Brion Poston

Office sought: Bonners Ferry City Council

Education: University of Idaho

Occupation: Retired

1. Can you give me some information on your background and upbringing in Bonners Ferry?

I have been a lifelong resident of Boundary County and the city of Bonners Ferry. I graduated from Bonners Ferry High School and attended the University of Idaho for 3 years, before returning home to work for Larry’s Sport Center and then in the timber industry, hauling logs for Beloit Mendenhall.

After about seven years, I took a mechanics job at Boundary Tractor and eventually moved into positions in the parts department and eventually shop manager. I worked at Boundary Tractor for over 30 years, before retiring in 2019. I have been married to my wife, Glenda, for the past 42 years. We have one daughter, Jessica, and three granddaughters, who live locally. Community involvement is something that is very important to me and I have always been a very active member of this community.

From being selected as “Volunteer of the Year” for the many community events my wife and I organized, to coaching boys’ and girls’ basketball teams for our local schools and youth leagues, I have spent countless hours investing in our community. I’m a current member of the Boundary County Waterways Board, the City of Bonners Ferry Golf Committee, and Friends of Mirror Lake, where we have raised funds to improve our local golf course which have allowed for the building of a new restroom facility, improvement to tee boxes, bringing in sand for the course and working to improve cart paths.

When not busy with these different activities, I can be found cheering my granddaughters on in sports, helping my daughter coach parks and rec basketball, riding my dirt bike, and enjoying time in the mountains of Boundary County.

1. Why are you running for the City Council seat?

It has been two years since I retired and I have decided I now have the time and energy to give back to this community in a new way. The city of Bonners Ferry has several major assets, including the Moyie Dam, water and sewer systems, city police and the fire department, and I want to work to protect those assets, as our town grows and changes. I also believe it is important to continue to maintain and improve upon our city’s recreational assets, such as the golf course, which also brings in some revenue to the city, and the municipal pool, which provides a safe and healthy place for our children and grandchildren to play and learn to swim, as well as provides summer employment opportunities for our community’s high school and college students. I want to help ensure these assets continue to be sustainable well into the future, and would say this is my primary reason for running for City Council.

1. What qualifies you for the position?

During my time in the workforce, I worked as the Shop Manager at Boundary Tractor, prior to my retirement. Working in a customer service capacity, I have extensive experience in working with the public, as the person responsible for communicating with customers and resolving any issues that came up. I have also been involved with several community boards and organizations, and this involvement has provided me the opportunity to become aware of the different issues that these boards are involved with. Additionally, as a member of a city board, I began attending City Council meetings, where I have learned the process of the meetings, as well as been present to hear the discussion of many different topics and issues within the City. Lastly, having been a life long resident of Bonners Ferry, I have seen this community grow and change over the past 60 plus years. I have lived in Bonners Ferry through good times and hard times, such as when the city lost one of its largest employers, the sawmill. I understand this town as well as anybody, and even though I know where this town has been, most importantly, I am focused on where this town is going.

1. What would you do to improve Bonners Ferry?

Maybe the question should be do I have an “agenda.” No, I’m not going into office to try and change something that is already working. I’m wanting to be there to become involved and work toward a common goal of a sound and resourceful city. We have several assets within the city and I want to make sure that we guard and protect those for the future. The most important would be the city owned damn at Moyie Springs. It is currently undergoing a critical infrastructure improvement; I want to ensure that these types of inspections and maintenance continue for our future. Additionally, our drinking water and the quality of our water is a topic I believe is very important. We have always had exceptional water in the City of Bonners Ferry and this past year, the pristine water quality that we have grown accustomed to, was greatly impacted. I believe it is important to work to find solutions for maintaining the quality of the City’s drinking water. Lastly, the City’s sewer system is extremely important to maintain, especially with the current growth our community has seen. I want to ensure that its capacity is sufficient for our future.

1. What are some concerns you would like to address as a city council member? I believe my concerns with the city could be summed up with one word—infrastructure. Bonners Ferry has seen immense growth in recent years. The main concern I have is the stress this growth places on our infrastructure, including our water, sewer, electric and roads. My goal, if I were to be elected to City Council, is to work to preserve the quality of our infrastructure for the future. In addition to the physical infrastructure of Bonners Ferry and the departments who maintain them, I believe you must include the services the City of Bonners Ferry provides to help our community run efficiently and safely, including City Police and Fire. It is important these essential departments remain supported.
   
2. Anything you would like to add?

I would never describe myself as a politician and my motivation for running for City Council are not politically driven. I would consider myself a common-sense individual, who is open minded, easy to get along with, and open to any and all conversations. As I stated, I have no “agenda”. I think the City of Bonners Ferry is managed by very competent people. My decision to run is based solely on the fact that I have the time to invest in a council seat, the knowledge to make informed, common-sense decisions, and I would like to be involved with the City of Bonners Ferry, where I have lived my entire life.

I thank you for taking the time to consider myself and encourage you to do your civic duty and vote on November 2, 2021.