City Council talks road safety, energy spending and police fleet
City of Bonners Ferry seal.
(Courtesy Photo City of Bonners Ferry)
BONNERS FERRY — City officials covered a wide range of issues at Tuesday’s meeting, addressing safety concerns with city roads, spending for energy-efficient projects and leasing new police vehicles.
U.S. 95 and Kootenai Street intersection proposal
City officials discussed the need to repaint road directives and install new signage at the U.S. 95 and Kootenai Street intersection.
In the last four years, there have been about 70 crashes at the intersection as cars come and go from the city center, officials said. The most dangerous turn is the northbound left turn.
City councilmembers and city police may soon draft a letter of proposal to send to the district engineer and the Idaho Department of Transportation to address these safety concerns.
City to upgrade golf course HVAC system
The city approved a resolution to spend approximately $49,000 awarded from the Bonneville Power Administration on energy-related city projects.
The first expense will be about $15,000 to replace the dated heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the Mirror Lake Golf Course.
Every two years, the BPA awards the city performance funds for implemented energy-efficient programs. The funds are intended for city energy system upgrades.
With the city’s new resolution, the performance funds now have a codified use to replace energy-efficient infrastructure as it fails.
City police to lease new fleet
The city will spend next year’s typical police squad car budget of about $70,000 on leasing five new police vehicles rather than buying one new one.
The city will acquire four brand new SUVs and one Ford F-150 from an auto agency in Utah.
The agency will also buy the city’s used police vehicles. The city does not currently own any vehicles less than five years old, outside of the new patrol vehicle it purchased last year.
With the new lease agreement, most city police officers will get a new vehicle. Bonners Ferry Police Chief Willie Cowell said the officers will be more safe and secure, and the addition of a pickup truck will make the fleet much more versatile.
“I think this is a win-win,” said Bonners Ferry Mayor Rick Alonzo.