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***Monday,
June 03, 2013,
Commissioners met in regular session with
Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner LeAlan
Pinkerton, Commissioner Walt Kirby, and Deputy
Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
Clerk Glenda Poston joined the meeting.
Blue Sky Broadcasting Reporter Mike Brown was in
attendance of the meetings throughout the
morning.
Bonners Ferry Herald Reporter Laura Roady joined
the meeting.
Commissioners gave the morning’s opening
invocation and said the Pledge of Allegiance.
9:00 a.m.,
Road and Bridge Department Superintendent Jeff
Gutshall joined the meeting to give the
departmental report. Mr. Gutshall presented a
written report.
Commissioner Pinkerton informed Mr. Gutshall
there has been another washout on
Fleming Creek Road.
Mr. Gutshall provided Commissioners with a copy
of the memorandum of understanding with Stimpson
Lumber Company pertaining to the storage of rock
at the snowmobile park for a Stimpson Lumber
Company project.
Mr. Gutshall said work to install a culvert on
Lookout View Road
near the Grove residence started last week. Road
and Bridge will place the new concrete picnic
tables purchased from the Waterways grant. Mr.
Gutshall said Road and Bridge has gone over and
above the county’s obligation for that grant.
Gravel has been hauled to
Green Pasture Road.
Next week Road and Bridge will grind out
Moon Shadow Road and
this project should go fast as all utilities
have been pre-located. Mr. Gutshall said he
needs to get some of the lights working on the
Copeland Bridge
and he will look into the cost of having the
wiring redone. Mr. Gutshall said he should have
chipsealing done before the Fourth of July.
Commissioner Kirby moved to go out for
semi-formal bids for the asphalt concrete paving
project for Moon Shadow
Road. Commissioner
Pinkerton second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to authorize the
Chairman to sign the memorandum of understanding
with Stimpson Lumber Company to stockpile rock
at the snowmobile park until July 30, 2013. Commissioner Pinkerton
second. Motion passed unanimously.
The meeting with Mr. Gutshall ended at
9:25 a.m.
Ms. Roady left the meeting.
9:30 a.m.,
Courthouse Maintenance Jerry Kothe joined the
meeting to give the departmental report. Mr.
Kothe mentioned Dirks Tree Care said they would
come out on a weekend to trim trees around the
Courthouse. Commissioner Pinkerton said he
noticed that when people park behind the
Extension Office annex building they line up in
such a way it makes it difficult for drivers to
pull out as cars are parked from the telephone
pool at one end to where the ambulance units are
parked at the other end. Mr. Kothe said drivers
can also go out the other way. Commissioners
said they would like to see the parking lot
striped so people can drive out at the one side
to the east.
The meeting with Mr. Kothe ended at
9:35 a.m.
9:50 a.m., Chairman Dinning said there is a
private individual who has agreed to allow
Sheriff’s Office deputies to practice shooting
on his property. A new agreement has been
drafted, but Prosecutor Douglas has rewritten it
to include more protections for the county.
Prosecutor Douglas said
he couldn’t recommend Commissioners sign the
original agreement as written. Chairman Dinning
said he doesn’t feel comfortable signing an
agreement the Prosecutor won’t endorse so he
would like the Sheriff and Prosecutor to work on
an agreement together.
Commissioners received close-out documents from
the Department of Homeland Security and
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The
documents are in regards to an agreement for
Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees
being held by the Sheriff’s Office. Being that
Boundary
County did not hold any of the
Department of Homeland Security’s detainees,
funds totaling $720.00 will be returned to the
Department of Homeland Security.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to authorize the
Chairman to sign the Department of Homeland
Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
close-out document, Reference
#HSCEDM-12-P00014/P00004. Commissioner Kirby
second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:00 a.m.,
Solid Waste Superintendent Claine Skeen joined
the meeting to give the departmental report. Mr.
Skeen said in talking about the issue with the
amount of hours for part-time employees,
considering 28 hours would work better for his
department.
