COUNTY: Goal is to save money

Dear N. Dolph,

Thank you for your comments. The goal is to save the county money but increasing efficiencies. We currently have courts in four locations. The cost savings for consolidating the courts into one location is estimated at more than $427,000 per year. Moving to the fairgrounds is an option but the preliminary cost of building all of our facilities out there and then having to acquire the land for the fair is cost prohibitive. In addition, we would have to move the infrastructure for the fairgrounds. The white elephant on Fourth Street is not ours to sell. It was given to the county by the federal government. If we vacate the building, we must give it back to the feds.

I do think we need to take a good look at what the value is of our property downtown and determine what it’s marketable value is. If we are to move forward with some or all of the construction, it will require a bond which must be put before the voters for their approval or rejection. Again, thank you for your comments.

DAN GREEN

Kootenai County