***Monday, February 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.
Chairman Dinning stated for the record that their discussion with Attorney Tevis Hull is going to be postponed until 3:30 p.m. today.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Certificate of Residency for Clayton Isaac. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
9:02 a.m., Undersheriff Rich Stephens joined the meeting.
Those present discussed some of the plumbing repairs needed to the jail and what is available for budget to cover those repairs.
Commissioner Bertling moved to accept Turner Plumbing’s Quote/Estimate #1066 of $8,270.00 to replace a toilet, shower and sink in the jail and to use a scope to search for possible other leaks. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
The Sheriff’s Office will provide $1,500.00 for the plumbing repairs out of the Commissary Fund and Commissioners stated the remaining funds to cover the costs will come out of the Justice fund – under capital. Commissioners informed Undersheriff Stephens to proceed with getting the work started.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to approve and sign the New Private Road Name Request Form for Whitetail Lane. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Undersheriff Stephens left the meeting at 9:08 a.m.
Commissioner Bertling moved to sign the Contract with Rawlings Community Counseling. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the Moon Security Services Agreement for the Probation Office. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Bertling moved to increase the storage capacity for county emails through Ipower. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners reviewed claims for payment. Fund totals are as follows:
Current Expense $ 78,544.68
Road & Bridge 118,748.92
Airport 4,352.92
District Court 12,226.11
Justice Fund 98,009.92
911 Funds 7,826.17
Indigent & Charity 9,300.81
Parks and Recreation 3,550.34
Revaluation 1,189.12
Solid Waste 101,922.99
Tort 78,146.00
Veterans Memorial 71.38
Weeds 3,080.62
Restorium 43,530.66
Waterways 2,796.34
Grant, Airport 17,900.34
Grant, Boat Safety 86.64
Hospital Supplemental Levy 1,274.65
Grant, Emergency Communication 4,662.96
Broadband Grant 426.90
TOTAL $587,648.47
Trusts
Auditors Trust – Misc 205.60
Boundary County Drug Court 156.97
Sales Tax Collected 1,249.29
Youth License Plate – Sheriff 640.00
Driver’s License Trust 9,414.00
Indigent Reimbursements 10,369.74
Motor Vehicle Trust 280,041.32
Worker’s Comp – Comm Service 13.80
Sheriff’s Trust Fund 464.05
Odyssey Court Trust Account 18,014.00
Odyssey Bond Trust Account 2,838.00
Odyssey Restitution Trust Acct 1,525.85
TOTAL $324,932.62
GRAND TOTAL $912,581.09
Citizens are invited to inspect detailed records on file in the Courthouse (individual claims & Commissioners’ allowance & warrant register record 2021-2022).
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
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. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
*Please see Boundary County Ambulance Service District Governing Board meeting minutes*
10:01 a.m., Commissioner Cossairt moved to adjourn as the Boundary County Ambulance Service District Governing Board and to reconvene as the Boundary County Board of Commissioners. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
10:30 a.m., Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative (KVRI) Facilitator Rhonda Vogl joined the meeting to discuss various KVRI projects.
Ms. Vogl said the KVRI meeting is this evening and Jessie Berner with the United States Forest Service and Ben Irey with the National Forest Foundation will discuss information pertaining to the Over Snow Vehicle/Winter Travel Plan. The regular working group will meet on this matter consistently. Ms. Vogl briefly discussed the Tribe’s involvement. It was said that Congressional representatives don’t understand that KVRI is not a decision-making group and that they just share information, then the entities involved go back and make their own decisions. Ms. Vogl said some people think collaboratives have too much power, but they don’t make decisions.
The meeting with Ms. Vogl ended at 10:36 a.m.
10:46 p.m., Commissioners spoke to Planning and Zoning Administrator Clare Marley via telephone.
Commissioners informed Ms. Marley that Commissioners were talking about having a public hearing to consider a fee increase for Planning and Zoning applications, but they wanted to know if there are additional fees the county does not have. Ms. Marley said the county now has a fee for flood plain development permit applications, but they don’t have vacation of parcels/plats fee. Commissioners and Ms. Marley also briefly discussed expenses as a result of investigating complaints.
Chairman Dinning spoke of determining a date to make parcels grandfathered. Ms. Marley said she did look at that, but it didn’t correlate to zoning actions.
The call to Ms. Marley ended at 10:53 a.m.
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
Commissioners recessed for lunch at 11:30 a.m.