Mr. Skeen said he is conducting a monitored site
study between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 10:00
a.m. Mr. Skeen said if he has to adjust his
part-time employees’ hours, he would propose
closing the existing monitored sites for two
hours rather than have another part-time
employee cover those two hours in order to keep
the hours of the existing part-time employees
down. Mr. Skeen reviewed the number of cars that
came to the various monitored sites between a
specific period of time. Commissioner Kirby
suggested opening the sites one hour later and
closing them one hour earlier. Mr. Skeen said he
would like to make any changes the same for all
sites. Mr. Skeen said he estimated his budget
would need an additional $56,000 per year if he
had to provide medical insurance benefits to his
part-time employees. That is approximately
$8,000 per single employee.
Mr. Skeen said he will conduct another waste
stream study in July and he’s noticed that
recycling seems to increase each year.
In speaking about events such as Take It or
Leave It at the landfill, Commissioner Dinning
said he wants to keep liability down when it
comes to people running around the landfill.
Mr. Skeen said he will work with Blue Bird
Recycling out of Coeur d’ Alene rather than
having to ship recycled materials to Spokane.
Mr. Skeen asked about the budget and briefly
mentioned he hadn’t included a fee increase.
The meeting with Mr. Skeen ended at
10:14 a.m.
Commissioners discussed what to add to the
agenda for the joint city/county meeting.
Commissioner Kirby spoke of what it would take
to bring a sewer system to the Three Mile area.
It would take forming a sewer district and
applying for a grant, according to Commissioner
Kirby.
10:30 a.m.,
Chief Probation Officer Stacy Brown joined the
meeting to give the departmental report. Ms.
Brown said numbers are down for the Youth
Accountability Board (YAB). Four people have
successfully completed the program and one
person transferred back to the judicial process.
Overall the numbers are still climbing,
according to Ms. Brown.
Ms. Brown presented Commissioners with the
number of cases for her department programs. YAB
has 12 cases, Juvenile Probation has 56 cases
with nine cases still pending final
adjudication, adult misdemeanor has 75 cases,
and unsupervised probation is low at 257 cases,
but is starting to increase. This is the total
probation case load, according to Ms. Brown.
Chairman Dinning asked what the amount is that
adults on probation pay. Ms. Brown said adults
pay $20 per month while adults on unsupervised
probation and juveniles do not pay. Ms. Brown
said she’s looking at what the juveniles could
be charged and what has been successfully
collected. A urine analysis costs $3 and the
cost to send them in is $6 for a total of $9.
Ms. Brown said the Border Patrol left very nice
furniture for her office when they relocated so
there will be other furniture to surplus. Clerk
Poston suggested circulating a list of the
surplus office furniture or items to the other
county departments who could possibly use it.
Ms. Brown mentioned she would like to attend a
restorative justice class that is at no cost to
the county. Ms. Brown said she just needs
Commissioners’ signature on the paperwork so she
can attend.
Commissioner Kirby moved to go to into executive
session under Idaho Code #67-2345(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 Pinkerton
second. Commissioners voted as follows: Chairman
Dinning “aye”, Commissioner Pinkerton “aye” and
Commissioner Kirby “aye”. Motion passed
unanimously.
10:55 a.m., Commissioner Kirby moved
to go out of executive session. Commissioner
Pinkerton second. Motion passed unanimously.
County resident Liz Sloot joined the meeting.
11:00 a.m.,
Restorium Administrator Karlene Magee and
Restorium Advisory Board Chairman Larry Dirks
joined the meeting for the Restorium Department
report. Ms. Magee presented Commissioners with
an updated QuickBooks Report. Ms. Magee
explained how Medicaid billing works and
informed Commissioners of delays in receiving
notification of Medicaid rate changes. Ms. Magee
said she contacted Medicaid and she now has the
ability to locate information on any changes
online. The errors in billing were that everyone
thought they were paying what was owed. Ms.
Magee said that was correct. Chairman Dinning
asked Ms. Magee to show her QuickBooks report to
the County’s outside auditor to make sure it’s
the information he is looking for. Chairman
Dinning mentioned the possibility of recouping
some of the lost revenue.
