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Monday,
January 09, 2012, Commissioners
met in regular session with Chairman Ron Smith,
Commissioner Dan Dinning, Commissioner Walt
Kirby, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
County resident Jerry Di
Muro also joined the meeting.
9:00 a.m., Road and Bridge
Superintendent Jeff Gutshall joined the meeting
to give the departmental report. Mr. Gutshall
presented a written report.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to amend today’s agenda for
9:30 a.m., to include the adoption of
the County Precinct Map. Commissioner Kirby
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Chairman Smith said this
change to the agenda is related matters already
scheduled for that time.
Mr. Gutshall said during
the December 2011 Boundary Area Transportation
Team (BATT) meeting, Don Davis with the Idaho
Transportation Department (ITD) said in addition
to the paving project in Bonners Ferry, he was
asked by Damon Allen, also of ITD, to get a list
of other concerns along the route from the City
of Bonners Ferry. Mr. Gutshall asked if that
includes the old north hill and walkway. Mr.
Gutshall said a couple of things City of
Bonners Ferry Road Foreman John Youngwirth
was considering was the old north hill walkway
and Pine Island Road.
Mr. Gutshall said if anything is done to
Pine Island Road, the
Forest Service would have to be on board as it
may include some of their parking lot. Mr.
Gutshall said that road approach could be done
differently and this is something ITD may be in
favor of as they don’t like multiple approaches
and there are two there that are not in
favorable areas. Mr. Gutshall said the problem
in that area is when a person is coming down and
breaking traction.
Clerk Glenda Poston joined
the meeting at
9:05 a.m.
Mr. Gutshall spoke to
Commissioners about Road and Bridge’s new shift
during winter operations, which covers all
weekend. Mr. Gutshall said there is no overtime
involved and he has yet to see how this schedule
will work. There will be two to three Road and
Bridge employees working Thursday through Sunday
and Monday night through Thursday night will be
the nightshift.
Chairman Smith said he felt
the meeting he and Mr. Gutshall had with
Boundary County School Superintendent, Dick
Conley, was good and he was impressed with the
Superintendent. Chairman Smith said the
School District had been thinking
about starting school two hours later on snow
days rather than canceling school, but after
learning what the snowplow schedule is, it was
decided a delay wouldn’t be a good idea.
9:10
a.m., County resident Lee Pinkerton
joined the meeting.
Mr. Gutshall said he
purchased a brine plant, but it hasn’t been used
as Road and Bridge needs a platform and cover
for it. The City of Bonners
Ferry
also needs brine around the City and Mr.
Gutshall said brine could be made for 10 cents a
gallon. By partnering with the City, the City
could provide funds for a slab and roof and make
the process equitable for both entities.
Chairman Smith said the landfill may have an
area for the brine plant. Chairman Smith
mentioned the fairgrounds may also be a location
to consider.
Mr. Gutshall informed
Commissioners he is already over budget on
diesel.
Mr. Gutshall said David
Evans and Associates is working on a new
construction estimate for one of the Trow Creek
Bridges. One of the bridges has a bad
sufficiency rating, but the other bridge’s
rating is good. Mr. Gutshall said
Boundary
County gained two points by keeping
costs for construction projects under three
quarters of a million dollars. Mr. Gutshall said
he will have the paperwork done sometime this
week and it is due February 12th.
Mr.
Gutshall said he would like the bridge’s
surrounding area addressed as well.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to sign the application for replacement of
Trow
Creek Bridge
when Mr. Gutshall presents it. Commissioner
Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Gutshall said for all
the years he thought the Deep Creek Bridges
would be under construction he put in matching
funds, but this year he didn’t put in matching
funds and the bridges may actually be
constructed. It’s possible this season that
7.34% of construction costs may be requested,
but he doesn’t have it in his budget. Mr.
Gutshall said he does have the cash in his
budget so he may need to do a resolution. Mr.
Gutshall said he still has funds sitting in
ITD’s bank account for projects so he doesn’t
see why they just can’t use those funds. Mr.
Gutshall said he will contact ITD about use of
those funds.
Mr. Gutshall said the
bridge near the refuge that he submitted for
inclusion in the Forest Highway Project was not
selected. This bridge doesn’t have a low enough
sufficiency rating, according to Mr. Gutshall.
Commissioner Kirby asked
Mr. Gutshall to keep pressing ITD for a turn bay
at Division Street.
Commissioner Kirby said he
heard something about Highway 2 being raised two
feet over the course of several years and how it
affects the airport.
Mr. Gutshall left the
meeting at 9:30 a.m.
Clerk Poston presented a
resolution adopting new Commissioner Districts
along with a new Commissioner District map.
Clerk Poston said GIS Mapper Gary Falcon used
data from the census to prepare the map.
Commissioners and Clerk Poston reviewed each
district’s population. Commissioner Dinning said
this new map is clearer as it is better divided
by the highway, the railroad tracks into Bonners
Ferry, and Highway 1. The river divides
Districts 2 and 3, according to Clerk Poston.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
adopt Resolution 2012-5. A resolution
establishing Commissioner Districts.
