Bonner County engineering workshop trims mileage, adds $200 contingency and eyes cheaper CAD option

Bonner County commissioners and engineering staff at a budget workshop on May 27, 2025, agreed to reduce the engineering department’s mileage budget to $800, raise continuing-education funding and add a $200 miscellaneous contingency while staff explores lower-cost computer-aided design software alternatives.

The changes were discussed during a department-level budget review led by Brian, the engineering director, who proposed the mileage reduction. “I’m reducing that to 800,” Brian said, noting the department had budgeted $1,200 this year but did not expect to use the full amount.

The discussion focused on practical impacts: engineering staff use mileage for site visits and inspections for subdivisions, private roads and stormwater reviews. Brian said some projects have required multiple return trips—he identified one site near Kelso Lake where he has made three visits—so the department adjusted the estimate to match expected summer inspection activity.

Commissioners and staff also reviewed a small increase to the department’s training and education line. Brian laid out existing amounts and upcoming renewals for staff certifications, saying the current $7.50 allocation would be insufficient once license renewals and planned permeable-paver training are included. He described the math that raised the line to about $8.60, and said he added $40 to permit attendance at targeted continuing-education webinars or classes.

The permeable-paver topic drew policy context: staff and commissioners said permeable pavers are appearing frequently in permit applications as applicants seek ways to address impervious-surface limits in shoreline setbacks. Brian cautioned that pavers can be maintenance-intensive; commissioners asked staff to note specific course topics in the budget backup so the training dollars clearly relate to job responsibilities.

Software licensing drew substantial discussion. Brian said AutoCAD per-license costs have risen (he cited a current figure of $28.70 per license) and that the department has been managing one month-to-month license for an employee (Jed) while covering other project needs. Staff and a commissioner suggested testing DraftSight’s professional license—a lower-cost alternative—before renewing Autodesk licenses. Brian said he will try a free trial and consider converting some users to month-to-month subscriptions or switching to a lower-cost product.

Office-supplies and small equipment needs were also reviewed. Brian said most of the increase reflects replacement ink cartridges for an office printer and occasional shared supplies with solid-waste staff. Cell-phone utility costs were discussed; Brian said the county’s service moved to FirstNet and he budgeted roughly $60 per month for two lines plus a small additional amount for accessories such as protective cases.

On contingency, commissioners agreed the department should retain a small miscellaneous line for truly unexpected, low-cost needs. One commissioner recommended a $200 miscellaneous line; another agreed. The board requested staff annotate the budget backup to explain what the miscellaneous contingency is intended to cover and to list the types of continuing-education topics the department expects to fund.

No formal votes or ordinance actions were taken at the workshop; the meeting was a staff-led budget review and direction-setting session. Commissioner Williams closed the engineering segment by thanking staff: “I do not. Thank you. Thank you again, Brian, for helping me get through this.”

Staff said they will test DraftSight’s trial version before committing to further Autodesk renewals, update budget notes to reflect the agreed clarifications, and carry the adjusted figures into the department’s draft budget for further review at subsequent meetings.