Did CommissionMEN Hoodwink the Public?

Did CommissionMEN Hoodwink the Public?

by Shari Dovale

We previously reported that the motion Luke Omodt presented to the Board of Commissioners (BOCC) on Friday, June 16th was concerning rezoning land at the Sheriff’s complex to transfer to the Fair board for a proposed RV park.

We also reported that Omodt was disingenuous (at best) with the remaining board members and the public.

He presented that the City of Sandpoint required this rezone when they did not, and then somehow omitted the fact that the land would be devalued.

These are big issues.

During the regular business meeting on Tuesday, June 25th, the question was called by Commissioner Williams to pull the rezone application from Sandpoint so as to stop future payments to Sewell engineering for unnecessary work, due to the Fair board not accepting this project.

Both CommissionMEN refused to discuss the questions that Commissioner Williams put forth. Instead of answering the questions on the costs involved, Luke Omodt went into a diatribe of the Fair’s long history.

Chairman Bradshaw refused to allow public comment on this issue, and then he got so steamed at Williams not dropping the subject that he recessed the meeting without a vote on her motion, and without allowing the remaining agendized items to be presented.

It should be noted here that the 2 CommissionMEN have pushed for Roberts Rules of Order to be adopted and implemented by the BOCC, yet they refuse to follow it even now. It was adopted by split vote last week, and did not last through a single meeting. It would seem that they want Commissioner Williams to follow these rules but they need not. Should we call it “Bradshaw’s Arbitrary Rules of Misconduct?”

The devaluing of the noted property is important because we are talking about the nearby properties as well. When a property in a neighborhood is lowered in value, it cannot be helped but spread to the adjacent properties. They will be devalued.

So the issue does not just affect the overall money for the county taxpayers, and this is significant, but it targets the adjacent land owners.

Omodt stated that he was “not aware that Bonner County has any intention of selling that property.” The concerns brought forth by the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning committee included possible construction of low income housing. Omodt refused to address this specific issue.

It has been said repeatedly that each BOCC board stands on their own and is not bound by prior boards decisions, therefore, if this property is rezoned as requested, future boards could sell this land for that use.

Additionally, Omodt was asked direct questions about the costs the taxpayers are incurring for a project that is unlikely to come to fruition. He refused to answer those questions directly, and Chairman Bradshaw did his best to cover for him, including calling a recess so further responses could not be made.

And to tell the public that the City of Sandpoint has required this zone change when they knew nothing about it is more than misleading.

The public has a right to the truth from their elected officials.

See: CommissionMEN Still Spending Money on the RV Campground