Commissioner Dinning second. Motion passed
unanimously. Resolution 2012-5 reads as follows:
Resolution
2012-5
A Resolution
Establishing Commissioner Districts
WHEREAS, Idaho Code 31-704 requires the
board of commissioners to district their county
into three districts at the regular meeting in
January preceding any general election into
three districts, as nearly equal in population
as may be, to be known as county commissioners’
districts numbers one (1), two (2) and three
(3); and
NOW THEREFORE, upon motion duly made,
seconded, and unanimously carried,
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Board of County
Commissioners, County of Boundary, State of
Idaho establish the following commissioner
districts based on the 2010 Census:
Boundary County
Commissioner Districts – 2012
District 1
Beginning at the
intersection of the Boundary-Bonner County Line
and the centerline of U.S. Highway 95 & 2;
thence northerly along the centerline of said
highway to the intersection with the centerline
of Pine Island Road; thence west along said
centerline to the east right of way line of the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad; thence
northerly along said right of way line to the
intersection with the centerline of U.S. Highway
95 & 2; thence northerly along said centerline
to the intersection with the centerline of State
Highway 1; thence northerly along said State
Highway centerline to the intersection with the
United States – Canada International Boundary
Line; thence west along said International
Boundary Line to the Idaho – Washington State
Boundary Line; thence south along said State
Boundary Line to the intersection with the
Boundary – Bonner County Line; thence east along
said County Line; thence south along said County
Line; thence east along said County Line to the
intersection with the centerline of U.S. Highway
95 & 2 and the place of beginning.
District 2
Beginning at the
intersection of the centerline of State Highway
1 and the United States – Canada International
Boundary Line; thence east along said
International Boundary Line to the Idaho –
Montana State Boundary Line; thence south along
said State Boundary Line to the intersection
with the centerline of the Kootenai River;
thence westerly along the centerline of said
Kootenai River to the intersection with the
centerline of U.S. Highway 95 & 2; thence
northerly along said centerline to the
intersection with the centerline of State
Highway 1; thence northerly along said State
Highway centerline to the intersection with the
United States – Canada International Boundary
Line and the place of beginning.
District 3
Beginning at the
intersection of the Boundary-Bonner County line
and the centerline of U.S. Highway 95 & 2;
thence northerly along the centerline of said
highway to the intersection with the centerline
of Pine Island Road; thence west along said
centerline to the east right of way line of the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad; thence
northerly along said right of way line to the
intersection with the centerline of U.S. Highway
95 & 2; thence northerly along said centerline
to the intersection with the centerline of the
Kootenai River; thence easterly along the
centerline of said Kootenai River to the Idaho –
Montana State Boundary Line; thence south along
said State Boundary Line to the Boundary –
Bonner County Line; thence west along said
County Line to the intersection with the
centerline of U.S. Highway 95 & 2 and the place
of beginning.
DATED this 9th
day of January, 2012
COUNTY
OF
BOUNDARY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
s/____________________________
RONALD R. SMITH, Chairman
s/____________________________
DAN R. DINNING, Commissioner
s/____________________________
WALT KIRBY, Commissioner
ATTEST:
s/____________________________________________________
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk of the Board of
County
Commissioners
Recorded as
instrument #252851
Commissioner Dinning moved
to adopt and sign the Commissioner District map.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to adopt Resolution 2012-6. Adopting polling
precincts and sites in
Boundary
County. Commissioner Kirby second.
Motion passed unanimously. Resolution 2012-6
reads as follows:
RESOLUTION 2012-6
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING POLLING SITES IN
BOUNDARY
COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Board of County
Commissioners, County of Boundary, State of
Idaho, has established seven polling sites
within the County, and
WHEREAS, currently those sites are the Bonners
Ferry Precinct, Copeland Precinct, Kootenai
Precinct, Moyie Springs Precinct, Naples
Precinct, North Bonners Ferry Precinct and the
Valley View Precinct, and
WHEREAS, the Board of County
Commissioners find it in the best interest of
the general public to combine the Bonners Ferry
Precinct and the Kootenai Precinct due to the
number of voters in each of those precincts in
order to save on time, personnel and funding,
and
NOW THEREFORE, upon motion duly made,
seconded, and unanimously carried,
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Board of County
Commissioners,
County
of
Boundary,
State of
Idaho
establish the polling sites for elections to be
held in
Boundary
County
as follows:
PRECINCT
LOCATION
B.F./Kootenai Precinct
Exhibit Hall, Boundary
County
Fairgrounds
Copeland Precinct
Mt.
Hall
School
Moyie Springs Precinct
Evergreen
School
Naples
Precinct
South Boundary Fire Hall
North Bonners Ferry Precinct
Exhibit Hall, Boundary
County
Fairgrounds
Valley View Precinct
Valley
View
School
DATED this 9th day of January, 2012
COUNTY
OF
BOUNDARY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
s/_________________________
RONALD R. SMITH, Chairman
s/_________________________
DAN R. DINNING, Commissioner
s/_________________________
WALT KIRBY, Commissioner
ATTEST:
s/___________________________________________________
GLENDA POSTON,
Clerk of the Board of
County
Commissioners
Recorded as
instrument #252858
The only change made is
combining the Bonners Ferry and Kootenai
precincts. The logistics will not change. Clerk
Poston said this change makes more sense since
there is such as low turnout in the Bonners
Ferry precinct. Clerk Poston said signs will
clarify which line to vote in. Clerk Poston said
her staff may expand the counting room at the
Moyie Precinct.
