Bonner County panel declines interim $20,000 for fairgrounds backup power, asks for more bids

Bonner County commissioners rejected a motion to allocate $20,000 for the initial phase of an emergency power project at the county fairgrounds after members said they needed more bids and a comprehensive plan.

Fair representatives said outages during the recent rodeo demonstrated the site's vulnerability. Stacy McBrayer, who spoke for the fair, told the board: "During our rodeo, we lost power due to the sensitivity of Northern Lights' lines, under stage 2 fire restrictions." Fair Board president Ben Wood and staff outlined a $15,100 equipment quote from Burnett Electric plus an estimated $21,100 for excavation and conduit work.

Commissioners pressed for competitive quotes and a detailed infrastructure plan. One commissioner who opposed the motion said the matter was no longer a health‑and‑safety emergency and preferred to see three bids before authorizing county funds. Amy Lunsford, a public commenter, urged prompt action on resilience grounds: "If we were to have a horrible catastrophe, the odds of us having power are slim, and we're gonna need that infrastructure to run medical equipment or whatever we need."

After deliberation the motion failed by roll call. The board directed staff and the fair board to obtain additional bids and present a fuller plan; commissioners suggested returning the item with the requested documentation at a future meeting.