Sandpoint Moves Toward Ending Highway District Council Subcommittee Backs Petition To Dissolve Agency

With little discussion Wednesday, a Sandpoint City Council subcommittee recommended that the city endorse a petition to dissolve the Sandpoint Independent Highway District.

“It’s time for the city to take a step and let the citizens know where we stand,” Administrative Committee Chairman Ray Miller said.

He said that citizens should be put at ease by knowing the city is ready and willing to take on the duties of the highway district.

“We’re quite capable of undertaking it, I think,” he said.

Council members Sue Haynes and Michael Boge agreed, which means the full council is likely to approve the resolution at its regular meeting next week. Councilman Frances Ogilvie, along with three other council members, signed the petition.

The petition complains that the highway district wasted tax dollars, did a poor job on street maintenance, operated with little public oversight and inconvenienced the public. It called on the Bonner County commissioners to hold an election to dissolve the district and let the city take over street management and maintenance.

The commission has scheduled a public hearing on the matter for April 4, after which the commission must decide whether to hold an election on the issue.

In the proposed City Council resolution, the city claims it will have the same capabilities as the highway district, and asks the Bonner County commissioners to hold an election on the issue.

“In recent years, numerous public surveys to assess community assets and liabilities have consistently resulted in citizens listing the poor and steadily deteriorating condition of city streets near the top of their concerns,” the resolution states.

The resolution listed several benefits of city street management, including:

Coordinated and effective street management and oversight, as well as a one-stop permit process for businesses and organizations;

The potential for expanded eligibility in the funding of city projects - such as downtown improvements - and better coordination with other agencies in planning such projects;

The ability to address stormwater system improvements necessary to correct infiltration problems now experienced by the city’s wastewater treatment system;

A tax savings to citizens because of the elimination of duplicated services.

Highway district officials have warned that the dissolution of the highway district wouldn’t necessarily mean a tax savings or better service.

Instead of paying taxes to the highway district, the money would go to the county’s road and bridge department, but the city wouldn’t benefit from those tax dollars as it does now.

“The money’s got to be made up somewhere,” Jackie Buck, the highway district administrative assistant, said in a recent interview.

The highway district also is eligible for certain types of federal funding that’s not available to cities, Buck said. Instead of dissolving the district, Buck suggested dissatisfied citizens get involved in it by running for a seat on the highway district commission.

When former Mayor Dave Sawyer tried that, the district commissioners changed their ordinance so that mayors couldn’t sit on the highway district. Sawyer helped launch the recent petition drive.