Those present discussed
processes for declaring party affiliations and
requesting specific party ballots and explained
the absentee ballot application and party
affiliation statement.
Clerk Poston left the
meeting at 9:50 a.m.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to reappoint John Cranor to the Planning and
Zoning Commission with a term to expire
January 31, 2016. Commissioner Kirby
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner tended to
administrative duties.
Mr. Pinkerton left the
meeting at
10:10 a.m.
Chairman Smith reviewed
aloud the support letter for a District 1
Involuntary Hold Facility. Commissioner Dinning
questioned if by signing the letter, are
Commissioners obligating the County in this
grant. Commissioner Dinning questioned how many
people Boundary
County takes to
Lewiston
and if the number is low, what are the cost
figures. It was said
Boundary
County’s three year average is 4
people and that is only if
Kootenai Medical
Center is full. Commissioner Dinning
questioned if the County would be spending
millions of dollars for 10 to 20 people to go to
Lewiston. The information
shows Boundary
County’s projected
cost is 8,000 and Commissioner Dinning said he
would like to review the information.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to sign the letter of support for the proposed
District 1 Involuntary Hold Facility.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Mr. Di Muro left the
meeting.
Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals
joined the meeting at
10:25 a.m.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to go into closed session under Idaho Code
#31-874. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion
passed unanimously.
10:30 a.m., Commissioner Dinning
moved to go out of closed session. Commissioner
Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
deny indigent application #2012-6 as per the
Clerk’s recommendation. Commissioner Kirby
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to adopt Resolution 2012-7. A resolution
appointing a member to the Planning and Zoning
Commission. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion
passed unanimously. Resolution 2012-7 reads as
follows:
RESOLUTION
APPOINTING MEMBER TO
PLANNING AND
ZONING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO.
2012-7
WHEREAS,
Chapter 65 of Title 67 does empower Boundary
County to create a Planning and Zoning
Commission, and Chapter 3, Section 1 of the
Boundary County Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance
did establish such a commission; and
WHEREAS,
member John Cranor, having been appointed February 28, 2011,
to fill a vacant term, has served to the
completion of that term; and
WHEREAS; John
Cranor has expressed interest in and does
qualify to serve on the commission and does meet
the residency requirements set forth at Section
67-6504, IC; and
WHEREAS, the
Board of County Commissioners are desirous of
appointing John Cranor to a full term as a
member of the Boundary County Planning and
Zoning Commission; and
NOW,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County
Commissioners of
Boundary County,
Idaho,
that John Cranor be appointed to membership on
the Boundary County Planning and Zoning
Commission to a full term on the Planning and
Zoning Commission, with term ending on January 31, 2016.
Regularly
passed and approved on this 9th day
of January, 2012.
COUNTY
OF
BOUNDARY
BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
s/______________________
RON SMITH,
CHAIR
s/_________________________
DAN DINNING,
COMMISSIONER
s/_________________________
WALT KIRBY,
COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
s/__________________________________
MICHELLE
ROHRWASSER, DEPUTY
Clerk of the
Board of
County
Commissioners
Recorded as instrument
#252859
Commissioners reviewed
claims for payment. Fund totals are as follows:
Current Expense
$65,769.26
Road & Bridge
65,241.65
Airport
4,019.06
District Court
2,913.31
Justice Fund
38,853.43
911 Funds
2,976.96
Health District
12,639.00
Hospital, Operation
69,000.00
Indigent & Charity
46,118.31
Parks and Recreation
10,792.87
Revaluation
678.83
Solid Waste
16,786.08
Tort
76,307.50
Veterans Memorial
533.29
Weeds
173.98
Restorium
19,666.55
Waterways
337.83
Juvenile Probation-Lottery
180.16
Hospital Supplemental Levy
5,114.23
Fire Mitigation Grant
15,957.88
TOTAL
$454,060.18
Citizens are invited to
inspect detailed records on file in the
Courthouse (individual claims & Commissioners’
allowance & warrant register record 2011).
10:35 a.m., Solid Waste
Superintendent Claine Skeen joined the meeting.
Commissioner Dinning moved
to approve the minutes of January 2 & 3, 2011.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby asked
Mr. Skeen how the recycle shelter is coming
along and Mr. Skeen said it is done.
Commissioners tended to
administrative duties.
Chairman Smith said today’s
discussion on the Caribou critical habitat will
be postponed until tomorrow at 10 a.m., at which
time Commissioners will conduct a conference
call with Shoshone County Commissioners on the
same matter.
Chairman Smith said he
received a call from Panhandle State Bank Vice
President, Dave Walter about financing for the
wheel loader. The interest rate Panhandle Bank
was offering was 3.4% and the rate from CAT
Financial Services is 3.2%. Chairman Smith
mentioned Mr. Walter said if the rate is the
only difference, he would be able to match the
rate of 3.2%. CAT Financial’s payments are only
$17,580 and payments quoted by Panhandle State
Bank are $69,650. Mr. Skeen said he spoke to Mr.
Walter as well and Panhandle State Bank has a
payoff in five years whereas CAT Financial will
own the machine after five years in which the
County would re-lease after five years. Mr.
Skeen said CAT Financial will buy the machine
back and that is why their quote is cheaper.
