Counties consider refugee resolutions
COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners are considering a resolution that assures, if Syrian refugees resettle here, the federal government sends money to alleviate possible local financial burdens.
The proposed resolution was brought to the commissioners on Monday by Coeur d'Alene resident Brent Regan. It is among at least three refugee-related resolutions being presented to counties in North Idaho.
The Kootenai County commissioners agreed to have legal staff review Regan's proposal and resume the discussion at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, but appeared generally receptive to the resolution.
"A (possible resettlement) could have significant financial impact to areas," Commissioner Marc Eberlein said.
However, Mark Kadel, director for the World Relief office in Spokane, one of nine agencies contracted by the State Department to provide resettlement to refugees, said the proposal is redundant and unnecessary because the refugee program is already federally-funded.
"The funding is already in place," Kadel said. "Passing the resolution will not increase or decrease funding."
Kadel called the proposal "ridiculous" and said he hadn't heard of it before Monday.
Kadel said he has received a steady stream of calls from North Idaho residents wondering if refugees will arrive here.
"I don't foresee anything on the horizon with regard to refugee resettlement in North Idaho," he said. "It's not out of the question — it could happen — but there's nothing in the near future that's pointing in that direction."
Kadel said refugees in North Idaho would need prior approval by Jan Reeves, Idaho Office for Refugees director in Boise.
Regan said local attorney Christ Troupis drafted the resolution, and it was reviewed by attorney Art Macomber to explore legal options at the municipality level regarding the refugee situation.
"The visceral response to the Paris and other attacks leave citizens looking to government for action or at least affirmation regarding government's primary role to provide for the safety of the citizens," Regan wrote in an email to county commissioners. "All too often you are approached with problems. I am offering some solutions … ."
Regan said the resolution aims to protect local economies.
"The refugee resettlement process will create new and substantial burdens for the citizens of the county in that the influx of refugee families will present unfunded burdens, including but not limited to burdens on schools, law enforcement and health care providers," the proposal states.
Regan said the proposal doesn't say not to send any refugees to Idaho, but if the federal government has the authority to let the refugees resettle, financial responsibility should follow.
"If you want to bring refugees here, they should be taken care of and not just dumped on the doorstep like a baby at the fire department," he said. "Take some responsibility under your authority."
Meanwhile, refugee resolutions are also being floated in other counties in North Idaho.
A proposal that will be considered by Bonner County commissioners this morning at 9 a.m. calls for halting the refugee resettlement project until the vetting process is thoroughly and fully reviewed and all of the states' concerns are addressed.
Daniell Ahrens, a Sandpoint resident Bonner County Republican Central Committee chairwoman, attended the Kootenai County meeting to keep up on the refugee situation. She said the resolutions presented to the individual counties are not different and not a coordinated effort.
"People are frustrated that they're not being heard," she said, referring to why the resolutions are being proposed.
Ahrens said she realizes that the refugee situation may be out of local governments' hands to some extent, but she also believes that government starts from the ground up.
"People want to be heard and have their issues addressed," she said.
In Boundary County, more than 100 people attended a meeting on Monday in which commissioners tabled a refugee resolution discussion until next Monday at 10 a.m.