Bonner Voters Decide To Split School District 63 Percent Favor Forming New District On West Side Of County

Idaho has one more school district today.

On Tuesday, voters in Bonner County decided to split their district in two.

The decision was long overdue, said state Sen. John Campbell, who had encouraged the state Department of Education to investigate the Bonner County School District and make suggestions for improvements.

One suggestion was to explore a division.

“There was distrust over everything in this district,” Campbell said. “It became apparent the district was regionally too big.”

The measure needed a simple majority countywide and a simple majority in the proposed West Bonner County District to pass.

That requirement prevents the majority from kicking the minority out of the larger district.

But, for once, the voters on both sides of the district were in agreement.

In the proposed West Bonner County School district, or District 83, the vote was 687 for the split and 375 against, or 65 percent for and 35 percent against, according to the unofficial final results.

In both districts combined, 63 percent of the voters were in favor.

The turnout wasn’t huge. A total of 2,494 people voted, which is only 12.96 percent of the registered voters.

A steady trickle of voters visited the Priest River Elementary School polling place Tuesday.

Of those voting for the split, most said it was for the sake of the community and having a greater voice in school operations.

“If you’re in contact with them all the time, you keep up with the problems better,” said Mary Lou Naccarato after voting Tuesday afternoon.

Naccarato sat on the committee that recommended that the district hold an election on the division.

“We always felt like we’re second cousins out here,” she said. “If they don’t get out and vote for it, they better not complain anymore.”

Many voters declined to give their names, however, saying “it’s a small town.”

For instance, one man who voted against the split thought he might be criticized for voting that way. But his decision was made after some research, he said.

“I talked to a few officials in Priest River, and they said eventually it would raise taxes,” he said. Besides, he said, his kids are getting a great education in Priest River as it is.

While the West Bonner County School District would get more than $300,000 from the state to make up for its small size, it will lose the economy of scale of the countywide district.

And in the event of a school levy, there are fewer property owners to share the burden.

On the other hand, supporters of the split believe that levies may pass more easily because people may have a greater sense of ownership and control.