Plan needs funding approval

The Kootenai County commissioners would not implement a plan to construct new buildings and a parking facility without public approval for a funding initiative, they emphasized on Wednesday.

After receiving several calls from citizens concerned about the only half-finished Facilities Master Plan, the elected officials spelled out in a press release that nothing proposed so far is set in stone, and won't be decided without input from county residents.

"The implementation is a ways away," said Commissioner Dan Green.

NAC Architecture still has 50 percent of the plan left to complete.

Once the plan is finished, the release stated, the commissioners will present it to the public and explore multiple funding options, which could include existing county fund balances, grants, local options taxes, a facilities bond, and cost sharing with Coeur d'Alene and the Lake City Development Corporation.

A bond or local option tax would require a vote of the public.

The draft facilities plan includes building a new justice building and a parking garage, which together are projected to cost over $27 million.

While the city of Coeur d’Alene and the Lake City Development Corporation have been invited to help the county fund the parking garage, discussions are ongoing and nothing has been decided.

This information was in a Press story on Tuesday.

The goal of the plan is to streamline county operations and consolidate facilities at the campus.