Kootenai County commissioners approve multiple contracts, grants and purchases

The Kootenai County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 14, 2025 approved a package of contracts, grants and purchases that county staff said support fairgrounds improvements, sheriff’s-office projects, recycling services, wildfire fuels reduction and a planned renovation of the county administration building's HVAC system.

The approved items included a payable batch of $1,878,945.51; a bid award of $183,000 for a building relocation project at the county fairgrounds; a five‑year recyclables processing agreement with Waste Management of Idaho Inc.; two FireSmart grants through the Idaho Department of Lands totaling $337,710; and a construction manager contract for HVAC renovations with a preconstruction fee of $8,602 and a target budget “a little over $1,700,000,” county staff said.

Why it matters: The actions commit county funds and authorizations for public-safety facilities, solid-waste service contracts and wildfire mitigation projects that county officials said require timely execution ahead of winter and grant schedules. Several items were placed on the consent calendar and approved with unanimous votes by the two commissioners present.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of meeting minutes (items 1–3). Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Consent calendar (items 4–10). Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Payables for October 2025 in the amount of $1,878,945.51. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Agenda item 13: Bid award, bid no. 41288.06 — building relocation at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds awarded to Stewart Construction for $183,000. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye. County staff said the cost will be paid by the fair board and that the formal contract will return to the board for approval.

- Agenda item 14: Recyclables processing agreement — recommended award to Waste Management of Idaho Inc.; contract term 10/01/2025 through 09/30/2030. John Phillips, Solid Waste Department, told the board that Waste Management and Republic Services both submitted proposals and that Waste Management’s bid had been awarded by the board on June 5, 2025. The board approved entering the written agreement, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2025; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Agenda item 15: KCSO North ballistic window-tint project with the sheriff’s office, including approval of a 50% deposit for materials and inclusion of a certificate prohibiting contracts with China. Tom Reed, maintenance for the sheriff’s office, described the project and the contractor’s deposit request; the board approved the project and deposit. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Agenda item 16: KCSO North Patrol sidewalk project (sheriff’s office). Tom Reed requested approval to proceed; the board approved the sidewalk project. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metarie voted aye.

- Agenda item 17: Grant agreement (26-SSDirect3) — Canyon Creek Elementary Trail Hazardous Fuel Treatment, Idaho Department of Lands, $15,000, no local match required. Andrea Littlefield, Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management, presented the grant; the board approved the contract. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Agenda item 18: Grant agreement / MOU (25JC Kootenai) — Joint Chiefs FireSmart MOU with the Idaho Department of Lands, $322,710, no match required, for hazardous fuel mitigation. Andrea Littlefield presented the MOU; the board approved the MOU. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Agenda item 19: HIPLINK software maintenance renewal for the 911 center. Alan Mallory, 911 center, said HIPLINK is used to notify personnel via cell phones and pagers when calls are entered into the CAD system; the board approved the renewal. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie voted aye.

- Agenda item 20: Construction manager contract for administration building HVAC renovations and replacement. Jeff Fuller, director of building and grounds, said the board previously accepted the general-construction proposal and the contract before the board includes a preconstruction-phase fee of $8,602; staff will work toward a guaranteed maximum price with a target budget of a little over $1,700,000. The board approved the contract and the transfer of $8,602 from fund balance to the project budget. Motion carried; Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metarie voted aye.

What county staff said

- John Phillips, Solid Waste Department, said Waste Management and Republic Services submitted proposals and that Waste Management had been awarded the bid by the board on June 5, 2025; Jamila/Jameela Holmes prepared the recyclables processing agreement for signature.

- Tom Reed, sheriff’s maintenance, said the ballistic tint project was in the FY26 budget and that the vendor requested a 50% material deposit; a certificate prohibiting contracts with China was included with the contract materials.

- Andrea Littlefield, Office of Emergency Management, described the two Idaho Department of Lands grants and confirmed neither requires a local match.

- Jeff Fuller, director of building and grounds, said the preconstruction fee is $8,602 and staff will pursue a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) with a target budget of about $1.7 million; funds have been allocated and legal review was completed.

Attendance and procedural notes

Commissioner Duncan and Chair Metairie were present; Commissioner Eberlein was absent. The board opened the public-comment period but recorded no speakers. Most items were approved on the consent calendar or by single motions with recorded aye votes from the two commissioners present.

Next steps and follow-up

Several items approved at the meeting will return to the board with final contracts or guaranteed maximum price proposals (for example, the fairgrounds building relocation contract and the administration building GMP). Grant agreements will proceed per the Idaho Department of Lands schedules and the solid-waste agreement with Waste Management takes effect retroactive to Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2030.

Meeting adjourned at the end of the business session.