Kootenai County approves grants, equipment purchases and contracts; transit 5310 grant cleared over dissent

The Kootenai County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 16 approved a package of routine financial and procurement items, including payables, a trailer purchase for solid waste, grant applications for trail and dock projects, a contract to move a modular building to the county fairgrounds and several advisory-board appointments. The board also approved submission of an Idaho Transportation Department (5310) transit grant application after a recorded 2–1 vote in which the chair expressed opposition.

Key outcomes

- Payables: Commissioners approved payables for Dec. 8–12, 2025 totaling $768,892.42 and jury panel payments totaling $1,600.12.

- Solid waste transfer trailers: The board approved a piggyback purchase of four transfer trailers from Wilkins Industries for $519,946, using previously bid pricing and the same specifications.

- Centennial Trail: The board authorized pursuing a Recreational Trail Program grant for phase 2 of the Centennial Trail asphalt replacement project; the required local grant match is $125,000 from the joint shareholders account.

- Carlin Bay Dock: The board authorized pursuing a Waterways Improvement Fund grant to replace the dock at Carlin Bay Boaters Park; the grant match is $200,000 from the boat launch user fee account.

- Transit (IDT 5310): Transit staff requested authorization to submit a Section 5310 grant application requesting $160,000 in federal funds with a $40,000 local match to maintain Ring-A-Ride service levels. Chad Engel said submission is "for application submission only and does not constitute acceptance or authorization of funds." Commissioners questioned why the county was applying for a new grant while existing grant funds remain and why the application did not include reimbursement for indirect costs. Engel said indirect costs were not included and adding them would require additional legal and federal approvals and could delay submission. The motion to approve submission carried on a recorded vote showing two 'Aye' votes and one 'Nay'; the chair opposed, citing concern about leaving indirect-cost recovery unclaimed.

- Contracts and change orders: The board approved a contract with Kalispell Structural Moving, Inc. to relocate a modular building to the Kootenai County Fairgrounds and approved Change Order No. 1 to add omitted site work to Stewart Contracting's contract for the fairgrounds modular office.

- Human Resources software: The board approved termination of the county's Aaron software subscription for employee referrals; HR will move to a manual tracking process used previously.

- Sheriff's Office equipment: The board approved replacement of the seized engine in a 2021 Polaris Ranger backcountry response vehicle and directed use of OHV-dedicated funds for the replacement.

Why the transit vote drew attention

During questioning on the 5310 application, commissioners cited existing grant balances and raised concern that the county was not seeking indirect-cost reimbursement on the application. One commissioner said, at a 10% recovery estimate, the county may be leaving significant amounts of indirect-cost recovery "on the table," a factor the chair cited in opposing the application.

What’s next

Staff will proceed with the approved procurements, contract actions and grant applications as authorized. If the 5310 application is awarded, county staff have said the award would maintain current Ring-A-Ride service levels through a purchase-of-service agreement; the application does not itself authorize acceptance of federal funds.

Recorded vote notes and amounts are taken from the Dec. 16 meeting transcript and the meeting packet numbers presented to commissioners.