Panhandle State Bank can compare as long as CAT
Financial will honor the guaranteed buyback
after five years through another finance
company. Chairman Smith said if that is the
deal, would Mr. Skeen want to go finance through
Panhandle State Bank. Mr. Skeen said he has no
issues with who he finances with. Chairman Smith
said he doesn’t want it to appear that the
County is accepting financing through Panhandle
State Bank because he and Mr. Walter are
friends. Chairman Smith said he looks at this
matter as it is dealing with a local bank. Mr.
Skeen asked for clarification on Panhandle State
Bank offering a fixed 3.2% rate.
Commissioners spoke to
Panhandle State Bank Vice President Dave Walter
via telephone at 10:55 a.m.
Chairman Smith reviewed the
financing terms with Mr. Walter for accuracy.
Mr. Walter confirmed that his bank could honor
annual payments of $17,558 as CAT Financial had
also offered. Commissioner Dinning said if
Panhandle State Bank offered a rate of 3.2% and
CAT Financial Services will guarantee the buy
back, would the annual payment be same as CAT’s
offer. Mr. Walter said yes, with annual payments
of $17558, the County is still paying some of
the principal balance down and the County will
end up getting a bit of money back is CAT buys
back at $272,000.
It was said a request has
been made to CAT Financial Services if they will
buy back the wheel loader if it is financed
through Panhandle State Bank. Commissioner Kirby
said in another lease situation, CAT Financial
supplied the contract with the exception of the
financing, which Panhandle State Bank supplied.
Mr. Walter said he thinks the CAT Financial’s
guarantee is more so tied to warranty work.
The telephone call with Mr.
Walter ended.
Mr. Skeen said he will wait
to see what CAT Financial comes back with.
The meeting with Mr. Skeen
ended at 11:05
a.m.
There being no further
business, the meeting recessed until tomorrow at
9:00 a.m.
***Tuesday,
January 10, 2012, Commissioners
met in regular session with Chairman Ron Smith,
Commissioner Dan Dinning, Commissioner Walt
Kirby, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
9:00 a.m., Commissioner Dinning moved
amend today’s agenda to consider financing for
the wheel loader at
1:30 p.m.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Boundary Volunteer
Ambulance (BVA) Chief Ken Baker, BVA
Administrative staff member Edna Runyan, BVA
Emergency Medical Technicians Vicky Hamilton and
John Minden, BVA Attorney Brian Woods, Boundary
Community Hospital Chief Operating Officer
Jeffrey Perkins, and Clerk Glenda Poston joined
the meeting to discuss information on forming a
proposed Ambulance District.
Chairman Smith said if the
County decides to form an ambulance district it
would be the County that determines who the
governing board will consist of. Commissioners
would have direct decision making and Attorney
Woods said absolutely. Attorney Woods said not
only would Commissioners have the ability to say
they chose not to continue funding BVA and would
prefer to look for another service provider, but
Commissioners will also have more of a direct
ability in the day to day functioning of BVA by
being able to appoint someone to the BVA Board.
Chairman Smith said he thought there would be no
BVA Board unless the County put one together.
Attorney Woods said the County would be
completely in charge of funds and he explained
how the process works. Attorney Woods suggested
BVA state in their by-laws that Commissioners
have the right to appoint a person to the
ambulance district board of directors. When the
district has a board of directors meeting for
themselves, the County’s appointed could also
attend. Chairman Smith said the County is
ultimately responsible for funds and if
Commissioners don’t like what is going on, they
can ultimately do away with the contract with
BVA. Attorney Woods said another thought is to
allow Boundary
Community
Hospital the right to appoint a
member to the board of directors and possibly a
City of Bonners Ferry
representative since a certain percent of call
volume comes from the city. The membership would
still have a majority vote, but each of three
constituent organizations would have a voice.
Attorney Woods said they’ve revised the
Powerpoint presentation to present at the public
hearing and he wants to make sure when today’s
meeting is over they know when there is going to
be a public hearing as it is important for the
community to move forward.
Commissioner Dinning said
educating the community as to what this proposed
district is about is not necessarily the
Commissioners’ role, but education would help
dispel any rumors. Chairman Smith said that is
what the Commissioners’ public hearing will be
about. Attorney Woods anticipates a certain
structure such as funds come to the County who
then determines spending so there is a
contractual relationship. It was said BVA would
be responsible for actual spending. Currently
BVA is a non-profit organization that is
available for the welfare of the general public.
BVA has a total of 35 volunteers and out of
that, approximately 8 to 10 are active
volunteers. Volunteerism is fewer and they get
burned out. BVA ends up relying on very few
volunteers and they get burned out in that
situation. It was said four or five is a more
accurate number for active volunteers. One
reason for the low turnout is the organization
can’t pay the volunteers other than in a
situation when transporting patients to the
hospital and that has become a real problem for
BVA. BVA has been around since 1965 and it is a
membership corporation. BVA is not a public
benefit organization and all assets don’t belong
to the public as a whole, but instead controlled
by the association’s members. Membership
requirements are set in the by-laws of the
corporation and a person must be a licensed
emergency medical technician (EMT) to be
eligible for membership. All five board of
directors are appointed by their membership.
