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Bonner County commissioners direct staff to draft resolution limiting solid-waste stickers to two per household with one paid replacement
Summary
At a budget meeting, Bonner County solid-waste staff and commissioners agreed to pursue a resolution that would cap household access stickers at two per household, allow one $5 replacement, and require full fee purchases for additional stickers amid concerns about out-of-county misuse and counterfeit stickers.
Bonner County commissioners directed solid-waste staff to draft a fee resolution to limit household access stickers for county transfer sites to two per household, allow a single $5 replacement, and require payment of the full solid-waste fee for any additional stickers.
The change was discussed during a line‑by‑line budget review of the Solid Waste program, when commissioners and staff flagged frequent use of the current maximum allocation and recurring reports that out‑of‑state users and rentals were accessing county sites with transferred stickers.
Commissioners and staff said the county currently issues up to eight stickers per household and charges $5 per sticker. Solid‑waste staff and commissioners expressed concern that the allowance of many stickers contributes to misuse and revenue leakage: households and rental properties can supply stickers to renters or visitors and some counterfeit stickers have been reported. Because the sticker program is not tied to a reliable tracking system, staff recommended reducing the number issued per household rather than relying on an enforcement system that the county cannot monitor.
During discussion, commissioners considered alternatives such as limiting stickers for vacation rentals, charging replacement stickers at a higher rate, or adopting a point‑of‑sale system at certain sites. Commissioner Forna agreed to the staff direction to prepare a resolution to implement a default allocation of two stickers per household with a single $5 replacement, and to require a full fee for additional stickers beyond that allowance; commissioners asked staff to include explanatory notes for the budget packet and to return with a draft resolution.
The board did not take a recorded vote at the meeting; the item was advanced as direction to staff to produce a formal resolution and fee schedule for future consideration.
The proposed change is intended to reduce cross‑border and out‑of‑county use of Bonner County sites, curb the resale of stickers, and lower the subsidy borne by county taxpayers for higher‑use areas. Staff said enforcement options are limited without a new tracking or point‑of‑sale system, so changing the allocation and fee structure is the preferred immediate step.
Next steps: staff will draft language for a fee resolution and return it to the board for formal consideration and a possible vote. The proposal will also include budget notes showing the expected printing changes and estimated revenue impacts.
