***Monday, November 14, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in regular session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
Commissioners gave the opening invocation and said the Pledge of Allegiance.
Bonners Ferry Herald Staff Writer Emily Bonsant and Marty Martinez joined the meeting.
9:00 a.m., Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendent Randy Morris joined the meeting to give the department report. A written report was provided.
Mr. Morris said Road and Bridge is getting ready for winter and working on the sand shed at Gypsy Lane. Commissioner Bertling asked about Road and Bridge employees who are trained on the plow truck. Those present discussed various trucks that can be used to plow snow. Chairman Dinning mentioned the Annex parking lot needs to be treated in the winter since it was very icy last year.
Mr. Morris mentioned the application for signage that Road and Bridge would like to apply for as it pertains to Brown Creek Road, Deep Creek Loop and Old Highway Two Loop.
Commissioner Bertling moved to sign the FY24 Local Rural Highway Investment Program Sign Project Application for an amount up to $30,000.00. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Morris discussed matters pertaining to trucks.
The meeting with Mr. Morris ended at 9:12 a.m.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to approve minutes of October 31 & November 1, 2022. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign Certificates of Residency for Tara Richards and Jordan Fairchild. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Property Tax Cancellation Form for tax year 2022 for parcel #RP0039000301AS and to cancel tax totaling $329.98 as the homeowner’s exemption should have been received for year 2022. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners received a Work Order/cost estimate from Innovate, Inc. to utilize an Innovate staff member to work two days in the Planning and Zoning Office. The staff member who would fill this position is also the Addressing Coordinator for the county. This employee will coordinate with Ruen-Yeager & Associates as it pertains to working in the Planning and Zoning Office. The hours would equate to approximately six hours per day. The Work Order estimate is $30,000.00. Clerk Poston mentioned this position had not been budgeted for. Chairman Dinning said there are funds in the professional services line item for this and after January there are other funding options. If this is a position Commissioners want to have, they need to determine how to make it work.
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
9:21 a.m., Sheriff Dave Kramer joined the meeting.
Sheriff Kramer explained that there is need for second school resource officer. Sheriff Kramer added that he had participated in a meeting with the Boundary County School District and City Police about this position and they’re looking to have a memorandum of understanding drafted so there is one county and one city school resource officer working in partnership. The School District would have one go-to person overseeing the school resource officer position and there would also be a board, similar to the Task Force, to give direction. Sheriff Kramer said his meeting went well and he thinks it would be an appropriate use of National Opioid Settlement Notice funds to offset the cost of another school resource officer. Sheriff Kramer added that he and the City Police are still looking into this as they have more information to gather. Chairman Dinning said Commissioners know there isn’t a consistent amount of the National Opioid Settlement funds being received. Sheriff Kramer said for the next budget year, he’s looking to supplement funding in addition to what the School District contributes. Sheriff Kramer commented that this could be looked at as early as this next spring.
Commissioner Bertling said there is also the option of using these funds for drug court in order to keep that program going. Clerk Poston explained that there are funds in the drug court program and those funds get replenished.
Sheriff Kramer said the school resource officer would create another position for the Sheriff’s Office. The School District could contribute approximately $35,000.00. This would be a good partnership since the Sheriff’s Office has jurisdiction at the schools located outside of city limits. This could be a good partnership, according to Sheriff Kramer.
Chairman Dinning informed Sheriff Kramer that a number of years ago Court Security Ben Reinhardt developed a Courthouse Emergency Response Plan and Commissioners would like the Sheriff’s input on this plan.
Clerk Poston voiced appreciation for the Sheriff’s deputies working and patrolling areas on election night.
Sheriff Kramer left the meeting at 9:30 a.m.
County IT Director Matt Hodges joined the meeting at Commissioners’ request at 9:30 a.m.
Commissioners spoke to Mr. Hodges about fiber needs at the NIC building for the Extension Office and they questioned why the cost is so high. Mr. Hodges said the University of Idaho had paid a fair amount of money to have good internet installed at the Extension Office and they want to maintain that level of service when they move their new location. Mr. Hodges mentioned the company provides this service to educational and governmental agencies and he explained the county could have all three county buildings on the same network and take advantage of some of these systems. Commissioner Bertling asked what are the advantages of linking the buildings together. Mr. Hodges said the county could reduce the number of services it is paying for and just use two connections; one in the Sheriff’s Office and one for the Courthouse. If the county wants centralization, that’s the way to do it. If the county wants segmentation, that would also work because if one network gets a virus, it doesn’t touch the other networks. Commissioners explained that the invoice to have fiber installed at the NIC building has increased to approximately $65,000.00 and a majority of it is due to having to bore under the highway. Commissioner Bertling mentioned that a network speed test should be done.
