Bonner County to advertise bids for Priest River snow-equipment building despite one commissioner's opposition

Bonner County commissioners voted Feb. 17 to advertise for bids to build a snow removal equipment building at Priest River Airport, approving a request from airport director Shook to seek contractors for a roughly 2,000-square-foot facility.

Director Shook told the board the project would include pre-engineered vehicle doors, a personnel door, a concrete floor and pad, a paved approach driveway, interior electric or propane wall heating, lighting, electrical outlets, a floor drain and a frost-free spigot. Funding was described in the meeting packet as coming from a grant identified there (packet text: "FAAAIP program").

Commissioner (speaker 6) said he "voiced my opinion against this project" and called it "an unnecessary expense to the public," but said he would not block moving forward with a bid advertisement because it was only the step of seeking contractors. "I will go ahead and move forward with this agenda item because it's just a bid application," he said. Chair (presiding official) responded that she believed the facility would "help to preserve equipment longer and make the maintenance of that equipment easier on staff." The commissioner's motion to approve the bid advertisement carried on a roll-call vote.

The vote advances the project to the procurement phase only; no construction contract was awarded or budget appropriation adopted at the meeting. Director Shook said the county does not currently have a suitable storage location in the area and that the arrangement would help the marine division and airport operations maintain equipment availability for winter operations on nearby public waters.

What happens next: staff will advertise the project and return to the board if and when bids are received and a contract award or further budget action is proposed.