Hobart Jenkins of Bayview, Idaho, was in his early 80s when he faced a decision. Bow out of civic life and concentrate on relaxing. Or stay involved. He chose involvement. He became chairman of the Bayview Chamber of Commerce’s development analysis committee, a volunteer post.

Then erupted one of the biggest, and most controversial, stories ever in small-town Bayview on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille.

In April 2007, developer Bob Holland’s marina expansion got out of hand. Steel dock pilings were pounded through a kokanee salmon spawning bed. Tens of thousands of kokanee fry died; the state’s Fish and Game Department valued the lost fry at $1.4 million. The destruction also placed at risk Lake Pend Oreille’s $17 million fish tourism effort.

Jenkins became the spokesman for the outrage, the sorrow, the injustice. He was interviewed by media from throughout the Inland Northwest, and he gave journalists boat tours of the lake so they could better understand why the fine Holland faced – just $2,500 – was a travesty. It had been that low since lake protection laws were passed in 1974, despite Idaho Department of Lands efforts to increase the fine. Jenkins and others lobbied Idaho legislators to increase the fines this legislative session.

Well, it appears that their hard work paid off. Last week, the Idaho Senate – by a unanimous vote – increased the fine to up to $10,000 for causing substantive harm to “a lake or the public trust values associated with a lake (fisheries, water quality, etc.).”

The bill is in the House and passage looks likely, as it should.

Lawmakers elected to the Legislature usually get there because they reflect the majority view in Idaho – Republicans who prioritize the needs of business people, including developers.

But last spring, when the spawning bed was destroyed, Republican Sen. Mike Jorgenson, whose 3rd District includes Bayview, told The Spokesman-Review editorial board that he would be working on “fines that would be punitive.” He kept his word and co-sponsored the bill.

Meanwhile in Bayview, the state ordered Holland to mitigate last spring’s damage. That work was finally completed in mid-November, but only after two deadlines were missed.

Jenkins, 84 and sidelined by health problems, has given up the chairmanship of the chamber committee. But he still lends moral support to those active on the committee, and he’s busy keeping track of the kokanee fry rebuilding efforts.

Jenkins doesn’t ever regret choosing activism over relaxation, and he illustrates to the rest of us how one person can make a difference.

Of the Senate bill establishing the $10,000 fine, Jenkins says: “It’s sort of like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen, but it will have a future effect. There are developers who will pay attention to it and do the right thing.”