1:30 p.m., Commissioners reconvened for the afternoon session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
1:30 p.m., Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendents Renee Nelson and Randy Morris joined the meeting to give the department report. A written report was provided.
Mr. Morris said Road and Bridge has been putting up road closure signs, but then called the crew back to go out and put sand on the roads. Brushing on Turner Hill was finished last weekend. Those present reviewed work as it was listed in the written report.
Ms. Nelson said to get the belly dump, other tractor and Western Star truck registered with license plates, she has to do a special plate request and she has to have a certificate of title changed to Boundary County. Ms. Nelson said the cost is $23.00 per license plate and she’s hoping to submit that cost for a demand payment, but she’s still waiting for a contact from special plates.
Ms. Nelson said she had no new information for the guardrail project or the Alta Mill siding project.
Ms. Nelson said she will do a press release for the Riverside Road Improvement Project. Those present discussed a drainage issue along District 5 Road. Mr. Morris spoke of wanting to get stock piles built at the District 15 pit before moving the crusher to the Moyie pit this summer. It was said the Highway 95 project at the McArthur Curve got postponed until year 2023. Ms. Nelson spoke of updating the map associated with the census and household income for Title VI purposes.
The meeting with Mr. Morris and Ms. Nelson ended at 2:01 p.m.
2:01 p.m., Commissioners took a call from Dan Spinosa with Innovate. The budget associated with the contract for Innovate to assist the county with addressing has approximately $20,300.00 remaining and Innovate could just extend the existing work order to a time that works for Commissioners or a certain level of effort, according to Mr. Spinosa. Mr. Spinosa said the contract could be extended to June 2022. Mr. Spinosa said he would modify the time of performance on the task order to June 2022.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to extend the contract with Innovate Inc. to the end of June 2022, as it pertains to addressing. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
The call to Mr. Spinosa ended at 2:09 p.m.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to sign the contract extension with Innovate Inc. as it pertains to addressing, once the contract has been prepared. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners and Clerk Poston visited with County Insurance Agent Darrell Kerby who stopped by the office.
Mr. Kerby left the meeting at 2:15 p.m.
Commissioners recessed until their next meeting.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to grant an extension of time to pay taxes for tax year 2021 for parcel #MHM0740002006GA and to accept $50 on March 5, 2022 and March 20, 2022, as well as to accept payments of $20.00 on March 14, 2022 and March 28, 2022, until the tax amount due is paid in full. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
County Civil Attorney Tevis Hull contacted Commissioners via telephone at 3:30 p.m.
Chairman Dinning discussed the old van that the Senior Center had once used. The Senior Center wants to get rid of the van, but the county provides the insurance coverage, covers the cost of license fees, etc. This is a 1988 or 1989 van that no longer runs and the Senior Center wants to get rid of it, but county process says it has to be put up for public auction. Chairman Dinning said Barbara Kovacs with the Senior Center had understood from the last vehicle, that the county had declared the vehicle surplus and then gave the vehicle back to the Senior Center to handle the process of disposal. Attorney Hull said someone should probably look at the grant and distribution of property acquired through the grant. Commissioners said they would look into it.
Commissioners informed Attorney Hull that they had a quote of approximately $94,000.00 to replace the roof of the jail so the county doesn’t need to seek bids, but they do need to seek quotes.
Commissioners are going to hold a public hearing regarding proposed Planning and Zoning Application fee increases, but to also cover the county, Commissioners are considering charging a fee of $65.00 per hour, plus costs for Planning and Zoning applications that don’t have a fee attached to them. Attorney Hull said he would have to think about that.
3:40 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; and Idaho Code 74-206(1)f, to communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated, but imminently likely to be litigated. 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 3:47 p.m. No action was taken.
The call to Attorney Hull ended at 3:47 p.m.
4:10 p.m., there being no further business, the meeting recessed until tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
***Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., Commissioners met in regular session at the County Annex with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
9:00 a.m., Commissioners held an elected officials/department heads meeting. Present were: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser, Sheriff Dave Kramer, Solid Waste Department Superintendent Claine Skeen, Courthouse Maintenance John Buckley, Noxious Weeds Department Superintendent Dave Wenk, Veterans Service Officer Ron Self, Chief Deputy Treasurer Jenny Economu, Emergency Services Manager Andrew O’Neel, Personnel Director Pam Barton, Chief Probation Officer Stacy Brown, University of Idaho Extension Educator Amy Robertson, Road and Bridge Department Co-Superintendent Randy Morris, and Assistant Restorium Administrator Diana Lane.
