SANDPOINT — While Tuesday’s county commissioners meeting was relatively short, it was a productive agenda.

Commissioners accepted a nearly $8 million loan from Columbia Bank for solid waste improvements, and rejected $54,000 in federal grant funds that would require county airports to implement a face covering policy.

As part of the consent agenda, commissioners approved three liquor licenses, a $6,600 invoice for magnesium chloride for the Solid Waste Department, and three minor land divisions.

The Solid Waste Department brought one item before the commission asking for approval to accept a $8,733,700 loan from Columbia Bank. The money will be used for construction expenses on the solid waste improvements project. The loan is scheduled to be repaid after the project is completed. Money to pay for the loan will come from the USDA rural development loan, according to information provided by Bob Howard, director of the Solid Waste Department. Interest on the loan is 1.74% and will have semi-annual payments.

Permission to apply for the loan was approved in June by the commissioners, and later approved by voters in the November election.

“USDA is requiring us to take out a bridge loan,” said McDonald. “This is the same interest rate we would have paid regardless.”

“It’s a construction loan, it’s normal,” said Connolly

Commissioners unanimously approved accepting the loan.

The Planning Department brought an intergovernmental agreement with Northside Fire District before commissioners. Entering into the agreement will allow both entities to collect and spend funds generated from development impact fees and capital improvements, both policies were instated by the county in 2021.

“It’s an impact fee. Every person that comes in and applies for a residential or commercial structure in the district pays an impact fee for that structure,” said Planning Director Milton Ollerton in response to a comment from a resident. “And commercial it’s rated by square foot.”

“Northside Fire had this put on the ballot at the last election, and it passed. All we’re doing is collecting the money for them,” McDonald said. “To do a fee like this you got to go through this entire process. It’s a lengthy and extensive process.”

Ollerton explained that the money generated from the impact fees can only be spent on the capital improvements plan.

“It’s being collected for a specific purpose,” Ollerton said. “They ought to be able to raise the money they planned in their capital improvements for the next five- to-seven years. … It’s taken a lot to put this together.”

“This is a better way to go because we’re taxing people that are coming in and impacting the people who are already there,” Connolly said.

Commissioners unanimously approved the agreement.

The Airport Department asked for approval to accept $54,000 of grant funding for the Priest River and Sandpoint airports. Funding is provided by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act. Accepting the grant funds comes with a condition requiring the county to establish a face covering policy at the airport to “reduce the spread of pathogens.”

“This was ARPA funds, and we elected ‘no,’” McDonald said. “Requiring a mask at the airport? I mean, come on. We don’t require masks here. We won’t ever require masks here.”

“I just don’t know that we’re capable and want to do that. It just doesn’t make sense,” Connolly said.

Commissioners unanimously denied the grant funding.

The Road and Bridge Department brought one action item before the commission requesting approval for their Annual Road and Street Financial Report for 2021.

“The complete amount of money we got was $11,557,121,” said Road and Bridge Director Jason Topp.

“And you spent $11,361,396, we spent a little bit less than we brought in” McDonald said.

Commissioners unanimously approved the financial report.

The Board of County Commissioners brought two action items to the business meeting. Both focused on annexing land into the Sagle and Westside fire districts.

Six new parcels of land are now under the jurisdiction of Sagle Fire District, and 14 in the Westside Fire District.

According to information presented to the commissioners by Deputy Clerk Jessi Webster, all land has “an appropriate geographical relationship” with the current fire districts.

“These all come from the land owners wanting to be annexed,” McDonald said.

Commissioners approved both action items.

Shortly after, McDonald recessed the meeting before reconvening for executive session.

Three items were covered during the session, two involving personnel and hiring with the Human Resources Department. A third involving the prosecutor’s office and Davillier Law Group about litigation and a potential settlement agreement involving the county.

The board of county commissioners hold weekly business meetings at 9 a.m. in the administrative building at 1500 U.S. 2. Meetings are open to the public. Those interested in virtually attending can do so via Zoom or by livestreaming on Bonner County’s YouTube channel, where an archive of previous meetings can be viewed.