SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners unanimously approved several agreements during Tuesday’s business meeting, including an airport lease renewal, a roadside treatment contract and a confidential agreement for the sheriff’s office.  

The Bonner County Airport Department was approved to renew its lease for the airport department office at the Sandpoint Airport. The office is located on the Fixed Base Operator and leased to the county by Granite Aviation. 

According to a memorandum submitted to the board, the department is responsible for paying $5,400 per year — $450 per month — and includes all utilities and internet.  

Noxious Weeds Director Chase Youngdale was approved for an agreement with Custom Spray Services, a company that will assist the department in carrying out roadside spraying operations for $48.70 per lane mile. The project is expected to cost approximately $24,009.10 and cover 492 lane miles.  

The project, according to Youngdale, will provide herbicide treatments on Bonner County rights-of-way to mitigate noxious and invasive weeds. The project is expected to be completed by Aug. 1, 2026.  

County roads are on a rotating basis for noxious weed treatment, as herbicide treatments can disrupt weed growth throughout the following year. Noxious weed management is a statutory obligation for the department. However, Youngdale noted that community members who want to take treatments into their own hands can reach out to the noxious weeds department through the county’s website.  

“There’s an agreement in resolution form that’s good for one year at a time if you agree to control anything that’s on the noxious weed list,” Youngdale said.  

The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office was approved for a one-year confidential locating and marking contract. Due to the item being part of confidential infrastructure, information regarding the company and other specifics is not disclosed.  

However, the sheriff’s office did share a pricing outline of the services: $25 per ticket received; $18.75 per quarter hour for tickets exceeding 30-minutes of locating time; $69 per emergency, after-hours locate ticket; $46 per emergency, normal hours locate ticket; $18.75 watch and protect; $300 monthly service fee.  

Concerns were raised about the monthly service fee by Commissioner Ron Korn, where Sheriff Daryl Wheeler shared that the only other service provider charged approximately $30,000 annually.  

Wheeler noted that the item could be discussed further in an executive session, but that the chosen service provider offered the best savings.  

In other county news, Commissioner Brian Domke announced that Kendra Smith has filled the Bonner County planning director position as of March 2. Domke requested that community members allow appropriate time for her to get acquainted with her scope of work before approaching high-level conversations.