Bonner County Library Bond Ahead
Bonner, Boundary counties
It appears Bonner County residents won’t have to endure a cramped, old library any longer.
A bond levy to build a new $3.5 million facility in Sandpoint was on its way to being approved Tuesday night. The measure needed a supermajority of votes, just over 66 percent, to pass. With 16 of Bonner County’s 30 precincts reporting, the bond had received a 71 percent approval rating.
The library is in a 70-year-old building that lacks parking and has no space for new books and computers.
The bond also will finance a library in Clark Fork and add bookmobile service to outlying towns in Bonner County.
In the race for Bonner County commissioner, Brian Orr was leading political newcomer Chuck Lipari. With 16 of 30 precincts reporting, Orr received 563 votes to Lipari’s 331.
The two Democrats are battling to see who will face incumbent Republican Larry Allen in November. Orr, the mayor of Oldtown, ran unsuccessfully for commissioner once before.
Lipari and Orr criticized Allen and his fellow Republican Commissioner Bud Mueller, saying county government is in crisis.
Allen and Mueller voted to close the building department, rid the county of local building codes and fired eight building department employees.
The county has spent thousands of dollars settling lawsuits stemming from the closure and firings. Orr wants to reinstate the building department and change county government’s dysfunctional image.
In a three-way race for Bonner County assessor, incumbent Paul Votava appeared to be holding onto his job. Votava tallied 636 votes while challengers Cary Vogel and Hal Carter had 458 and 349 votes.
Votava was appointed last year after Assessor Tim Cochran resigned. He was appointed over Vogel, who has worked in the assessor’s office for 10 years, in a controversial split vote.
In Boundary County, incumbent Commissioner Merle Dinning easily kept his post. He defeated Republican challenger Ron Navarro by a final vote of 537 to 298. There is no Democrat challenging Dinning in November.