SANDPOINT — The last county commission meeting of the year has a modest agenda, with a discussion of the ambulance district update and housekeeping items topping the discussion.

Discussion of Bonner County EMS and the county's ambulance district have been regular items on the Bonner County Board of County Commissioners since early November when EMS officials were advised they had run out of money and were in danger of having to either lay off staff, cut services, or both.

However, the commission unanimously approved seeking a $2 million tax anticipation loan to act as a safety net for the department, allowing it to operate until late January when it receives its normal tax funding. 

Bonner County Commission Chair Asia Williams has previously said the board was looking into a potential levy override that would allow the ambulance district to collect additional property tax dollars. 

In addition, Williams has met with Bonner EMS community partners to garner input, adding the county is planning to use an external partner to ensure Bonner EMS staff can provide input without fear of consequences. 

In commission reports, Williams is slated to update the board on completed Community Chats, a program in which she invites various officials to discuss various issues and programs, as well as update the board on upcoming programs. She is also scheduled to discuss litigation, pending workshops, and open board and commission positions.

Bonner County Commissioner Ron Korn is slated to discuss the week's meetings and community events attended.

A snowmobile master challenge cost share agreement is slated to be brought to the board by Matt Zoeller, Bonner County Parks & Waterways director. 

Also on the agenda is the Cedar Park 2nd Addition final plat, being brought to the county commission by Alex Feyen of the Bonner County Planning Department. The proposed long plat would divide a 17.51-acre parcel into 35 residential lots ranging in size from 10,000 square feet to just under 9.45 acres and a utility lot in the Oldtown area. The plat was approved by Bonner County in August 2022 and the project fits the site's suburban zoning, according to documents included in the board draft packet.

Bonner County Human Resources is slated to bring an updated compensation policy before the commission.

Bonner County Clerk Michael Rosedale is slated to go before the board for approval of two batch claims, the first for $467,997.36 and the second, for EMS, totaling $9,878.28. Batch claims are a process where multiple, related claims are submitted together as a single group to improve efficiency and reduce administrative overhead.

Among the items on the consent agenda are the approval of liquor licenses for more than a dozen businesses throughout the county; approval of a minor land division for The Hamptons development; and the approval of invoices over $5,000 for the sheriff's office. The MLD would divide a 10-acre parcel in the Samuels area into two 5-acre lots.

The BOCC will not meet Dec. 24 with county offices closed in observance of Christmas Eve.

Board of Bonner County Commission meetings are held at the Bonner County Administration Building, 1500 U.S. 2; and also are live-streamed via YouTube. To access the streams, visit the Bonner County YouTube page at bit.ly/3NElj9X.