There are currently five board members and they
proposed the board membership increase from five
to seven. The board members would appoint four
new members and the three others to be appointed
by someone else. Ken Baker was mentioned as
President of the Association and two other
support staff members were mentioned. BVA
averages 800 calls per year and it is the only
ambulance service in the County so they are
covering from Naples
to Porthill and from the eastside to the
Westside. BVA provides basic and advanced life
support, extrication service for the entire
County, transports to two hospitals, as well as
some inter-facility transfers. One reason BVA is
here today is that they are limited in what they
can do in terms of inter-facility transfers. If
a patient is transferred to the hospital and the
hospital says they need to go elsewhere for
care, BVA cannot transport the patient to the
other facility if they require a higher level of
care. There is a need for additionally trained
persons who have higher education and training
backgrounds in this field and those people cost
more money.
Chairman Smith questioned
if there would be proper personnel if a
helicopter was flown in. Mr. Baker said in the
past medical personnel from Sandpoint or other
places would be utilized. It was said the
request is to create an ambulance service and to
tax the public. Attorney Woods said a reasonable
question is if there another way to get this
done and the PowerPoint slides will show what
the other options are and why they don’t work.
In terms of what they do and why the County
ought to provide BVA with funds is that BVA also
conducts rope and water rescues and stands by at
community events.
Attorney Woods discussed
staff and mentioned there are currently five
ambulance units. If BVA went out of business, it
would be up to board of directors to determine
where the assets should go, according to
Attorney Woods.
County resident Jerry Di
Muro joined the meeting.
Attorney Woods said BVA has
two rescue units that are 12 and 15 years old
and there is no permanent home. The County has
provided a place for the units in the
Extension
Office Building.
BVA also stores ambulance units at two fire
departments; one at South Boundary Fire District
and one at Hall Mountain Fire Department as well
as a unit at Minden Water Well.
Attorney Woods said an
ambulance district is needed for better patient
outcomes and to better serve the community and
in order to do that, additional revenues are
needed.
Attorney Woods said
Boundary
Community Hospital
performs minor surgeries only and Advanced Life
Support is when highly trained people are needed
to get patients from A to B. Those people are
nurses and paramedics. The community needs to
get patients from here to there in order to get
the care as quickly as possible. Out of 225
calls BVA transported 56 and the remaining cases
had to be transferred by another agency that is
certified as advanced life support “ALS”.
Boundary Community Hospital COO Jeffrey Perkins
said the Hospital has averaged two helicopter
rides per week. Attorney Woods offered to
provide Commissioners more info on that subject
if needed.
Attorney Woods said the
helicopter and fixed wing involves getting
something in the air from
Spokane, getting a
patient loaded, etc., and 40% of the time
Boundary
County can’t do that due to weather
or other considerations of availability.
Chairman Smith said helicopters can’t fly in
certain conditions, but fixed wings can.
Commissioner Dinning said 40% of the time
weather is an issue and that equates to 170 ALS
calls. That means 40% of the calls are forced to
go to ground transportation. A fixed wing can
get in to the County airport. Commissioner
Dinning said so Medstar’s fixed wing can get
here unless there is extreme weather.
EMT John Minden said
Medstar established quite a few helicopters in
Spokane, but they only
have two fixed wings so availability is more of
the issue. Commissioner Dinning said this is
meeting just having a conversation and this is
something the public will want clarity and
understand. Attorney Woods said not only is
flying an issue, but there is the issue of time.
Attorney Woods said time is critical with a lot
of patients and delays are sometimes injurious
to these patients and all of these alternatives
are taking longer. It was said someone will
always be able to get a patient in an ambulance
to Kootenai
Medical Center
faster than getting a helicopter. BVA can beat a
competitor if they can put the personnel in the
unit and go as soon as hospital says so. That is
the best in terms of patient outcome and is the
most dependable and reliable way. This is a
certain approach that is being presented,
according to Attorney Woods. If you look at all
of these options such as Medstar, all of the
other options are located out of this county and
that tells you those dollars are leaving the
county and not coming back. Those dollars are
going to Spokane,
Kootenai County
and Bonner
County. Attorney
Woods said that helicopter bill and those
dollars have left
Boundary
County and will not come back to the
County as opposed to a BVA district that will
provide jobs in the county to people who will
spend money in this county. Chairman Smith asked
if a district will eliminate the need for a
helicopter. Mr. Perkins said there are always
issues involving a helicopter if there is a rush
to get to another location. It takes 10 minutes
to get the helicopter fired up, another 30
minutes to get here, another 5 minuets to get
the patient loaded up and 30 minutes to get
back. Mr. Perkins said there will be times a
patient will be sent in an ambulance in order to
meet the helicopter midway. The County won’t
have 42 paramedics and 16 ambulances waiting at
the hospital, so if there is more then one
accident, there will be a need for a helicopter.
But in most cases BVA could handle this.
Commissioner Dinning asked
if the Hospital has statistics for multi-person
incidents. Mr. Perkins said statistically the
Hospital will see a tremendous swing in
transports done by BVA and Medstar. Attorney
Woods said nurses are also a possibility to
accompany a patient from A to B. People will ask
why nurses don’t do that and there are a number
of responses. It sounds good in theory, but not
in application. There are staffing issues and
you can’t pull a nurse off the hospital floor.
