After heated public comment, Bonner County declines immediate closure of Lakeview site and asks Schweitzer stakeholders to propose a plan

Bonner County commissioners spent the morning and early afternoon debating whether to close two remote solid-waste collection sites, Lakeview and Schweitzer, after Solid Waste Director Bob Bauer described recurring illegal dumping, wildlife conflicts (bears), hazardous materials left outside containers, and rising cleanup burdens.

Bauer said the Lakeview site on U.S. Forest Service Road 278 is remote, heavily used in summer and seasonally inaccessible in winter, and has experienced repeated dumping of oversized and hazardous items that staff cannot reliably enforce or clean up. "The Lakeview site has long served residents and visitors. However, its remote location, seasonal high usage, and limited oversight have resulted in conditions that are no longer manageable," he said (speaker 11).

Residents and stakeholders packed the meeting to oppose an immediate closure of Lakeview, arguing that removing access often increases illegal dumping and creates public-health risks. "Removal of dump sites significantly increases dumping and illegal wasting," said Colby Stevenson (speaker 9), a Schweitzer resident, summarizing studies and urging the county to consider downstream costs and Panhandle Health District obligations.

Commissioners expressed divided viewpoints. One commissioner urged giving the community clear notice and a timeline to improve compliance before closing a site, saying a warning period and follow-up photographs could support a future closure if behavior did not change. Others emphasized equity and user-fee fairness: unattended sites make it difficult to charge for non-household items, which shifts costs to other sticker holders. Several commissioners said they would not support continuing to operate a site without an attendant because oversight is central to equitable fee enforcement.

On Lakeview, the board moved to close the site and held a roll-call vote; the motion failed. Commissioners then turned to the Schweitzer collection site, which has a unique history: the site sits on private Schweitzer property and has been supported by a modest payment from the Schweitzer community and a past agreement with the local fire association. Stakeholders including Mel Bailey (highway commissioner), Lance Badger (developer), HOAs and multiple residents said the site is vital to the mountain community and detailed a history of mitigation efforts (fenced enclosures, roll-off containers, a summer compactor, occasional electric fences) as well as seasonal surges around holidays.

Following extended public testimony and staff discussion about options (more frequent pickups, cameras, compactors keyed for authorized users, or a staffed schedule), the board voted to direct Solid Waste to work with the Schweitzer stakeholders (HOAs, fire, waste-hauler, and property owners) to develop a concrete plan and return to the board for review rather than immediately closing the site. The motion passed.

Commissioners asked Solid Waste to consider options that address safety, enforcement and cost-sharing (including community contributions) and to include attendant-feasibility, camera/license-plate solutions, compactor options that limit public access to mechanical controls, and an explicit plan for holiday surges.

The discussion underscored the tradeoffs rural counties face between service access and fiscal responsibility: remote convenience increases operational complexity and cost, while closure can shift illegal dumping and public-health burdens to other public lands.