Chairman Dinning said the Boundary Community Clinics Agreement was signed for employee workers comp cases. Chairman Dinning clarified that if there is an injury that requires an initial emergency room visit, go ahead and go to the emergency room if need be, then the preferred provider physician for workers comp cases will take over from there.
The county budget process starts in spring. Clerk Poston said May is when budgets are due.
Commissioners went around the room for department position vacancies and department updates.
Chairman Dinning said Ipower is the county’s email host and a few emails have received a notice that they’re 95% full. For $10.00 more per email, per year, the county can increase storage capacity for the email addresses that need it. Chairman Dinning said at this point there are approximately eight emails that have received the 95% full message. Chairman Dinning added that the county’s going to change its computer use policy as when an employee leaves employment with the county, the county still needs to retain certain emails and store them.
The elected officials/department heads meeting ended at 9:35 a.m.
9:41 a.m., Veterans Service Officer Ron Self met with Commissioners to give his department report. Mr. Self said COVID-19 has been causing issues with veterans resulting in canceled appointments so it’s been quiet in the office.
Mr. Self left the meeting at 9:41 a.m.
9:42 a.m., Extension Educator Amy Robertson met with Commissioners to provide an update on University of Idaho Extension Office programs. Ms. Robertson said the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) trailer will be used more when the weather is better. Ms. Robertson reviewed various courses taught through the Extension Office. A person was hired through the America Corps program to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) and some robotics programming.
Ms. Robertson spoke to Commissioners about needing to fill the position for the second ag/extension educator in their office, but she needs to wait until the new University of Idaho director is hired. Chairman Dinning said Boundary County has been contributing to subsidize this second educator so the county doesn’t lose the position.
Those present talked about the condition of the roof at the county building once used by North Idaho College (NIC) and the plan to relocate the Extension Office to that building once everything is ready to go. Chairman Dinning said Commissioners are still trying to finalize the lease for parking. Chairman Dinning questioned redoing the sidewalk at the NIC building and possibly installing heated sidewalks.
The meeting with Ms. Robertson ended at 10:06 a.m.
Commissioner Cossairt moved to increase storage capacity of various county emails at an increase of $10.00 per email annually. Commissioner Bertling second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioners stated that they will need to continue the motion to sign the snowmobile grooming permit.
Mr. Buckley met with Commissioners to discuss roofing repairs needed for the Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Buckley referred to an email he received from Sasquatch Builders and if the county were to work with this company, the owner wanted to get the materials ordered before prices increase. Chairman Dinning said the county needs to contact a few contractors and then wait a couple weeks to allow contractors time to respond. The Courthouse parking lots need seal coating, according Mr. Buckley. Clerk Poston said to include the cost of seal coating in his budget for this next year even though he will be retired when the work gets done.
The meeting with Mr. Buckley ended at 10:17 a.m.
10:17 a.m., Gregory Lamberty joined the meeting.
Chairman Dinning updated Boundary County Emergency Manager Andrew O’Neel on County Commissioners’ involvement in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP.)
Mr. O’Neel said Boundary County received 6,000 N95 masks and the idea is to get the masks out to the general public so he was thinking about various locations where the elderly population congregate, such as the Restorium, Boundary Community Hospital, and assisted living facilities. Other suggestions given were churches, the Senior Center, and the library.
Mr. O’Neel left the meeting at 10:29 a.m.
Commissioner Bertling moved to approve the Snowmobile Grooming Permit with Manulife Investment Management after review of the appropriate routes by John Finney. Commissioner Cossairt second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:49 a.m. Mr. Lamberty left the meeting.
There being no further morning meetings, Commissioners recessed until this afternoon for the 3:00 p.m. Idaho Association of Counties Zoom call for District 1.
3:00 p.m., Commissioners reconvened for the afternoon session with Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
3:00 p.m., Commissioners participated in the Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) legislative Zoom call for District 1. Participating in the meeting was: Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner Wally Cossairt, Commissioner Tim Bertling, Clerk Glenda Poston, Assessor Dave Ryals, IAC Policy Director Sara Westbrook, Bonner County Clerk Michael Rosedale, Shoshone County Assessor Jerry White, Kootenai County Commissioner Leslie Duncan, Shoshone County Commissioner Mike Fitzgerald, Bonner County Commissioner Jeff Connolly, Benewah County Clerk Deanna Bramblett, and other unidentified elected officials from the five northern counties.
The Zoom call ended at 3:20 p.m.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.
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DAN R. DINNING, Chairman
ATTEST:
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GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy Clerk