That causes a reliability and dependability
issue as far as finding another nurse that is
not currently on shift at the hospital to sit on
an ambulance to go with a patient. It is not
doable. Mr. Perkins said liability wise the
Hospital insurance carrier would not allow a
nurse to go in the ambulance as liability is
huge as there would be no control as a hospital.
Chairman Smith mentioned using a memorandum of
understanding in extreme emergencies. Mr.
Perkins said another reason is that the Hospital
has to have a certain number of staff at all
times and there is someone on call for the
Hospital’s circumstances. The Hospital could
have a need for additional nurses so the nursing
pool can’t be reduced if there is a surge in
patients.
Paramedics can also answer
a majority of the calls when they’re not in
training. The thought is to hire three or four
paramedics and they are not inexpensive.
Washington
and Montana
sit on the County’s border and the local
paramedics need to be paid what is somewhat
equal to what they could be paid elsewhere as
the situation of jumping ship is notorious so
there is a need to pay something in order to
retain them. Three to four paramedics could
handle calls that come in annually and they
would be in the ambulance transporting ALS
patients along with the volunteers so volunteers
won’t be so heavily relied upon. BVA will have
better qualified people to respond to all calls,
there will be more reliability, there will be no
burnout, and paramedics can also handle most of
the training for EMT’s, in addition to other
responsibilities. Paramedics can handle all
supplies involving drugs as well as review
quality improvements, provide training, etc.
Attorney Woods said it is a
lot of money that the proposed district would be
asking for the 2013 budget and what BVA hopes to
do before the budget hearing is to have budgets
ready. The bottom line is there are details to
support the budget for payroll. A vast majority
of expenditures is payroll and there has to be a
contract, a doctor, and billing expenses. There
is a training figure in budget, but that is
going to be higher than what it will actually be
as that budget can be reduced by using a
paramedic. The proposed district will need new
ambulance units as the current units are old and
have been discarded by other facilities and
refitted by BVA. Attorney Woods said this tells
you BVA has been doing good work with limited
resources, historically. BVA has literally
patched together older ambulances. The proposed
district will want to rotate a new ambulance at
a cost of $225,000 and keep them at a five year
rotation. A fly car is also needed as currently
personally owned vehicles are being used. Other
expenses consist of patient care, supplies,
administrative expenses, maintenance, fuel,
repairs, insurance, then land and buildings. BVA
does have a facility now in the Extension
Office, but ultimately they would like to move
to a world in which they had their own facility,
according to Attorney Woods. Attorney Woods said
South Boundary Fire District has a station that
cost $345,000 and BVA would put a station loan a
promissory note.
Attorney Woods discussed
future possible revenues including grant
estimates and other savings earned by changing a
few practices. Also discussed was the issue of
uninsured people.
Commissioner Dinning said
having three to four full time paramedics to him will
not take care of multiple issues as only one
paramedic will be on shift at a time.
Commissioner Dinning asked what is the
anticipated avenue of coverage then as that is
not improving the situation of staffing.
Commissioner Dinning said this is what the
public will ask. Attorney Woods said while there
are four paramedics working on shifts, that
doesn’t mean someone else won’t get called in
such as if another paramedic has to work
overtime. Attorney Woods said included in the
budget is salary calculated for overtime.
9:55 a.m., County resident Donna
Capurso joined the meeting.
Those present discussed the
hours an ambulance district office will be
staffed.
Attorney Woods said BVA is
asking for the .04%. Chairman Smith said bottom
line is it is the responsibility of the County
to provide ambulance service so Commissioners
know something has to be done. Chairman Smith
said his only concern is what service is
provided has to be right so it works and is
successful for the community. Whatever board is
put together, they’ll have people looking over
their shoulder as there needs to be a guarantee
that the service works.
Salaries for nurses and
paramedics were briefly discussed and Mr.
Perkins said a hospital nurse usually makes more
than a paramedic.
Chairman Smith said
Commissioners will let BVA know when the public
hearing will be held. Attorney Woods said if
between now and then Commissioners still have
questions they can contact him. Chairman Smith
briefly explained the public hearing process.
The meeting with BVA ended
at 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m., Commissioners
participated in a conference call with Shoshone
County Commissioners on the issue of Caribou
Critical Habitat. Also present were: Donna
Capurso, Jerry Di Muro, Clerk Glenda Poston, and
City Council Member Tom Mayo.
Chairman Smith reviewed the
draft letter on Caribou Commissioners had
written to request public hearings and to extend
the comment period. Chairman Smith said last
night’s Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative
(KVRI) meeting got heated, but went well. Far
more people attended the KVRI meeting than
Chairman Smith said he thought would. Chairman
Smith said Boundary
County
has requested two hearings with a public meeting
prior. Chairman Smith said Bonner County
Commissioners Louis Rich and Mike Nielsen
attended the KVRI meeting as well as a City of
Bonners Ferry Council Member
in place of Mayor Dave Anderson. In
Commissioners’ discussion with their attorney,
coordination was mentioned.
Bonner County
has exercised their coordination authority and
has drafted a resolution. Chairman Smith said
Boundary County
will add coordination to their agenda for
Tuesday as Commissioners don’t really understand
what coordination is about. Commissioner Dinning
asked Shoshone County Commissioners if they are
familiar with coordination. Shoshone County
Commissioner Larry Yergler said they are
familiar with coordination on a couple of
different issues.