Commissioners, Mr. Dirks and Ms. Magee discussed
the cost overrun for the elevator grant.
Clerk Glenda Poston and Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals
joined the meeting at
11:20 a.m.
Chairman Dinning mentioned the change order for
the Restorium elevator project and Deputy Clerk
Ryals said there have been two change orders.
Not all grant fund requests have been received
yet so there are a couple bills that haven’t
been paid, which means the true balance owing
for that line item will not be reflected,
according to Deputy Clerk Ryals. Deputy Clerk
Ryals mentioned that Sherri Wastweet with
Panhandle Area Council said the change orders
were for a fire door and the magnet so the fire
door would close automatically if the fire alarm
went off. Commissioner Kirby said he would hate
to have to pay for something that someone else
forgot. Chairman Dinning said he would like an
expense and income sheet from day one with what
had been agreed to be paid and what the cost of
the fire door and magnets are. Chairman Dinning
said if the $20,000 that is supposed to come to
the county is received in the meantime, hold
onto it until this is figured out. Deputy Clerk
Ryals said $7,198 is still owing to Bonners
Ferry Builders from February.
Deputy Clerk Ryals left the meeting at
11:29 a.m.
The meeting with Mr. Dirks and Ms. Magee ended
at 11:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.,
Commissioners discussed the request to hold town
hall meetings. Present were: Blue Sky
Broadcasting Reporter Mike Brown, Bonners Ferry
Herald Reporter Laura Roady, Liz Sloot, Tia
Avery, Christine Dodge, Shane Dodge, Pam Stout,
Kourtni Roy, Mike Pierce, and Carl Stout.
Mr. Pierce said they would like Commissioners to
hold a town hall meetings once per month or once
every other month in the evenings as there are
people who can’t always get away from work
during the day to attend Commissioners’
meetings. There are a lot of people in the
community with good thoughts and ideas for the
benefit of the community and of course there
will be questions. There are some issues
regarding days of the week that would work so if
Commissioners approved holding town hall
meetings, Thursday looks better, but it was said
the day would be workable. It was said it’s
understood that not all issues would be
resolved, but a meeting would give people and
Commissioners time to do research on issues
raised.
Chairman Dinning said input is always welcome as
Commissioners don’t always see a perspective
that needs to be seen, but he also doesn’t want
a meeting to become unproductive and accusatory.
If there is a concern, people can go ahead and
address those concerns and Commissioners will
see what can be done, but Chairman Dinning said
he has seen meetings become very unproductive.
Ms. Avery said she agrees that it doesn’t do any
good to sit and argue. Commissioner Kirby said
holding a meeting sounds fine to him.
Chairman Dinning said Commissioners are
significantly busier than a lot of people
recognize. It was said it would be extremely
valuable for the public to be present as opposed
to just one or two people and if a meeting could
be structured along those lines, Commissioners
could schedule a meeting. Ms. Avery said if four
meetings are all Commissioners can do, she will
work with that. Mr. Pierce said he would like to
see six meetings scheduled. Chairman Dinning
asked what is there that’s foreseen that needs
to be addressed every two months. Mr. Pierce
said speaking of agendas Agenda 21 is full of
things to look at. Chairman Dinning asked where
Mr. Pierce sees the county fitting in Agenda 21.
Mr. Pierce said not having done a lot of
research on Agenda 21, but it’s a grass roots
thing where it’s coming in at. It was said
Agenda 21 has not been put through in a
situation where everyone knows what’s taken
place with it. Chairman Dinning said he doesn’t
want a town hall meeting to be unproductive and
to take a position and debate it for a length of
time. Chairman Dinning said he’s aware of Agenda
21 and of the allegations and he asked what
action would Boundary
County
be expected to take to counteract those. Mr.
Pierce said that is what the meeting would be
about so those things could be discussed and
questions asked.
