Officials add to budget

It took less than 10 minutes.

On Monday evening, the Kootenai County commissioners voted unanimously to open the current fiscal year budget and inject millions to fund emergency assistance and 9-1-1 equipment.

The commissioners had previously announced they would add $1 million to the indigent fund, state-mandated assistance that helps low-income folks with dental and medical costs, as well as rent and burials/cremations.

Because of underfunding from past administrations, the county faced a shortfall to cover indigent costs to the end of the fiscal year next month.

The commissioners also added $1.4 million to provide crucial equipment upgrades for 9-1-1 Dispatch.

Those dollars, collected from phone bill taxes, can only be used for 9-1-1 purposes.

The budget additions were passed without any comment from the public, said Commissioner Todd Tondee.

"Nobody showed up," he said.