Shoshone County
has not formalized their stance as far as
demanding and holding meetings as they’ve gotten
pretty good response just by asking.
Commissioner Dinning said this request forces
the managing agency to come to the table and at
least meet at a minimum, but he’s not sure if it
gives the County any more authority.
Shoshone
County said the only authority it
gives a County and to hold the agency’s feet to
the fire and the agency has to keep responding.
It is not a silver bullet to get what is wanted,
though.
Commissioner Kirby said he
felt the people against the critical habitat
weren’t heard by the Department of Fish and
Game. There will be a whole bunch of angry
people, according to Commissioner Kirby. The
people sense these professionals that were at
the KVRI meeting don’t hear them. Chairman Smith
said he told them we’re not going to go away. It
was said right behind the Caribou issue is the
Canadian Lynx and wolverine. Commissioner
Yergler said he has attended a couple classes on
coordination. Commissioner Dinning said the
phone call from the Justice Department forced
the agency to listen, but did it force them to
adopt and accept the position the Commissioners
were advocating for. Commissioner Yergler said
had that not gone through, the ranchers would
have gone out of business and this is to do with
the Owyhee
initiative. Chairman Smith said he didn’t get
clarification, but the documents he saw
mentioned 365 acres are involved between three
counties. The figure discussed last night for
Boundary County
was 217 acres. Chairman Smith said he has never
seen the figure of 270 acres, but when he went
to the Wildland Urban Interface meeting, he
asked how much acreage was in
Boundary County
and was told the number 270 although maybe he
misheard. Commissioner Dinning said 217 was just
Forest Service land, but other agencies were
added and Idaho Department of Lands increased
the number.
Commissioners will send
their letter today and issue a press release to
discuss what they’re doing as they did with the
Jeremy Hill case. Chairman Smith said when
Commissioners get notification of when a hearing
will be they’ll issue another press release.
Chairman Smith said he met with the school
superintendent and brought up holding meetings
in the auditorium and the superintendent said
that would be fine. Commissioner Dinning asked
about needing to prepare comments before an
economic analysis is done so the county needs to
list impacts. Shoshone County Commissioners
questioned where the best location to get
information was and
Boundary
County was suggested to contact the
Idaho Association of Counties. Shoshone County
Commissioner Vince Rinaldi said in talking
economic analysis, has the County spoken to the
regional economist? Chairman Smith said Bob
Blanford spoke of actual Caribou numbers and
finally the question of the number of animals
came up. Kootenai Tribe Facilitator Patty Perry
read a report that showed the last count was
zero and the highest was three or four and that
was seven to eight years ago. Chairman Smith
said Boundary County Commissioners will get into
this matter next Tuesday. Shoshone County
Commissioner Yergler said he sent a copy of
comments to Commissioners and asked if
Commissioners had seen the new forest plan yet.
Commissioner Dinning said
Bonner County
is holding a coordination meeting on
January 24, 2012 at the
Inn at
Priest
Lake and he added that
Shoshone
County’s comments should be sent in.
Chairman Smith said after the public hearing he
imagines there will be a lot of comments.
Commissioner Dinning said Fish and Wildlife
Service has to do an economic analysis and the
public will address that and other comments.
Commissioner Dinning said the economic analysis
is only internal to the agencies and not how it
affects the community. Commissioner Dinning said
he thinks most people think it will be an
analysis affecting the community.
Chairman Smith said the
local ranger station is also doing a local
analysis so hopefully Commissioners will know
the results before the public hearing. Shoshone
County Commissioners said they are more than
willing to help
Boundary
County.
The telephone call with the
Shoshone County Commissioners ended at
10:25 a.m.
Ms. Capurso said she has a
coordination workbook that is two years old, but
that it could be helpful. Commissioner Dinning
said the numbers presented were correct. This is
being implemented by a federal judge’s order.
The Department of Fish and Game has gone 25
years without the matter of critical habit. Fish
and Game did not do this intentionally and then
they were sued. Had the lawsuit not occurred, we
still would not be looking at critical habitat
for a long time, according to Commissioner
Dinning. Commissioner Dinning asked how Fish and
Wildlife can justify critical habitat for an
animal that doesn’t live in that area.
Mr. Di Muro said if Fish
and Wildlife wins this, what is to stop them
from saying we need to designate a space for the
woolly mammoth. Ms. Capurso said she has a good
relationship with the other four northern
counties and could get them on board.
Commissioner Dinning mentioned getting the other
counties educated on this issue. Ms. Capurso
mentioned working together with other counties
and Commissioner Dinning said this district
works and sticks together better than the other
districts. Commissioner Dinning said last
night’s KVRI meeting was not the official public
hearing.
Planning and Zoning
Administrator Mike Weland joined the meeting.
Ms. Capurso and Mr. Di Muro
left the meeting at
10:40 a.m.
Those present discussed
terms of Planning and Zoning Commission members
that have expired.
Commissioners and Mr.
Weland briefly discussed the process of
discussing areas of impact between the City and
County.
Mr. Weland left the meeting
at 10:45 a.m.
Commissioners tended to
administrative duties.
Commissioner Dinning left
the meeting to tend to other matters.