Chairman Dinning said he gets a lot of things
handed down from the state level in which the
county can’t counter or go beyond so he would
like these meetings to be as productive as
possible. Ms. Avery said if there are issues
with Agenda 21 and nothing can be done, then we
need to see if researching having more people
behind Commissioners would help as it’s also to
Commissioners’ benefit if the public can help.
Ms. Avery said if she could help, she is all for
it.
Ms. Sloot said one example of a reason to have a
meeting is that the Fish and Wildlife Service
has just started to consider delisting the
grizzly bear and if that is done, where do
Commissioners stand on taking gates down on
Forest Service roads. Ms. Sloot said the whole
purpose for the gates is to keep the grizzly
bear in the forest so if the bear is off the off
endangered list, why are gates needed. Chairman
Dinning said the gates are to keep people out
and right now the Fish and Wildlife Service is
looking at just delisting the Glacier
population. There is DNA analysis going in for
the bear in the Cabinet-Yaak area and those
results are coming out this fall so we will have
a population estimate. The same thing will
hopefully be accomplished in the Selkirks. It’s
a slow process and until there is scientific
documentation that meets the court’s criteria,
there is no use going there, according to
Chairman Dinning. With the assumption one big
area will be delisted there still has to be a
management plan put in place and that plan is
where the managing agencies can keep gates
closed to manage further. There can still be a
management plan on the land and until there is
some method with the ability to still interact
within that, there’s only the ability to go to
court. Chairman Dinning said he can agree and
would love for every gate to be open, but can he
legally challenge that, he doesn’t know. Ms.
Sloot said the reason for town hall meetings is
for Commissioners to explain issues to those in
the public who can’t come to meetings during the
day.
Commissioner Pinkerton said he thinks it’s
important to have town hall meetings as a
representation of people work during the day.
Commissioner Pinkerton said it’s clear why there
are meetings during the
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
hours, which is because of the people
Commissioners have to talk to on the business
side of things, but the information flow between
people being represented to understand the
concerns, etc., or for the people to update
Commissioners can be done at another meeting.
It’s not the same type of meeting as a regular
board meeting, according to Commissioner
Pinkerton. Ms. Sloot said she would suggest
people who wish to speak on a certain subject
call in ahead to be put on agenda if we’re going
to move to do this. Commissioner Pinkerton said
there will have to be someone to set an agenda
and there should at least be a guideline of
what’s to be discussed.
Ms. Stout said four times would be a sufficient
number to meet and as often as tea party meets,
they can be updated. It would be preferred to
hold a town hall meeting in a facility that is
large enough and so that people can count on the
meeting being held on specific dates.
Commissioners discussed various possible
locations to hold meetings. Chairman Dinning
said the best way to have a structure as far as
an agenda is that anyone who wishes to speak
should contact Commissioners’ Office with a name
and contact number. Commissioners said they
would discuss the locations to have a meeting.
The meeting to discuss holding town hall
meetings ended at
11:54 a.m.
There being no further business, the meeting
recessed until tomorrow at 12:05
p.m.
***Tuesday,
June 4, 2013,
Commissioners met in regular session with
Chairman Dan Dinning, Commissioner LeAlan
Pinkerton, Commissioner Walt Kirby, and Deputy
Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
9:00 a.m.,
Boundary County Emergency Services Director Dave
Kramer joined the meeting with newly appointed
County Public Information Officer Mike Meier.
The purpose of the meeting is for Commissioners
to meet Mr. Meier.
Bonners Ferry Herald Reporter Laura Roady and
Boundary County Economic Development Specialist
David Sims also joined the meeting.
Mr. Kramer introduced Mr. Meier to Commissioners
and explained the position of public information
officer had been expanded so the county can make
sure someone is available to provide information
and to have the ability to incorporate this
position more often. Mr. Meier just attended
public information officer training and another
course on dealing with the media. Mr. Sims will
also attend a class in the future, according to
Mr. Sims.
Mr. Kramer said one advantage is being able to
work with the North Idaho Public Information
Network so there will be both the local
resources as well as contacts through the North
Idaho Public Information Network. The role as
public information officer is to support
whatever agency the public information officer
is working with to put together the facts of the
incident and to get the blessing from that
agency before releasing the information.
