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Bonner County approves waterways grant application despite board concern over $21,000 match
Summary
Bonner County Parks & Waterways will apply for a $70,000 Waterways Improvement Fund grant to replace its tow vehicle; the board approved the application but one commissioner voted no, citing uncertainty over where the required $21,000 local match would come from.
Bonner County commissioners voted to authorize submission of a $70,000 Waterways Improvement Fund (WIF) grant application to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, with the county committed to provide a $21,000 local match if the grant is awarded. The motion passed on a recorded roll call, 3–1.
Why it matters: If awarded, the grant would fund a replacement tow vehicle for the county’s waterways crew, used to pull a triple-axle boat that services Lake Pend Oreille and Priest Lake. The match requirement prompted concerns about the effect on the department's operating budget and timing of the expense.
What staff told the board: Mazel Orr, director of Parks & Waterways, said the request is to replace the current tow vehicle and that the grant would fund $70,000 of the purchase while the county would provide a 30 percent match of $21,000. Orr described the existing Kodiak vehicle as nearly 20 years old, expensive to maintain and single-cab, and said a new three-quarter- to one-ton dually crew cab would better carry three maintenance staff and be easier to service locally. Orr also said funding would not be spent until fiscal year 2026 and that the department had estimated a potential trade-in value for the Kodiak of about $8,000–$10,000.
What commissioners and staff debated: At least one commissioner said the motion’s wording — which included a requirement that Bonner County provide the $21,000 match — read to them as a binding commitment and asked where the money would come from. The board discussed timing of the fiscal-year budgets and whether the match could be handled as an enhancement in the FY2026 budget if the grant is awarded. Commissioner Bill Wilson advised caution on the idea of trading in county vehicles without observing procurement rules; he noted trade-ins and sales over specified values often require auction or other procurement steps.
Vote: The motion to approve the grant application with a letter of commitment requiring the $21,000 match passed by roll call: Commissioner Bradshaw — yes; Commissioner Williams — no; Mister Horn — yes. The board clerk recorded the motion as passing.
Follow-up and constraints: Staff emphasized the board would still have the option to decline a grant award later if the county could not responsibly provide the required match. The grant application deadline was announced as the end of January; Parks & Waterways and auditing had reviewed the application packet and legal had reviewed the grant form as noted in the meeting record. If awarded, staff said they will return to the board for final acceptance and for appropriation of any local match.
Ending: The county will submit the WIF grant application. If the state approves the award, the board will be asked to appropriate the match or decline the award if funding cannot be identified.