11:00 a.m., Inland Forest Management
President Mike Wolcott and Project Manager Bill
Love joined the meeting. Mr. Wolcott provided
Commissioners with a Fire Safe Program project
report and informed Commissioners monies have
been committed to the Copper Prairie Projects.
Mr. Love briefly discussed his participation in
the BonFire meetings in
Bonner County
and working with Kurt Naccarato. Mr. Love spoke
of fuels reduction treatment on the Wyman
property near McArthur
Lake.
Mr. Wolcott said he
forwarded his budget ahead of time for
Commissioners’ review and approval before
renewing the contract. Mr. Wolcott said he will
send the contract to Commissioners for approval.
Commissioners have approved the budget to go
into the contract. Chairman Smith spoke of the
importance of having a good grant administrator.
Mr. Wolcott thanked Chairman Smith for his
involvement in the Fire Safe Program.
11:30 a.m., The meeting with Mr.
Wolcott and Mr. Love ended.
11:35 a.m., Commissioners spoke to
Attorney Robinson via telephone to clarify
matters involving Caribou Critical Habitat. The
telephone call ended at
11:53 a.m.
Commissioners recessed for
lunch.
1:30 p.m., Commissioners met for the afternoon
session with Chairman Smith, Commissioner Kirby,
and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
Commissioner Dinning was out of the office for
the rest of the day.
Solid Waste Superintendent
Claine Skeen and Panhandle State Bank Vice
President Dave Walter joined the meeting to
discuss financing on the wheel loader for the
Solid Waste Department.
Chairman Smith recapped he
prior discussion on financing terms.
Commissioners wanted to know for certain what
the monthly payments will be and what the
outcome will be at the end of the five year
term. Mr. Walter said his lease rate is 3.2% and
the annual payment is $17,558. The only
difference is Panhandle Bank takes the first
payment at closing or on delivery. The payments
are and the lease balance after payments are
made is $254,000. The lease buy back from
Western States/CAT will be $272,000. Mr. Skeen
said he is fine with terms so far. Mr. Walter
said the reason for the first payment is so when
the last payment is made, there will be less to
the buy back. There will be six payments in
total and the ending difference will go back
towards credit for the next machine. Mr. Skeen
said rather than five years with CAT finance it
will be six years, but there will be a certain
amount of equity for the next leased machine.
Mr. Skeen said he will receive a letter from CAT
approving the lease arrangement. Mr. Skeen said
CAT’s terms did say guaranteed buyback of
$272,000 and that was prior to financing.
Mr. Skeen said originally
financing was not apples to apples in the fact
of lease versus ownership at the end of the five
year term.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
rescind the prior motion made on January 3, 2011 to approve financing of a Caterpillar Wheel
Loader, Model #980K, Stock #G024443, Serial
#0W7K00526 through Western States/CAT Equipment
Company. Chairman Smith yielded the chair to
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
approve financing of a Caterpillar Wheel Loader,
Model #980K, Stock #G024443, Serial #0W7K00526
for the Solid Waste Department through Panhandle
State Bank as presented by Bank Vice President
Dave Walter and as approved by the County’s
civil attorney. Chairman Smith yielded the chair
to second. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Skeen and Mr. Walter
left the meeting at
1:50 p.m.
Chairman Smith updated Blue
Sky Broadcasting News Reporter Mike Brown on
their discussion on Caribou Critical Habitat.
Commissioners tended to
administrative duties.
3:00 p.m., Search and Rescue Commander Marcus
Girod, Clerk Glenda Poston, and Chief Deputy
Clerk Tracie Isaac joined the meeting.
Those present discussed
paperwork the prior Search and Rescue Commander
had been working on requiring the County’s EIN
number. The paperwork was completed and will be
mailed. Chief Deputy Clerk Tracie Isaac left the
meeting.
Deputy Clerk Chris Wolfe
joined the meeting.
Chairman Smith discussed
the process of keeping track of inventory for
Search and Rescue. Clerk Poston clarified that
she’s thinking Chairman Smith wants to make sure
the proper people know where the equipment is
stored. Chairman Smith said he wants to know
when an entity no longer has the item that is on
their inventory list and to list what happened
to that item. That way it is marked off the
inventory list. Chairman Smith said he thought
the expansion of the
Waterways
Building was to house Search and
Dive Rescue. Mr. Girod asked if it is customary
to take inventory every one or two years and
Chairman Smith said every year. Deputy Clerk
Chris Wolfe presented Chairman Smith with the
current inventory list for Search and Rescue
equipment. Deputy Clerk Chris Wolfe suggested
listing the location of the items on the
inventory list.
Planning and Zoning
Administrator Mike Weland joined the meeting at
Commissioners’ request. Chairman Smith informed
Mr. Weland of the process of working with Mr.
Girod to go over the inventory. Clerk Poston
mentioned it would be helpful if Mr. Weland
resurrected the photos he took of the items.
Deputy Clerk Chris Wolfe informed those present
of the need to update the registration and
invasive species stickers for Search and Rescue
equipment that requires it.
Deputy Clerk Chris Wolfe
left the meeting at
3:40 p.m.
There being no further
business, the meeting adjourned at
4:00 p.m.
/s/
RONALD R. SMITH, Chairman
ATTEST:
/s/
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser,
Deputy
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