Chairman Dinning said it may be beneficial to
have Mr. Meier and Mr. Kramer join the
department head/elected officials meeting.
Chairman Dinning said a majority of incidents
Boundary County
deals with is flooding, fires, etc., and most of
those responding agencies have a public
information officer so it’s good to have
someone. Commissioner Pinkerton said he feels a
public information office is extremely important
and he said he was curious what Mr. Meier would
like to do with the day to day, month to month
or year to year incidents as he’s also seen
places destroyed by public information. Mr.
Meier said the local community needs to be
marketed and to let the locals know both the
good and bad information so they will trust what
is going on in local government. One great thing
about a public information officer is it gives
someone a place to go to for information and
allows responding agencies the ability to do
their work in an incident. Mr. Kramer said
through Emergency Management, information can be
provided on training behind the scenes and
informational press releases such as flood
seasons and fire seasons.
Mr. Kramer mentioned trying to turn a corner and
putting the public information officer out in
front to get information out. Commissioner
Pinkerton suggested Mr. Kramer put a tree chart
in place so when there is a matter the first
order of duty for the public information officer
on call is to contact the media and take that
duty off of Mr. Kramer or the responding agency
that needs to focus on their incident. So the
structure is already in place.
Mr. Kramer spoke of the levels of public
information training courses held. The core
group would be Mr. Meier, Mr. Sims and Mike
Weland as backup. Chairman Dinning spoke of
having coordination with the local responding
agencies and Mr. Meier said he’s spoken with all
the fire chiefs and has discussed getting
information out. Commissioner Pinkerton spoke of
getting the correct information out and deciding
which information is important to pass on.
Commissioner Pinkerton said he feels strongly
that a public information officer shouldn’t
speak for an agency’s own public information
officer who is already working the scene.
Mr. Kramer informed Commissioners the Local
Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is tomorrow
from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00
p.m.
Mr. Meier said a public information officer
hasn’t been used much in
Boundary
County so it is all open territory.
Commissioner Pinkerton and Mr. Meier spoke of
the benefits of establishing a relationship with
the media.
The meeting with Mr. Kramer, Mr. Meier and Mr.
Sims ended at
9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.,
Shane Robinson and Bill Hayes with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services
joined the meeting. Mr. Robinson explained that
he works in conjunction with the Idaho Wool
Growers ad deals with all sorts of problems
associated with wildlife. Wildlife Services has
a memorandum of understanding with the Fish and
Wildlife Service to deal with certain animals
and the Department of Fish and Game has him to
take care of predators. Mr. Robinson said he
doesn’t deal much with bears getting into
garbage, but he gets usually gets involved when
animals kill livestock. Mr. Robinson said he has
dealt with beavers causing issue with culverts,
etc., but the majority of his work consists of
predators and livestock. Chairman Dinning said
Mr. Robinson’s service has been a benefit to the
community. Mr. Hayes is Mr. Robinson’s county
representative.
Mr. Robinson presented his yearly report of
predator activity. Mr. Robinson explained the
conditions and behavior patterns of predators
that he is able to kill them under, but the
problem is being able to confirm the predator of
the kill. Mr. Robinson said he has to be able to
confirm the depredation in order to put the
traps out. Chairman Dinning said what Mr.
Robinson does is beneficial to the community and
it’s appreciated.
The effects of predatory wildlife to livestock
were discussed and it was said there had been a
fund to help reimburse farmers who have lost
livestock. Mr. Hayes said there has gotten to be
so many people. Mr. Robinson said he heard there
currently is no funding for this, but the state
is working to secure funding for next year.
The meeting with Mr. Hayes and Mr. Robinson
ended at 9:47
a.m.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved to approve the
minutes of May 13 & 14, 2013. Commissioner Kirby
second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:00 a.m.,
Commissioners considered the adoption of the
Findings and Decision for Planning and Zoning
Application #13-019. This is an application for
a special event permit to hold a mud bog/rock
crawl requested by DelRay Romero. Present were:
Commissioners, Planning and Zoning Administrator
Dan Studer and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
The proceedings were recorded.
