No vows here

COEUR d'ALENE — They don't.

In the you-never-know-what's-coming-at-you category for the Kootenai County commissioner files, the board last week denied a request to allow a wedding ceremony to be held on the public courthouse lawn.

"It would probably set a precedent (if the request was approved)," Commissioner Leslie Duncan said. "And then we'd be getting into rentals. Our idea of cleaning up may also be different than others."

Jamila Holmes, the county's civil deputy prosecuting attorney, agreed with the denial.

"We'd be competing with private businesses that provide venue services," she said.

Duncan said wedding photos are occasionally taken on the lawn after ceremonies at The Hitching Post Wedding Chapel across Government Way from the courthouse and that's fine.

Commissioner Bill Brooks also had immediate concerns with the request, citing that liability insurance would have to be considered.

"That's not our business," he said. "What happens after hours? I don't want to know."

The man who made the request didn't attend Monday's meeting when commissioners denied the proposal. He did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment.

Nick Snyder, the county's parks and recreation director, offered an alternative. He told commissioners to have the applicant contact his department for facility options designed to accommodate such events.

Commission Chairman Chris Fillios, who presented the request to the board, said he didn't have as strong of feelings about the proposal as the other commissioners.

"I personally didn't have much of a problem with it, but the other commissioners made some valid points about insurance and not wanting to set a precedent," he said.

The ceremony would have been on Sunday, Sept. 1. The request was to utilize the lawn for about an hour to an hour and a half with 50 to 60 people. No food other than cake was planned and the applicant indicated setup/teardown of chairs and tables along with the cleanup would have been taken care of by the private party, Fillios said.

Fillios said he pointed the applicant toward the parks department for other options. He said he hadn't heard of such a request since he's been in office.

"It makes the job interesting," he said.