County Civil Attorney Tevis Hull joined the meeting at 9:35 a.m.
Mr. Hodges left the meeting at 9:36 a.m.
Ms. Bonsant and Mr. Martinez left the meeting.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1)b, to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent; or public-school student. Commissioner Bertling second. Commissioners voted as follows: Chairman Dinning “aye”, Commissioner Cossairt “aye” and Commissioner Bertling “aye”. Motion passed unanimously. The executive session ended at 9:50 a.m. No action was taken.
Mr. Martinez and Ms. Bonsant returned to the meeting.
Attorney Hull updated Commissioners on matters he’s working on.
Attorney Hull left the meeting 10:05 a.m.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the GEM Plan Member-at-Large Board of Trustees Nomination Form to nominate Mark Bair. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Independent Contractor Agreement with BF Builders for an amount not to exceed $60,480.00 for the remodel of the former North Idaho College building. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to amend the prior motion to state the amount associated with the Independent Contactor Agreement with BF Builders is to be paid using ARPA funds and the term is not to exceed April 1, 2023, for the work to remodel the former North Idaho College building. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners discussed receiving a request for use of ARPA funds from Skin Creek Water Association to assist with improving their water system.
Commissioner Bertling moved to draft a resolution for use of ARPA monies in the amount of $25,000.00 for matching funds for the purpose of Skin Creek Water Association having an engineering study done for their water system. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
Chairman Dinning said Skin Creek Water Association is having a study done for their system and the cost is $50,000.00 so $25,000.00 in ARPA funds will cover half of that cost and Skin Creek Water Association won’t cut their budget short. Commissioners explained that when the resolution associated with this expenditure is adopted, the funds will be transferred by request when they’re needed to be put in place.
Commissioners reviewed the contract with Longwell-Trapp Architects as it pertains to the fairgrounds restrooms and concession stand projects for the Parks and Recreation Department.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the contract with Longwell-Trapp Architect for the fairgrounds restroom and concessions stand using ARPA funds. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Amended Memorandum of Understanding for Shared Use of the Mass Fatality Trailer. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners reviewed claims for payment. Fund totals are as follows:
Current Expense $ 386,663.84
Road & Bridge 177,670.55
Airport 6,349.76
District Court 22,044.10
Justice Fund 193,808.64
911 Funds 10,402.71
Health District 27,035.25
Indigent & Charity 661.50
Junior College Tuition 14,150.00
Parks and Recreation 8,592.81
Revaluation 976.60
Solid Waste 52,677.77
Tort 296.97
Veterans Memorial 386.60
Weeds 1,014.77
Restorium 41,731.84
Waterways 221.11
Grant, Airport 13,482.74
Grants, Selkirk Coop Weed Mgmt 6,432.29
TOTAL $964,599.85
Trusts
Auditor’s Trust – *Misc 710.33
Boundary Co. Drug Court Trust 367.50
Sales Tax Collected 574.41
Driver’s License Trust 12,727.00
Motor Vehicle Trust Acct 162,736.50
Sheriff’s Trust Fund 2,152.55
Tax Deed Sale Trust 7,842.57
Unclaimed Property 20.00
Odyssey Court Trust Account 28,498.88
Odyssey Bond Trust Account 22,512.79
Odyssey Restitution Trust Acct 1,806.50
TOTAL $239,949.03
GRAND TOTAL $1,204,548.88
Citizens are invited to inspect detailed records on file in the Courthouse (individual claims & Commissioners’ allowance & warrant register record 2022-2023).
Personnel Director Pam Barton joined the meeting at 10:35 a.m.
Commissioners said a county employee had been promoted, but was overlooked and the proper wage increase was not given for a certain number of years. Chairman Dinning said prior to this there had been a similar situation, except in that case no paperwork was turned in. In this case, it is Commissioners’ fault as everything was done right, but it just slipped through the cracks. The increase given will be for those specific years missed.
Commissioner Bertling moved to grant a wage increase for years to be determined by the Clerk for a county employee. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Barton left the meeting at 10:40 a.m.
Those present briefly discussed employee incentives and Planning and Zoning Office matters.
