Kootenai County fire bond fails

Voters within the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue District on Tuesday shot down a $2 million bond that would have remodeled an aging administration building and provided more training equipment.

Some 167 people voted against the measure, with only 165 voting for it, said Chief Ron Sampert. Two-thirds approval was required.

Sampert said the district’s previous 10-year bond expires in September and the idea was to replace it with a new one that would continue the same taxing level. Instead, taxpayers within the district will see their taxes go down $7.04 for every $100,000 of taxable value, Sampert said.

“It was not a lot of money, but at the same time folks are hurting out there,” Sampert said. “We still have the greatest people to work for and we’re going to provide the same excellent service we’ve always provided.”

The district provides service to 44,000 people over 114 square miles stretching roughly from the state line to Fourth of July Pass and from Prairie Avenue south to Arrowpoint on Lake Coeur d’Alene, Sampert said.