Idaho County Commissioners: ‘Going to be an interesting year’; airport work report

Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part two, with part one having appeared in Saturday’s Tribune.

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GRANGEVILLE — Sandi Paul, county fire mitigation coordinator, reported the current status of Secure Rural Schools (SRS) (Title III) funds to the Idaho County Board of Commissioners in light of the U.S. House not reauthorizing SRS funds on Dec. 22.

“It’s a pretty big hit, and we’ll need to hold back on all funds,” said Commissioner Skip Brandt. No commitments for fire mitigation work can be made now, but funds appropriated already for search and rescue will remain.

“With Risch and Crapo on the Finance Committee, it passed the Senate, but it was the House that killed it. There’s a bunch of stuff that just stayed on the shelf back there, and it’s done. So I’m hoping in March,” Brandt stated.

“It’s going to be a heavy lift,” Brandt continued, “especially with budget cuts that will be made throughout the federal government. Because it’s a new Congress now, everything starts out again; anything that passed before just goes away. They could pass something right after the inauguration, and it would be up and running. It’s going to be an interesting year.”

Commissioners Brandt, Denis Duman and Ted Lindsley met on Dec. 31, 2024; deputy district attorney Matt Jessup and county clerk Kathy Ackerman were in attendance.

They held a discussion on appointments to the Snowmobile Advisory Committee, made up of five members. Lindsley asked if they should consider term limits or staggered terms.

“They are not elected,” Brandt said. “If you get dedicated people who know the ins and outs of all these back trails, to stick somebody else in just because we have this requirement. We have a good mix of people who have been doing it a long time.”

There will be more discussion at the next meeting, as well as Idaho Parks and Recreation funds for conducting trail patrols, especially in the Warren area.

The ravens of Elk City might soon confront a new deterrent to their scavenging and strewing of trash from the dumpsters. The newly built structure has 2-by-2-foot mesh in the back that keeps out snow and rain, but the birds still can come into the bins at the open front. Lindsley is checking on plastic curtain strips that can hang from the railing in front and estimates about $7,000 to install them.

Mike Cook, airport manager, brought in a letter to be sent to the Idaho Division of Aeronautics about the need for fixing the airport apron. The letter will open a conversation about funding the $5.9 million needed for the fix when the Division of Aeronautics looks at grant applications in the spring. Idaho County’s share would be 5%. The board approved sending the letter.

Ackerman reported the policy regarding employee attendance has been added to the employee handbook. It makes clear what employees need to know about notification of their absences and clarifies what their supervisors (elected officials and department heads) are responsible for doing. The commissioners approved the update.

Meetings are every Tuesday, 9 a.m., in the commissioners’ room at the Idaho County Courthouse.

— Lyn Krzeminski, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday