Bonner County’s ‘Lone Ranger’ Will Not Resign

It’s been a rough month for Bonner County Commissioner Dale Van Stone.

As the sole Democrat on the three-member commission, he’s been outvoted, left in the dark on issues and watched helplessly as his companions fired some longtime county workers who were also his friends.

“In a sense I feel like the Lone Ranger,” said Van Stone, a youthful 51-year-old who operates his own cattle ranch. “Right now I’m frustrated, but if anyone thinks I’m resigning, I’m not.”

Van Stone said he was blindsided at his first business meeting with new commissioners Bud Mueller and Larry Allen. Prior to the meeting, the two already had drafted an ordinance to abolish the county building department and fire its eight employees. The commissioners let two members of the 100 people in the audience speak, then made short work of axing the department.

“I got slammed at that meeting and so did the public,” Van Stone said. “It was a blatant abuse of the system and I feel it’s my responsibility to speak out against that kind of thing. It would be an injustice to the public if I backed out now.”

Van Stone filed a legal complaint against his fellow commissioners for that meeting, saying they violated the state Open Meetings Law. A group of residents has also filed a lawsuit to get the decision reversed.

This is not what Van Stone expected of his foray into politics. He was born and raised in Bonner County and for years operated a dairy farm in Hope, about 15 miles east of Sandpoint. He was a school bus driver and spent 14 years as a member of the county’s planning commission.

“I thought politics would be an interesting experience, instead this has been very upsetting,” Van Stone said.

He was talked into running for commissioner in 1995 by a group of residents, business people and county workers. They were fed up with controversial Republican Gene Brown, a jeans and boots-wearing man who also had ideas about cutting government. Brown’s style angered many people and he eventually gained permission to have a gun in his courthouse office after his life was threatened.

“I agreed to run because he (Brown) caused so much disruption and the county was not getting a fair shake from anyone as being a sane place,” Van Stone said. “I still don’t know if we are getting a fair shake. There has been some trying moments here lately.”

Despite the sometimes strained relationship between the commissioners, Van Stone said he likes some of Mueller and Allen’s ideas. It’s too bad their good intentions are tainted by their unwillingness to be open with the public and county employees, he said.

Van Stone realizes Mueller and Allen have support from residents and he doesn’t argue that county government can be streamlined. He just wants it done the proper way.

“What happened at that first meeting was not smart business, and I still feel there might be a hidden agenda out there,” he said. “It’s going to take some time for me to get used to them and them to get used to me. Then hopefully we can do things right and keep ourselves out of hot water.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo