And they're off …

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — As the first meeting of the new-look Kootenai County board of commissioners filled up with attendees on Monday afternoon, new board member Bill Brooks broke the ice before business even started.

"I feel like I've been adopted by a family," Brooks said to about 25 mostly county employees who packed into the room.

Sheriff Ben Wolfinger then quipped, "But it's a dysfunctional family."

It was the first regular meeting for Brooks and Commissioner Leslie Duncan. Both Republicans knocked off incumbents during the primary last May en route to office.

The board unanimously approved appointing Chris Fillios, who is in the middle of serving his first term, as the board chairman.

Duncan asked if the board would be open to rotating the chairperson role among commissioners.

"Ask me in a year," Brooks said. "I want this board to be collegial, not confrontational. That doesn't mean we need to agree on everything."

Fillios said a rotation wasn't done by at least the two previous boards, but he's open to at least considering letting another commissioner take over as chair down the road.

On liaison appointments, Brooks and Duncan said they both had a desire to take the airport, citing relationships they've developed there, but Fillios quickly settled the matter, giving the task to Brooks.

"We can certainly revisit it after a year," Fillios said.

Duncan's liaison assignments for departments and advisory boards include, but are not limited to, Adult Misdemeanor Probation, Parks and Waterways, Clerk, Treasurer, Building and Grounds, Snow Groomers, Aquifer Protection District, Centennial Trail, Coeur d'Alene Basin, Panhandle Area Council and Noxious Weeds.

Brooks' list also includes Fleet Management, North Idaho Fair, Information Technology, Repographics, Solid Waste, Judges, Sheriff's Office and Veterans Services.

Fillios' assignments include Historic Preservation, Planning and Zoning, Assessor, Coroner, Prosecutor, Community Development, Public Defender, Grants Management and Board of County Commissioners.

Fillios said he made the liaison suggestions based on the commissioners' backgrounds, geographic locations, interests and other factors.

Duncan said she was caught off guard with how the assignments were handled.

"It's not what I was expecting coming in as a brand new board member," she said.

In other business, the board unanimously approved allowing:

- up to $25,000 for planning efforts to move the coroner's department from the Elections Office on Third Street to the work-release center at the Sheriff's Office; and

- up to $40,000 for equipment to broadcast county meetings.

Both of the expenditures had been earlier approved in the budget for this fiscal year.

Brooks said he's in favor of fixed-view cameras that don't require much staff time because the video costs can quickly escalate otherwise.

Coroner Warren Keene said concerns at his department's existing location include a lack of storage space, technology hurdles and safety issues outside the building at night.