail/Atkins Canyon project that hadn’t been used. It was said when this project was done, because it was so large it was called an alternative project and a certain amount would be set aside. Any remaining funds not used would be available for Road and Bridge to use for either continuing the project on that road one way or another or those funds could be used on another county road that would benefit from it. Ms. Nelson said she met with Idaho Office of Emergency Management Local Area Field Officer Jay Baker to make she sure could use county forces, materials and equipment as in-kind match so they would know what 25% would equate to in dollars. It was asked if there was a timeline associated with use of the funds. Ms. Nelson said she contacted HMH Engineering since they had been involved in the estimate for Atkins Canyon and she wants a fairly honest estimate so as not to go over. Chairman Dinning said for the Riverside Road Improvement project, how much additional material will be removed from the cut and where will it be put? Mr. Morris said he doesn’t know if a decision was made yet. Chairman Dinning commented that it would be beneficial if it could be used somewhere close. Ms. Nelson said yes and she added that the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge was going to take some of that material to build the road up some.

The call with Ms. Nelson and Mr. Morris ended at 10:01 a.m.

10:01 a.m., Commissioners held a tax deed hearing for delinquent year 2016 property taxes. Present were Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Walt Kirby, Clerk Glenda Poston, Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser, and Treasurer Sue Larson. Member of the public Eric Lederhos participated in the hearing via telephone. The hearing was recorded.

Commissioners stated they had been presented with a list of properties that are now eligible for tax deeding. Some of the taxes have been paid by check and the county is waiting to see if the payments clear so Commissioners will continue the tax deed hearing for those parcels until they know the checks have cleared. Treasurer Larson said to be cautious, that is what the county has done in the past to make sure everything was fine, then the hearing is closed. For the properties with taxes paid by credit card or personal check, the hearing will be continued to April 13, 2020, at 10:00 a.m.

It was said that for parcel #RPB0820004010CA, a letter from the property owner was received stating she would be able to make a payment of $400.00 toward the 2016 taxes by April 8, 2020 and then would be able to pay the remaining balance in full with her tax return, which should be received shortly. Commissioners allowed the due date of May 1, 2020, for the balance of tax amount due.

Commissioner Kirby moved to continue the tax deed hearing for delinquent 2016 taxes for parcels #RP62N03E083000A in the name of Cynthia A. Cunningham; RPB0420001002AA in the name of Levi G. Falck; RP62N01E020501A in the name of Falckco LLC; RP62N01E021955A in the name of Falckco LLC; RP64N01E204100A in the name of David M. Newman; RP63N03E323800A in the name of Michael A. Payne; RP60N02W217660A in the name of Jon A. Williams and Rita F. Williams; and RPB0240041012BA in the name of 3D Equity LLC, which have received a credit card payment or payment made by check toward delinquent 2016 taxes, until April 13, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., and to accept the offer of a payment of $400.00 to be made by April 8, 2020, with the remaining balance due by May 1, 2020, for parcel RPB0820004010CA in the name of Deborah A. Bellmore. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.

Commissioners and Treasurer Larson discussed the tax amount of $1,251.07 owing for year 2016 for parcel #RP61N01E317281A. The county has made attempts to help the property owner, but they have chosen to walk away from the property.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to tax deed parcel #RP61N01E317281A in the name of Faye Saunders Estate, Eugene E Saunders Estate, Timothy Scott Saunders, and Cheryl E. Rowe for delinquent year 2016 taxes. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.

10:08 a.m., the tax deed hearing for delinquent year 2016 property taxes ended.

Treasurer Larson informed Commissioners that her office did 36 litigation guarantees and only tax deeded one parcel so that’s a good result.
Treasurer Larson left the meeting at 10:09 a.m.

Commissioners decided to postpone addressing the Fixed Base Operator Agreement (FBO) with Northern Air until visiting with County Civil Attorney Tevis Hull.

Commissioners have not yet received the Findings and Decision for Planning and Zoning Application #19-177 or proposed Land Use Ordinance 9B18LOV3 for adoption from the Planning and Zoning Administrator.

10:30 a.m., Chairman Dinning stated Governor Little’s Proclamation runs out two days prior to the county’s proclamation and he would like to have discussion about matching the county’s declaration term limit to that of the Governor’s Declaration. Depending on what numbers are being reported as an increase in cases across the state, Commissioners will wait until April 13th to have this discussion.

Commissioners recessed until their 11:00 a.m. conference call regarding updates on the coronavirus. That conference call ended at 11:42 a.m.

Commissioners recessed for lunch at noon.

1:30 p.m., Commissioner held a public hearing to consider increasing the fee for those wanting to rent Memorial Hall. Present were: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Walt Kirby (via telephone) Clerk Glenda Poston and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. No members of the public were present or on the conference call. The hearing was recorded.

Commissioners opened the hearing to consider the request to increase the rental fee from $41.80 to $65.00 per day. This increase is necessary due to the increased costs to maintain Memorial Hall. Chairman Dinning opened the hearing to comments from those in favor, uncommitted and opposed to the proposal. No one spoke. Commissioners closed the hearing to public testimony and called for discussion amongst themselves. Commissioner Cossairt said the proposal looks fine. Chairman Dinning explained that this hearing was advertised in the Bonners Ferry Herald and the agenda informs the public to participate via conference call so with the state of emergency and the stay at home order, everyone has had the opportunity to participate in this hearing.

Commissioner Kirby moved to increase the Memorial Hall rental fee to $65.00 per day. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.

The hearing ended at 1:34 p.m.

Chairman Dinning said David Gause is involved with Second Harvest and Second Harvest has enough funds to purchase a semi load of prepackaged food for those in need. People in need will be given items that are pre-bagged and Second Harvest will have staff on hand to give out the packages to people in their vehicles. The proposed date is date April 22, 2020, and the truck would be parked in the gravel parking lot area of the fairgrounds. The time is not yet set and Commissioners are just waiting to confirm there is no conflict with other events on that date.

Commissioner Cossairt moved to approve Second Harvest to come out and hand out food to those in need on April 22, 2020. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.

County Emergency Manager/County Public Information Officer Andrew O’Neel and Commissioners spoke via telephone about a conference call system he is going to be receiving through the State of Idaho at a rate of $24.00 per month. Mr. O’Neel said he’s also been in contact with someone who makes hand sanitizer so he’s just waiting to hear what the price is. The call to Mr. O’Neel ended.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.

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DAN R. DINNING, Chairman
ATTEST:

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GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy Clerk