Bonner County emergency management to standardize volunteer background checks, review county ownership of remote Blue Lake facility

Bonner County emergency management staff asked commissioners to clarify standards for volunteer background checks and to review the county’s ownership and management role for a remote community facility in Blue Lake that the county uses as an occasional polling and emergency operations site.

At the budget review, emergency management staff explained the program pays roughly $35 per volunteer background check through a contract the county uses and that some volunteers present concealed‑carry permits in lieu of a county background report. Commissioners and staff agreed this leads to inconsistent screening because a concealed‑carry renewal does not always include the same data or frequency as a background check the county would receive, and they directed emergency management to draft a formal, consistent procedure for volunteer screening.

Staff noted possible mitigations, including an annual attestation by volunteers about recent arrests or convictions, a periodic re‑run of background checks, or use of a sheriff’s office contract to run background checks at lower or no incremental cost. Commissioners asked staff to define what specific disqualifying criteria (for example, certain violent or sexual‑offense convictions) would prevent volunteer deployment in shelters or emergency operations and to present options (frequency, costs, and data fields returned) for county review.

Separately, emergency management raised the county’s responsibility for a remote building in Blue Lake that is not frequently used, has limited communications, and for which the county currently pays utilities and occasional repairs. Commissioners requested a short policy review to determine whether the county should retain ownership, pursue a fee‑based schedule for community use, or transfer maintenance responsibilities to a community group; staff agreed to schedule a follow‑up meeting to identify options and estimated costs.

Staff also described communications and equipment lines that support emergency operations (mobile hotspots, Starlink terminals, phone lines) and asked the board to allow contingency budgeting and clearer line‑item notes for devices and recurring contracts. Commissioners asked that staff add explanatory notes in the budget to show contract costs and typical as‑used charges for communications equipment.

Next steps: emergency management will draft a written volunteer screening policy with recommended frequency and disqualifying criteria, explore options to run background checks through the sheriff’s contract, and return with a recommended approach and cost estimates. Staff will also prepare a short review of the Blue Lake facility ownership and maintenance options.