Commissioner Kirby moved to continue the meeting
to address the Findings and Decision for
Planning and Zoning Application #13-019, a
request for a special event permit for a mud
bog/rock crawl requested by DelRay Romero until
10:30 a.m. Commissioner Pinkerton second. Motion
passed unanimously.
Mr. Gutshall stopped by Commissioners’ Office to
obtain the Chairman’s signature on
Deep
Creek Bridge
#2 construction documents.
Commissioner Kirby moved to authorize the
signing of all construction phase documents for
Deep
Creek Bridge
#2. Commissioner Pinkerton second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Mr. Gutshall said he has older equipment that he
could try using biodiesel.
Mr. Gutshall and Commissioners briefly discussed
rock crushing.
Mr. Gutshall left the meeting at 10:30 a.m.
Commissioners said the county has tax deeded
properties that have not sold at public auction
and now the county can negotiate with anyone for
those properties. Chairman Dinning said he wants
this process to be fair and questioned the
process of advertising under sealed bid.
10:35 a.m.,
Commissioners resumed the meeting to consider
the Findings and Decision for Planning and
Zoning Application#13-019. An application for a
special event permit requested by DelRay Romero
to hold a mud bog/rock crawl event. Present were
Commissioners, Planning and Zoning Administrator
Dan Studer and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
The proceedings were recorded.
The Findings and Decision included a synopsis of
the public hearings and the list of conditions
the application was approved under. The
conditions are as follows: hours of operation
will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the event
will occur on Saturday and Sunday only; all
participating vehicles shall have mufflers; no
alcoholic beverages will be sold or allowed at
the event, all necessary permits will be
obtained prior to the event and shall include
Panhandle Health District, Idaho Department of
Water Resources and the Department of
Environmental Quality; proof of liability
insurance will be provided to the Planning and
Zoning Administrator, a limit of 1,000 vehicles
on the premise is imposed; and no parking is
allowed on county roads or shoulders of roads.
Commissioner Kirby moved to adopt the Findings
and Decision as presented dated May 29, 2013 and modified June 4, 2013 for Planning and Zoning Application #13-019.
An application for a special event permit to
hold a mud bog/rock crawl event requested by
DelRay Romero. Commissioner Pinkerton second.
Motion passed unanimously.
The meeting to adopt the Findings and Decision
ended.
Commissioners and Mr. Studer discussed holding
public hearings for Planning and Zoning matters,
the process of listening to public concerns,
mitigation measures, and how each request for a
permit has its own set of circumstances.
Mr. Studer left the meeting at 11:00 a.m.
Commissioner Pinkerton moved that the properties
that did not sell at auction be prepared to be
sold under the sealed bid process. Commissioner
Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby left the meeting at
11:30 a.m.
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
1:30 p.m.,
Commissioners reconvened for the afternoon
session with Chairman Dinning, Commissioner
Pinkerton, Commissioner Kirby and Deputy Clerk
Michelle Rohrwasser.
County
Civil
Attorney Tevis Hull
joined the meeting.
Commissioner Kirby moved to go into executive
session under Idaho Code #67-2345(1)a, to
consider hiring a public officer, employee,
staff member or individual agent and Idaho Code
#67-2345(1)d, to consider records that are
exempt from disclosure as provided in chapter 3,
title 9, Idaho Code. Commissioner Pinkerton
second. Commissioners voted as follows: Chairman
Dinning “aye”, Commissioner Pinkerton “aye” and
Commissioner Kirby “aye”. Motion passed
unanimously. 2:50 p.m., Commissioner Kirby moved to go out of executive
session. Commissioner Pinkerton second. Motion
passed unanimously. No action was taken.
Commissioners tended to administrative duties.
There being no further business, the meeting
adjourned at
3:30 p.m.
/s/
DAN R.
DINNING, Chairman
Attest:
/s/
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy Clerk
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