Kootenai County commissioners review FY26 capital requests, mark many items approved for now and cut some jail items

Kootenai County commissioners on June 11 reviewed the FY26 capital (C) budget, approved multiple restricted‑fund capital requests and leases as presented, and left several larger property‑tax funded items “for now” while directing staff to return with more details.

Brandy Falcon, speaking for the county’s budget staff, told the Board that recent changes to how the state tax commission interprets redevelopment (URD) closures added two revenue lines — a $97,000 URD return from Spirit Lake (estimated at 90%) and a one‑time $162,000 URD adjustment — and that the current preliminary summary shows a $899,000 deficit at a 0% tax increase. Falcon said a 1% tax increase reduces the deficit to $279,000, a 2% increase produces a $340,000 surplus and a 3% increase a $960,000 surplus.

The commissioners approved lease costs that are now accounted as capital under new accounting rules, including a $13,000 contract request from AMP for tasers that Falcon said would be funded by property tax. Falcon also reported that lines 1–8 of the CapEx summary — Solid Waste capital requests funded from restricted solid waste balances — were approved by the Board.

Several restricted‑fund parks and vessel items were approved or left in place. The Board approved a split $20,000 parks request for improvements at the Mica Bay boat launch (funded from two restricted park/public‑access funds) and approved a request to fund parts of an Upper Twin and Mica Bay launch project from restricted funds. The Board approved a request for a sonar remotely operated vehicle in the sheriff’s vessel fund and a $55,000 parks pickup split among multiple restricted funds; both were recorded as kept in the package for now.

On sheriff and jail requests, the Board cut a $71,000 conveyor system for inmate property and the associated $18,000 vacuum sealer after members said they wanted to wait until new pods are functional before approving a new system. Other jail items — a $14,000 kitchen food cutter, a $55,000 mail‑scanning unit (described in the packet as “veil secure”) and a $28,000 mesh installation for Unit 1 — were left in the budget "for now" pending further review; commissioners expressed concern about ongoing costs associated with the mail‑scanning machine (noted in the discussion as an approximately $11,000 annual cost).

Commissioners debated several KC North (the new jail/administration building) requests and whether they should be treated as move‑in costs on the Board budget or as department requests. The Board moved a set of KC North items — employee and patrol parking, patrol sidewalk, Phase 2 electrical, public parking lot and bullet‑resistant window tinting (combined total listed as $287,000 in the packet) — to the BOCC budget line for KC North and marked them as approved for now; two items described as a garage for SWAT/maintenance ($56,000) and an interior wall for marine operations ($113,000) were left in place but not classified as move‑in expenses after commissioners said lower‑cost alternatives (a railing or in‑house railing installation estimated much lower) should be pursued.

Other property‑tax funded requests were left in the packet with directions to offset them with interest income where appropriate. Falcon noted the county has $5.5 million of interest revenue budgeted and asked how much of that the Board wanted to use for ongoing costs versus one‑time capital. In light of that conversation, commissioners kept the patrol fleet replacement request (9 patrol units plus a K‑9 vehicle, $964,000) in the package and directed that it be funded from property tax so interest could offset the cost, but they did not finalize cuts at the meeting.

The Board also kept a number of department‑specific proposals in place pending further review: an assessor ADA office access request ($12,000) was deferred to the HR meeting; an assessor electronic door‑access upgrade for five external doors ($31,000) was approved for now; community development’s vehicle request ($32,000) and the county elections office’s $2 million new elections system (to be funded from the elections assigned fund balance) were left in the package and retained "for now." Falcon closed by confirming the preliminary FY26 total requests with all wish‑list items included were $145 million and that the Board will need to make further choices about using interest revenue and trimming ongoing A and B budget requests.

Fleet management presented its committee recommendation as a separate action item. Nick Snyder, speaking for fleet management, said the committee recommended 17 new vehicles, two trickle‑downs and one potential trickle‑down with a total cost of $1,406,916. Snyder highlighted a KCSO maintenance vehicle with mileage well beyond policy that the committee flagged as needing replacement. The Board acknowledged the fleet committee recommendation and indicated vehicle approvals tied to new personnel requests (for example, detective or recruiting sergeant positions) will be decided when the Board addresses personnel/operating (A) budget items.

Public comment was not offered and the Board adjourned after the presentations. Falcon told commissioners she will issue updated budget summaries reflecting the changes and flags discussed at the meeting.

Ending note: the Board scheduled a two‑hour personnel/budget meeting for Wednesday, June 18, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to continue FY26 deliberations and to review A‑budget personnel requests that will affect final vehicle and operating decisions.