County and cities discuss local issues, possible solutions

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County commissioners and Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs city council members met in a joint meeting Monday to discuss local issues and explore possible solutions.

The last time the three municipalities met was in 2017.

The city of Bonners Ferry just adopted its comprehensive plan earlier this month. Moyie Springs Mayor Steve Economu said his city hopes to update their comprehensive plan as well, but haven’t yet addressed it.

Bonners Ferry is considering shrinking on the city’s north side and pulling back from providing services. Instead, officials said the city is looking to move south of town where they already provide water and electrical. In addition, the city has several annexation proposals that will go before Planning and Zoning and the council in the next few months.

Last week, the Bonners Ferry Planning and Zoning commission recommended annexation of approximately 7.25 acres south of town and east of U.S. 95 where Idaho Department of Lands, Community Fellowship church and Two Brews Coffee are located. The proposed annexation has to go before Bonners Ferry City Council for approval.

Moyie Springs has had requests for annexation this year, but at this time have to bring up infrastructure to meet additional needs, Economu said. He added he is not opposed to annexation, but that the city doesn’t yet have the tax base as of now for the upfront infrastructure costs.

SPOT bus update was provided by Bonners Ferry Councilman Ron Smith, who noted the program reached 1 million rides in February. Smith said he is trying to bring back Monday bus service to Boundary County. In the winter, SPOT provided a bus to Schweitzer ski resort from Bonners Ferry, but not many people took up the opportunity. Smith said SPOT will try the program again next year.

County commissioners provided an update on the Riverside project, which aims to create a pedestrian and biking path along the Kootenai River to the wildlife refuge. Commissioner Tim Bertling said the hope is to have the work start next year.

Moyie Springs is looking to reduce speed through town from division to the bridge from 60 mph to 45 mph to allow traffic at the Moyie Store have time to pull onto U.S. 2.

“We all know that 60 mph means 65 for anyone [eastbound],” Economu said.

Moyie Springs council members wanted to know how the county succeeded in lowering the speed near the Mirror Lake Golf Course. Bonners Ferry City Councilman Rick Alonzo said is a transition speed zone, which made the process move along.

Bertling, said it would have been a quick process, but the project was delayed by a requested speed study by ITD. He suggested a petition be organized and signed by residents recommending the speed be lowered.

Econoumu asked how many people need to be seriously injured or killed in a car accident before the speed limit is changed. He said there had been a few very serious accidents in that area.

Commissioner Ben Robertson suggested Moyie Springs get the Idaho Forest Group mill involved as well, since they have large trucks coming out of that intersection.

Bertling said Moyie Springs and the county will look to schedule a meeting scheduled with ITD in June.

Also, discussed for Moyie Springs was a new garbage dump station. In the past Moyie Springs and Boundary County worked to get a dump in the area, instead of having Moyie residents travel to the Boundary County landfill on Hillcrest.

The city looked into contracting with Fredrickson’s for home pickup, but did not go through with it due to starting the process with the county of bringing a dump closed to Moyie Springs, Economu.

“We’ve grown a lot east of town,” Econumu said in defense of more garbage service.

“In 2011 and 2012, we almost had a deal,” Bertling said. “The deal fell apart and commissioners at the time decided not to go through.”

Bertling said he will look into the process and land for lease in the Moyie Springs area.

“Being an elected office our responsibility is to do what our residents ask if we can,” Economu said as to why he is looking into the garbage dump option.

Last on the agenda was the contingency plan for the city of Bonners Ferry if the local option tax fails in May. Commissioner Robertson requested this to be on the agenda in order to know if the county will have to step in for services such as law enforcement or street department.

This year the county has already covered the $80,000 maintenance cost for the city pool in order for it to open this year.

The LOT is a 1% tax on all taxable goods in city limits up to $1,000. This is to solve an annual shortfall in the general fund as a result of an Idaho Supreme Court decision that no longer allows cities to fund the general fund from monies out of utility funds.

City administrator Lisa Ailport said that instead of the LOT the city would have to drastically cut services, such as law enforcement, fire and street department to cover the shortfall, since no money is coming into the general fund. For city residents to cover the costs of these services, a 63% would be required. Instead, the council voted to put a LOT before the city voters.

Council members said at the joint city and council meeting that they do not have a contingency plan. They are already in the process of preparing city property on Eileen Road for sale in order to make a dent in this year’s shortfall.

The shortfall is approximately $480,000, the entirety of the general budget.

The next joint county and cities meeting is scheduled for July 24, tentatively at the County Annex.