Our history is worth preserving

Whether one is a history buff or not, there’s just no getting around the fact that history surrounds and identifies all of us no matter who, what or where we are. Someone once defined history as “… a bunch of lies to which we all have agreed!” While most of us think that level of cynicism is unwarranted, it is a reminder that the history of anything must be properly researched, recorded and administered to be considered credible. Historic preservation is the foundation upon which that credibility can be built and sustained.

Credible historic preservation programs and projects require significant, sustained commitment by a lot of people. It also requires financial support to develop, implement and sustain historical preservation programs and projects. Unfortunately, there are far too few professional, credentialed and committed historians in Kootenai County who have the time and/or resources to do the work needed to preserve the county’s history. This daunting task is thereby left largely to a very limited number of public officials and a larger number of “armchair historians” working as volunteers for nonprofit historical societies and museums.

Chief among Kootenai County public officials engaged in historic preservation efforts are the three county commissioners who comprise the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and the volunteers the BOCC appoints to the seven positions that comprise the county’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). The Museum of North Idaho (MNI) stands out as the prominent representative of incorporated (certified) Idaho nonprofit organizations with several other certified nonprofit historical societies and museums operating throughout the county.

These certified nonprofit organizations have operated for decades with perpetually inadequate funds. Periodic fundraising events are the norm for these organizations, resulting in little more than being able to meet the administrative costs needed just to keep their respective doors open. As a result, many important historic preservation programs and projects never get off the ground or, once implemented, become unsustainable.

The good news is, at least for certified nonprofit historical societies, museums and organizations engaged in historical preservation projects, there is a solution to this perpetual lack of funding. The solution lies within Idaho Statute (IS) 31-864 which provides more than ample authority for the BOCC to allocate substantial funding for such purposes. The statute clearly states: “… the (BOCC) of any county is authorized and empowered to levy not more than twelve one thousandths percent (.012) on each dollar of market value for assessment purposes of taxable property within the county.” One can access the brief (21-line), easy-to-read statute simply by doing an online search for “Idaho Statute 31-864.”

Some months ago, at an HPC regularly scheduled, public monthly meeting, County Commissioner Chris Fillios confirmed that, using 2016 data, applying the formula in the statute to Kootenai County equates to the BOCC being “authorized and empowered to levy” more than $1.5 million annually for the purpose of preserving Kootenai County’s history. Sadly, the county’s annual financial commitment to historic preservation has hovered between $15,000 and $25,000 over the past several decades. This tiny fraction of what the BOCC is authorized and empowered to spend is hardly reflective of any commitment at all by the BOCC to preserving the county’s history.

Rest assured this should not be interpreted as advocating for the BOCC to allocate anything remotely close to $1.5 million for historic preservation. The purpose here is simply to reveal how woefully inadequate county funding for this purpose has been and to encourage the BOCC to make a greater commitment to helping certified nonprofit organizations in their dedicated, selfless efforts to preserve our county’s history. The BOCC can achieve this with relative ease by simply directing the HPC to develop a grant application program/process that incorporates the clearly mandated guidelines and constraints stated in IS 31-864.

Here’s just one example of how such a program could work: The BOCC could commit to fund the program by setting aside as little as $150,000 in the county’s budget each year for historic preservation purposes. In accordance with the process required by the statute, eligible organizations could compete for grants through a merit-based application process. The applications would be reviewed by the HPC which, in turn, would send their recommendation for approval or disapproval to the BOCC, which would have final decision authority. Having served on the county’s HPC for more than four years prior to my resignation this past January, I have full faith in that group’s ability to develop and administer such a program. All that is needed is the BOCC’s commitment to fund such a program and for them to direct the HPC to develop and, subject to the BOCC’s final approval, implement it.

It’s been said that “Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it!” The state of Idaho has seen fit to authorize and empower our BOCC in a manner that can ensure Kootenai County residents are not among the ignorant!

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Skip Fuller is a retired Air Force officer living in Coeur d’Alene who enjoys “paying it forward” through volunteerism.