NO PARKING

Kootenai County’s elected officials have decided to go the extra mile — well, a few extra feet anyway — to help deter county employees from parking in the reconstructed lot serving the administration building.

During a meeting Wednesday, the office holders agreed to have signage reserving spots for elected officials removed from a parking lot directly west of the administration building.

“As elected officials, we need to set an example for county employees,” said Treasurer Steve Matheson.

The decision to remove six designated parking spots stems from complaints from the public that parking spaces at the admin lot were often full.

Earlier this month, work was completed on reconstruction of the lot. The project added 11 spaces — from 87 to 98 — but parking is still at a prime in the lot, which serves the busy motor vehicle and driver’s licensing offices as well as several other county departments.

Commissioner Bill Brooks stated previously that county employees were taking spots intended for the public. Brooks estimated that on any given day, up to 40 percent of the vehicles in the lot belonged to public employees.

However, Commissioner Chris Fillios on Wednesday cast doubt on that figure.

“I think those numbers are unfounded,” Fillios said. “How would we know?”

Commissioner Leslie Duncan said keeping employees from parking in the lot is difficult to enforce because there are no consequences for those who do. The county has circulated a memo asking workers not to park in the lot, but there’s no formal policy.

Elected officials said they hope by eliminating their reserved spots adjacent to the administration building that county employees will be more inclined to use other options, even though they may not be as convenient.

Those options include a nearby city-leased lot near the carousel. Under an agreement with the city of Coeur d’Alene, 205 parking spots were designated for county employees at that site.

There’s also the lot directly west of the administration building for employees.

A large lot north of the administration building off Garden Avenue is also available, but elected officials voiced concern due to its distance from county offices, especially in winter months when bad weather and shorter days pose challenges.

Reconstruction of the admin lot was one of two parking projects recently completed by Rathdrum-based general contractor T Lariviere Inc. for $513,000. Upgrades were also made to the county’s election office lot on North Third Street.