A good way to govern

With many of the local Eastside area residents in attendance at the commissioners special hearing to pass judgment on the proposed three LIDs, it was brought to light that these first-time proposed LIDs were planned and contracted before the first public meeting was held. Trying to circumvent what the legal requirements in the codes required before making their proposals known.

With all three Kootenai County commissioners asking questions from Eastside Chairman Dorsey and their legal council, Attorney Whetsel, which brought to light how the LIDs were proposed and two of the three have already been completed before approval was received with the third scheduled to start in October. If these proposed LIDs followed the law and had been approved by the county commissioners, this would have opened the flood gates for all four highway districts to suggest LIDs for any roads or streets within the county to be paid by limited area residents with a property fee in addition to road taxes already collected thru county property taxes for each parcel owned.

With Chairman Dorsey stammering and referring to Attorney Whetsel to answer many of the questions, and when questioned on highway district operating amounts and budgets, didn't have any written records to refer to, with mostly percentages or questionable numbers to give back to the county commissioners. With Commissioner Nelson being well prepared in advance, with state and county statute books being flagged and a list of many pertinent questions, those in attendance although denied speaking time, really could understand what was trying to be shoved down the residents' throats. Our hats are off to all three Kootenai County commissioners, being put in a very questing position where one elected group was asking for approval from another elected group. Since the Eastside Highway District was the only one out of the four highway districts to come up with these type LIDs, why did Eastside think they could con the citizens of their district into approving of these road repairs. Right from the beginning, citizen groups were formed to contest these three proposals and overwhelmingly disapproved of each.

All three LID proposals were more than 60 percent voted against during the community sessions held from the beginning. This is what forced the highway commissioners to refer their decision to the Kootenai County commissioners who had never faced a request for LIDs from any of the highway districts. When the first community session was held in the highway district warehouse, Attorney Whetsel made the comment to everyone present that "it didn't matter what percentage voted against the LID proposals, it would be approved anyway."

With her replies to questions during the county commissioners' hearings and the lack of any written verified totals from Chairman Dorsey, some of us figured the final decision was loaded against them. Especially after two projects had already been completed and the third scheduled to begin in October according to Chairman Dorsey. This went against the Eastside Highway District's claim that they lacked sufficient funds to complete these projects.

All the residents of the Eastside Highway District would like to show our appreciation and gratitude for County Commissioner Green, Commissioner Tondee and Commissioner Nelson, and especially Commissioner Nelson for her preparation and questions that showed this futile attempt to try and circumvent the laws to set a precedent for future road LIDs.

Bill Singleton is a Coeur d'Alene resident.