Everhart has jobs at top of list

Democratic candidate for Boundary County Commissioner  Orrin Everhart said he will seek solutions to problems that affect Boundary County.

Everhart said he will proactively work to bring new jobs to Boundary County.

He is a supporter of the Panhandle Collaboration Project and the effort to provide the high school with an FDA approved kitchen that will also serve the community. He also will seek out and respond to businesses that are interested in locating in Boundary County. He said he will provide complete and clear explanations regarding commission decisions.

“I want to work primarily on getting more jobs for the county,” Everhart said. “I really think that is the biggest issue, and there are several ways to about it and at no cost to the tax payer.”

Everhart believes by following the example of the Colville National Forest Plan, Boundary County’s timber jobs could be revived.

He said it also involves making sure that best forest management practices are in place.

Everhart said  with every 1 million board feet of lumber  produced in an area, nine timber industry jobs are created. These jobs range from logging and trucking to milling.

Everhart said it is possible to do what Colville is doing right here and he has already made some preliminary contacts in the timber industry and with conservation groups.  These contacts have been encouraging and appear to be willing to come up with a plan, according to Everhart.

“If we could increase, we are practically at zero now, if we got production of 20 million board feet that would mean 180 jobs in Boundary County,” Everhart said.  “I just think it is worth working on.”

Everhart holds a masters in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in finance. 

He serves as chairman of  Paradise Valley Fire District, and as treasurer for the Boundary County Historical Society and Museum.

Everhart grew up in Bonners Ferry and graduated from Bonners Ferry High School.  He and his wife ,JoLen, moved away for a while and returned in 1985.

Everhart worked for Bonners Ferry Grain, owned Napa Auto Parts for six years  and the Gift Haus for 22 years.  The Everharts  have two sons, one is a professor in Spokane and the other a Bureau of Land Management officer in Fairbanks Alaska.

Everhart has years of  experience in public service serving on several  boards including the Chamber of Commerce, community hospital, Habitat for Humanity, job training and partnership, and Rotary Club.

Everhart served as county commissioner from 1991 to 1997 and led the effort to obtain a small community exemption for the county landfill.

In 1997 Everhart and his wife traveled to Bancock, Thailand, to work in a Christian school.  There Everhart served as the financial manager of the school until 2004.