It’s Time To Kill Kidd Island Plan, Ron Rankin Says County Commissioner Labels Board Members ‘Incompetent’

Saying board members who oversaw the project were “incompetent” and held illegal meetings, county Commissioner Ron Rankin said Monday it was time to kill a plan to dredge Kidd Island Bay for better boat access.

After spending $198,000 in legal and engineering fees over seven years, the advisory board of bayarea residents still doesn’t have the necessary permits to start the project, estimated at $2.8 million.

The board apparently kept no official meeting minutes, but engineer’s notes from two years of gatherings suggest the board replaced retiring members itself - a duty reserved for county commissioners - and held closed-door meetings without a quorum, Rankin said.

Dredging advocate and longtime board member Fred Miller responded angrily to Rankin’s charges.

“I take that as a slap in the face,” Miller said.

“You excluded people illegally,” Rankin retorted.

“That’s false,” Miller said.

Kootenai County Administrator Tom Taggart reminded Rankin that the board was made up of community members who had not properly been schooled in meetings laws, but Rankin wouldn’t budge.

“I’m of the opinion that this thing should be terminated,” Rankin said. “It’s gone on long enough.”

County commissioners Monday gave the advisory panel until July to wrap up loose ends. At that time, commissioners are expected to vote on whether to halt the project.

If it continues, it could be years before state officials even consider providing a necessary permit. Idaho Department of Lands officials have said they wouldn’t offer a permit until a lawsuit over ownership of Lake Coeur d’Alene’s shoreline - now before the state Supreme Court - is resolved.

And if it is halted, taxpayers might be stuck with $200,000 in worthless legal and engineering bills.

The Kidd Island Bay project dates back to 1984, when area homeowners first sought public support to establish a local improvement district to deepen and clean up the algae-choked bay.

In 1990, commissioners, sensing support for the project, formed an LID, which meant Kidd Island Bayarea homeowners would be responsible for the costs of the project.

LIDs can be legally created if a project adds value to homeowners’ property.

But there never was proof that a majority of homeowners supported the project, and since then, many homeowners have moved away.

And since there are no actual improvements, some angry Kidd Island Bay residents are expected to contest the bill.

He said the board might offset that possibility by completing minor improvements to a boat launch.

But ownership of the boat launch currently is mired in litigation.

“You’ve got a situation where this thing has gone on for so long, none of us working on it for the county were here when it was created,” said Taggart.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of area