11:00 a.m., Kennon McClintock with The Nature Conservancy joined the meeting to update Commissioners on conservation easements, the timber industry and parcelization. Mr. McClintock reviewed the log supply from last year and provided information on the timber supply for year 2021 for the following mills: Idaho Forest Group in Moyie Springs, Laclede and Chilco, Alta Forest Products in Naples, and Stimson Lumber Company in Priest River and Plummer. Percentages of industrial and small private timber ownership lumber supplied was discussed. In reviewing five years of logs, in year 2017, there were 470 million board feet of purchased logs coming into these mills and now we are at 430 million board feet. One chart shows that the private forestland trend is decreasing, according to Mr. McClintock. Those present reviewed the number of parcels being created in the county for years 2015, 2018 and 2022. Larger parcels are getting broken down to create more smaller parcels. Mr. McClintock reviewed chart information for timber exemptions in categories 6 and 7. Chairman Dinning spoke of not knowing how many of these properties have a home on them and the tax shift that falls to the residential homeowner.
The meeting with Mr. McClintock ended at 11:30 a.m.
11:30 Those present briefly discussed Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund.
Commissioner Bertling moved to request the Clerk apply for Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
11:45 a.m., Restorium Administrator Karlene Magee and Assistant Administrator Diana Lane joined the meeting to give an update on Restorium matters.
Ms. Lane said the Restorium is working on hiring a few employees and they’re getting to the point where they will be okay as far as the staff levels.
Chairman Dinning commented that the county has the iPad for the Restorium’s medical charting program, but the computer software program is still needed.
Chairman Dinning said Commissioners received the list from Ms. Magee on costs for the flooring replacement, walk-in freezer, computer program for medical charting, and fencing for memory care. Chairman Dinning asked about the tub for the long hall and if it needed to be replaced as well.
Commissioner Bertling moved to utilize ARPA funds for the following projects for the Restorium and have resolutions prepared: flooring replacement, walk-in freezer, fencing for the memory care, tub for the long hall, and the computer software program for the medical program. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
Those present discussed needing to advertise for bids for certain items due to costs.
The meeting with Ms. Magee and Ms. Lane ended at 12:05 p.m.
Commissioners recessed for lunch.
1:30 p.m., Commissioners reconvened for the afternoon with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
1:30 p.m., Commissioner Cossairt moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1)b, to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent; or public-school student. Commissioner Bertling second. Commissioners voted as follows: Chairman Dinning “aye”, Commissioner Cossairt “aye” and Commissioner Bertling “aye”. Motion passed unanimously. The executive session ended at 2:55 p.m. No action was taken.
There being no further business, the meeting recessed until tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
***Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in regular session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
9:00 a.m., Bonners Ferry Herald Staff Writer Emily Bonsant joined the meeting.
9:00 a.m., Commissioners canvassed the ballots from the November 8, 2022, general election. Clerk Poston provided a recap of the results. Clerk Poston added that when election results are posted online, her office always doublechecks the information that comes in and there were multiple checks this time. The initial report to the state was wrong on a yes/no vote having to do with SJR2, but it was updated the next day. The error was that Moyie Precinct had 526 yes votes and 344 no votes, but it was recorded as 34 no votes so that was corrected. There were new voter registrations and out of 7,938 registered votes, 67.4% of voters came out and voted. There are also those who are on the voter rolls and those will be purged by the end of the year. Clerk Poston said she has received questions asking how many votes didn’t count and she explained having a review board at the polling sites who was there just to review the ballots. The voting machine counts the ovals on the form. On this form, the county needed to verity the intent of the write-in as some information would have Steve Johnson running for Commissioner due to how people wrote the name in. The board was just verifying that the written-in part was that of the candidate for that race and that they qualified. There were no other irregularities. Chairman Dinning said there were four different write-in races. It was said this is an accurate, true and complete abstract.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to accept the Clerk’s results of the November 8, 2022, general election and acting as a Board of Canvassers of Election, do hereby state that the attached is a true and complete abstract of all votes cast within this county for the candidates and/or questions as they appeared at the election held on November 8, 2022, as shown by the records now on file in the County Clerk’s Office. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Clerk Poston said she had over 78 election workers on election night.
Ms. Bonsant left the meeting at 9:15 a.m.
9:15 a.m., Commissioner Cossairt moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1)b, to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent; or public-school student. Commissioner Bertling second. Commissioners voted as follows: Chairman Dinning “aye”, Commissioner Cossairt “aye” and Commissioner Bertling “aye”. Motion passed unanimously. The executive session ended at 9:31 a.m. No action was taken.
Commissioner Bertling left the meeting at 9:31 a.m.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m.
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DAN R. DINNING, Chairman
ATTEST:
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GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy Clerk