No Confidence in 2 Bonner County Commissioners

May 16, 2023 | Uncategorized

BCRCC Votes No Confidence in Bonner County Commissioners Steven Bradshaw and Luke Omodt

 

Sandpoint, Idaho – The members of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee (BCRCC) have serious concerns about the public conduct and performance of Bonner County Commissioners Steven Bradshaw and Luke Omodt and their conformance to certain principles in the Idaho Republican Party Platform. Both commissioners sought campaign endorsement from the BCRCC prior to their election to office.

 

The most recent example involves the county’s “justice center” complex and the Fairground’s RV campground expansion. There are competing ideas for how to use three parcels of land owned by the county. The Bonner County Fairgrounds occupies the largest of the parcels, at 43 acres. The other two contiguous parcels south of the fairgrounds comprise 19 acres and are occupied by the sheriff’s office, the jail and other law enforcement facilities. With a growing county population and demands on the court system and jail, some county officials and members of the public believe these parcels could be reserved for a future courthouse and jail expansion. In contrast, Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt have shown a preference for doing a boundary line adjustment and placing an RV park expansion on this property.

 

A non-binding advisory ballot question was recently requested by the BCRCC and many other members of the community. Adding a question to the ballot was supported by many of Bonner County’s Constitutional Officers, including Assessor Dorman, Clerk Rosedale, Coroner Beers, Prosecutor Marshall, Sheriff Wheeler, Treasurer Koster, and Commissioner Williams. Commissioner Williams requested a question to be placed on the May 16, 2023 ballot to allow Bonner County voters to weigh in. Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt were the only two Constitutional Officers of Bonner County who objected to both the advisory ballot question and the construction of an RV Campground on the current 43 acre Fairground property.

 

The results of an advisory question put to voters would give county elected officials guidance on how to settle the question and best conforms to the Idaho Republican Party Platform, Article 1, Section 2(F), which states in part that “Municipal laws that allow public dollars to be converted to private use and government entities to compete against the private sector or divert public money to special projects without support of the taxpayer, must be repealed”. By adjusting the lot lines and expanding an RV park owned and run by the county, the county would be competing against private RV parks and would also be consuming limited county land that could otherwise be reserved and used for the core mission of county government that includes law enforcement, dispatch services and the provision of court facilities and a jail.

The following other votes and actions by Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt are also concerning to the members of the BCRCC since they involve key principles in the Idaho Republican Party Platform

  • Zoom teleconferencing – Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt voted against allowing the public to participate and review all county government process, expenditures, contracts, and audits via online Zoom tele-conferencing. Platform Art. I Sec. 1(D).
  • County Employee Protections – Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt continuously vote against legally reviewed and approved Human Resource Policies, which would offer county employees certain protections. Platform Art. II, Sec. 2.
  • Advisory Board Selections – Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt denied interviews of qualified applicants seeking full participation in the political process. Platform Art. II.
  • Decorum – In public meetings, Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt display a regular lack of decorum toward Commissioner Williams and Sheriff Wheeler in the execution of their elected duties and responsibilities, as well as numerous citizens. So flagrant is the bad behavior that it has been often featured by local media outlets. The disrespect has been demonstrated far beyond the Commissioner’s weekly business meetings. Platform Art. II, Sec. 2.
  • Citizen Involvement – Commissioners Bradshaw and Omodt regularly deny citizen requests to add item(s) to the weekly Board of County Commissioner Regular Meeting Agenda, undermining Bonner County residents’ ability to influence the direction of their local government. Platform Art. II.

 

We encourage Commissioners Steven Bradshaw and Luke Omodt to consider the concerns of the BCRCC and reevaluate their actions and positions in regards to Idaho’s Republican Party Platform.

 

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The BCRCC is the official Republican Party organization for Bonner County. Its membership consists of 30 precinct committeemen (PCs) elected by Bonner County voters biennially in the May Republican primary election and several present and formerly elected officers.

 

The goal of the BCRCC is to advance the principles of the Idaho Republican Party which are adopted into the party’s platform by the hundreds of delegates at the biennial Idaho Republican Party’s state convention. It is the BCRCC’s hope that local elected Republicans take a leadership role in representing the key principles of Idaho’s Republican Party Platform.