Commissioners give direction to support May 21 veterans town hall at North Idaho College

Tom Freeman, on the phone during the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners meeting on April 8, asked commissioners for permission to use county communications resources and staff assistance to make a veterans town hall on May 21 accessible to a wider audience.

Freeman said the event will take place at North Idaho College and is sponsored by the American Legion and the Idaho Division of Veterans Services (IDVS), which he said has taken the lead on the event. "On May 21, there's going to be town hall, which is going to take place at NIC and is sponsored by the American Legion and Idaho Division of Veterans Services Community Outreach Coordinator," Freeman said.

Freeman requested permission to use county equipment and expertise to broadcast the event online — for example via Zoom — and specifically asked that staff member Jonathan be allowed to assist with technical setup and operation. He described the request as unlikely to generate significant costs or time commitments from county staff.

Commissioners present at the April 8 meeting — Commissioners Eberlein, Duncan and Metari — did not object, and the chair said they had given direction to permit use of county resources for technical support. The board did not hold a formal vote. The brief discussion indicated the county’s role would be limited to technical assistance and use of communications assets as needed to broadcast and broaden access to the town hall.

Next steps: organizers will coordinate logistics with county staff, North Idaho College and IDVS; Freeman indicated he would rely on Jonathan for technical help and would not expect significant county expenditure.

No formal motion or budget allocation was recorded during the meeting; the board’s direction was recorded during the discussion.