County seeks seal of approval

It doesn't quite roll off the tongue, but Kootenai County residents will know this word well next year.

Sesquicentennial.

The county is turning 150 next year, and the commissioners are already planning how to hail the benchmark with historical events and celebrations.

"We would be remiss if we didn't commemorate it in some fashion," said Commissioner Jai Nelson. "It's a good time to reflect on our accomplishments as a county, how far we've come, where we want to go."

Kootenai County was established in 1864, when Idaho was still a territory.

The historic hootenanny in 2014 might include school events, a time capsule or a congregation of state and local dignitaries, Nelson said.

But for now, the commissioners plan to start with adopting a symbol of the county's legacy.

The elected officials are holding a contest to design a new official county seal, they announced this week.

Technically, it would be the county's first official seal, Nelson said.

"We have nothing documented that anything was officially adopted," she said.

Most of the commissioners' nearly 20 departments all use different logos, Nelson said.

She alluded to the board's own emblem, a detailed lithograph drawing she bemoaned as costly to print and space-consuming on a letterhead.

The sheriff and prosecutors' offices both use variations of the state seal, she added.

"There is no consistent identity," reads a press release from the commissioners on the contest. "Having a consistent and standardized brand is more than an identity; it conveys a distinct message, and guides decision making, along with our mission statement and values."

No pressure, designers.

The commissioners aren't setting parameters on what the new seal should include, said Commissioner Todd Tondee.

"I have no preconceived notions," Tondee said. "What comes out will be the interesting part."

The new seal would be used by all county departments, Nelson said.

The contest winner will receive $250.

The submission deadline is Monday, April 29. Entries should be submitted to the commissioners' office, located in the county administration building at 401 Government Way.

For additional information, contact Myrna Thiel at the commissioners' office, at 446-1613, or at kcinfo@kcgov.us.

The commissioners are also reassessing their mission statement and operating principles as part of the 150-year milestone, Nelson said.

"It's part of our broader plan," she said.