SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners adopted resolutions Tuesday opposing a wilderness designation for Scotchman Peaks and calling for the U.S. Forest Service to cease managing the ground as recommended wilderness.

The resolutions follow last week’s advisory vote in which residents opposed to the wilderness designation outnumbered supporters by an 841-vote margin. According to county clerk’s records, 5,672 people voted against the designation, while 4,831 voted in favor of it.

The opposition resolution rescinds a prior board’s resolution in favor of the designation, which was adopted in 2015. The prior commission’s support of the designation was a factor in U.S. Sen. Jim Risch’s introduction of legislation that would have designated nearly 14,000 acres of the Scotchman Peaks as wilderness.

Friends of Scotchman Peaks, which has been advocating for the designation for the past decade, argued it had built a diverse group of supporters that crossed party lines and included timber and mining interests. But the degree of community support was drawn into question during a series of open house events hosted by Risch’s office.

Clark Fork Mayor Russ Schenck said those questions were answered by the election results, which saw 73 percent of the voters in the Clark Fork and Lakeview precincts opposing the designation.

“There was total misrepresentation stating that there was unilateral support for the wilderness designation,” said Schenck.

Several opponents of the designation encouraged commissioners to adopt the resolutions, contending that restrictions on motorized and mechanized uses in the proposed wilderness area are hampering public access and muting the economic benefits of forest tourism. Supporters of the designation opted not to address the board on Tuesday.

“I would like to get back what we lost in 2015,” said Pat Gunter, referring to the proposed wilderness designation that was affirmed during the drafting of management plans for the Idaho Panhandle and Kootenai national forests.

Gunter said a prohibition on chainsaws has effectively barred access to a hunting camp near Blue Creek. He also advocated for opening up the area to snowmobiles and other motorized conveyances.

Tony McDermott, a former Idaho Fish & Game commissioner, pointed out that the Fish & Game commission does not support wilderness designations because of the difficulties it presents in managing wildlife.

Some also urged the board to take their opposition a step further by trying to undo the recommended wilderness designation in the forest plan, which imposes motorized restrictions despite a congressional designation.

“I don’t see why we should continue to treat that land as wilderness,” KC Posselt said, referring to the outcome of the popular vote.

Commissioners ultimately adopted the opposition resolution on a unanimous vote. The forest plan designation opposition cleared the board on a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner Jeff Connolly casting the opposition vote because it included references to elected officials and groups which also oppose a wilderness designation.

Connolly said those officials and groups were already represented in a proposed executive order being forwarded to President Donald Trump which seeks to loosen motorized and mechanized restrictions in proposed wilderness areas. County commissioners voiced their support for the executive order in April.

Commission Dan McDonald argued that the first resolution would essentially be meaningless without the second. He said elderly hunters are being denied access because they can’t use game carts to evacuate their quarry.

“That’s where we need to draw the line,” said McDonald.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.