SANDPOINT — “We’re in a really good spot as an ambulance district,” Chief Jeff Lindsey said to the Bonner County commissioners during the Bonner County Ambulance District’s first March meeting.  

The comment carried a tone of pride, as the district is now in a stronger financial position than it has been in years, according to Lindsey. Just south of $3 million in the bank, the district has made significant progress since officials learned more than a year ago that it could face bankruptcy.  

In late 2024, the district became aware that it was running out of funds. While an exact cause has not been pinpointed, mishandled funds were attributed to the district being treated like a county department for over two decades.  

As a result of that structure, the ambulance district has spent the last year separating itself from the county and establishing its own services.  

Now, the district is almost completely separated, with its own human resources department, commercial insurance, risk management, legal counsel, and benefits. All of its vehicles have been switched from the county to the district’s name as well.  

“I just want to make sure I do my due diligence to make sure that I paint a clear picture of the status of the Bonner County Ambulance Service District, and that is, we are financially stable,” Lindsey said. 

According to Lindsey, two major separation tasks remain: sort out facility ownership and IT services.  

Lindsey shared that the district is currently working with the county’s technology department to create email domains for ambulance employees. The district has also partnered with a local company to develop a website platform that’s separate from the county’s system. 

As for facilities, Commissioner Asia Williams noted that the district owns four properties in Bonner County, where the titles will be transferred into the ambulance district’s name. One property in Priest River, however, may remain under county ownership because the county owns the land under the building but not the building itself. Williams said the county cannot deed the property to the district because it is connected to the airport.  

A lease agreement for the Priest River property and the multi-use facility should be discussed at the district’s next meeting, with the district’s legal counsel attending to discuss a memorandum of understanding for the building’s use.  

Confusion about the building’s ownership stems from a $2 million contribution from the ambulance district toward the facility's construction, despite the county owning and partially using it.  

In working toward an agreement, Commissioner Ron Korn and Lindsey noted that “moving forward is the right direction and not looking back to see ‘who owes who’ moving forward.” 

The board expects to go through a drafted agreement at its next meeting, along with a discussion on capital replacements, with Lindsey noting the need to plan further ahead than just the next few years. 

Because Commissioner Brian Domke was absent from the meeting, the district will also revisit its task list, a visual progress tracker that Lindsey said highlights how much has been accomplished over the past year.