Money Sought For Waterways Kootenai County Seeks State Grants To Improve Facilities

FROM FOR THE RECORD (Friday, January 29, 1999): Correction Story wrong: The state’s Waterways improvement Fund grant program does not require matching funds, as was indicated in a Thursday story in The Idaho Spokesman-Review. However, project proposals that include matching funds are more favorably viewed. Kootenai County generally tries to match the funds by 10 percent.

The Upper Twin Lakes boat launch and parking lot would be improved if the state awards the Kootenai County waterways department a grant worth $123,000.

“That’s our highest priority,” said Kurtis Robinson, supervisor of the the county’s parks and waterways department.

The project at Upper Twin is just one of six projects the county hopes to pay for with $313,000 state Waterways Improvement Fund grants. Other projects include dock replacements, new information boards at boat launches and a floating restroom at Bell Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Last year, the $144,200 requested for the Upper Twin project was rejected by the state. Robinson said the state ran out of money before the project could be considered. The project includes purchasing land, moving the boat launch to a better location, adding parking spaces and installing other amenities, such as a toilet, picnic tables and a sidewalk.

This year, the waterways department trimmed the project’s budget slightly and divided the work into two sections: land acquisition at $75,000 and the improvements, worth $58,200.

“They can do one or both,” Robinson said.

The state grant program is funded by a portion of the gas tax and requires that the county come up with 25 percent in matching money. Commissioners approved $32,470 for that purpose on Tuesday. A large portion of that contribution is in labor.

Kootenai County typically receives about one-third of the grant money available, which likely will top $1 million this year. Kootenai County has the largest number of boaters in the state and the secondgreatest amount of boatable water. Bonner County has the secondlargest number of boaters and the greatest amount of water.

“We look to get our lion’s share which is plus or minus $300,000,” Robinson said.

The waterways department also applied for grants for the following projects:

Replacing the docks at Fernan Park, for $45,560. The docks are used year-round and are deteriorating and losing flotation. The majority of the docks were constructed in 1982 and two were replaced in 1983. The waterways department also would like to provide better handicap access to the docks.

Replacing the docks at Spirit Lake and Bayview boat launches, for $50,100. The waterways department said the Spirit Lake docks cannot be repaired. “The weight of three adults can cause the docks to sink,” the grant proposal reads. The docks at Bayview also have structural and flotation problems.

Replacing docks and pilings at Spokane Point, Fuller’s Landing, Mowry Park and Turner Point/Turner Bay, for $72,240. One dock at Spokane Point was damaged during the floods of 1996 and 1997 and split into two pieces. Docks at Fuller’s Landing, Turner Point and Turner Bay have also deteriorated. Additional moorage is needed at Mowry Park to meet increasing boater traffic.

Replacing information boards at boat launches at Mica Bay, Sun Up Bay, Bayview, Hauser Park, Loffs Bay, Spirit Lake, Middle Twin and Boothes Park, for $20,000. Covered information boards would be installed to inform and educate the public about site restrictions and uses.

Installing a floating toilet at Bell Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene, for $24,500. The existing restroom has been closed for more than four years because the staff cannot reach it to pump it out, the grant proposal said. Also, the state Division of Environmental Quality has indicated that the toilet is too close to a stream. The floating toilet would have a double-walled aluminum tank and would be installed on a dock. It would be handicap accessible and would be connected to the other Bell Bay docks.

FUNDING The state grant program is funded by a portion of the gas tax and requires that the county come up with 25 percent in matching money.