Brian Riley | Bonner County Daily Bee

• Profession: Semi-retired business manager

• Party affiliation: Republican

• Educational background: 3 years secondary education, with 20 years of work experience

• How many years as a Bonner County resident: 37

• Marital status: Married

• Family: 2 Boys

• Hobbies: Hunting, Shooting, snowmobiling, hiking, fly fishing, archery

• Website: bit.ly/3vrkFCW

1. Team building with constituents, city and county officials, and staff members. The District 3 Commissioner is one of three on the Board of County Commissioners and there are 18 departments in the county that are managed by the BOCC. Learning the departments and their directors is extremely important based on years of experience in management. Currently, each department meets once per month with the BOCC and transparency and trust with the staff will lead to overall success. I also feel that having relations with the community members is important so that when volunteers are needed for Task Forces or Commissions, we have several opposing ideas to blend together for choosing the path forward.
2. Infrastructure, budget shortfalls, and housing for the middle class.

Our growth has made all of our infrastructure obsolete. Our roads, county services, and EMS are not currently able to support our level of growth county wide. To make this situation even more problematic, we are facing a budget shortfall due to the high level of inflation which will make for tough decisions by the BOCC. Our housing in the county is not keeping up with needs resulting in inflated housing costs. I received a flyer from a local realtor that indicated the average home is now selling for over $600k in Bonner County, how is that affordable to the middle class?

1. This is where experience with business leadership is needed. One thing I learned with my experience is having task forces assigned to addressing our issues leads to success. These groups need volunteers from opposing viewpoints and neutral opinions to truly navigate what is needed. Management of budgets for what is truly needed and not what is “wanted” for each department will get the budget headed into the correct direction along with some “outside the box” thinking. Our County employees are the top asset in the county and need treated as such during our budget reviews. If we do not have the correct team members in the correct area, our infrastructure needs will not be properly addressed for our future needs, leading to budgets that will continue to be stressed requiring additional Levies. We also need to collaborate with local groups such as the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation for example, and to create Task Forces for developing plans for affordable and desired housing for our community.
2. This cannot be left off the table when looking at our infrastructure and budget needs. During the construction phase, real property shall not be subject to property taxation based on State tax laws; Commissioners have no authority to change this regardless of what has been indicated by others. The Commissioners do however have a constitutional and statutory responsibility to function as the Board of Equalization and ensure uniform market value is assessed if a property owner disagrees with their assed value. The BOCC also is charged with granting or denying property tax exemptions. Essentially, looking at impact fees will get funding needed for adjustment to infrastructure before it is needed or in our current phase, obsolete.
3. I have seen over the last 10 years that the majority of the county residents have pushed for growth and making Bonner County known to the rest of the world. This has now been accomplished and will take time to hit the peak due to construction delays. Our growth has become accelerated due to technology and national changes since 2020. Our direction now needs to change. We need to have sustainable growth that keeps business and manufacturing jobs available in Bonner County. We need a plan to have affordable opportunity for everyone to enjoy what is offered in Bonner County. My assessment is that the current job of a Commissioner in Bonner County requires 50-60 hours weekly along with an open mind to make the right decisions for everyone affected.
4. Growth.

By growth, I am lumping full-time residents, part-time residency, and tourism into this category as we are affected by all of this. Due to the divided opinions across our county, not just District 3, I feel a Task Force is needed to understand the concerns of all sides within our county and then take those recommendations forward. The path forward will also need to follow the State laws that are in place. Our current roads and congestion is a prime example of how seasonal growth has a huge impact on our daily lives. Each year, we see more and more traffic on every county road due to tourism and we need to build and maintain for this additional impact.

1. The upcoming budget shortfall. This should be a concern of everyone! Without sufficient funding, the services we all need cannot continue or improve. As most are aware, inflation has surpassed 8% and in areas such as paving and fuel, costs are up close to 30%. The annual tax increase is capped at 3%; which is a large number based on our assessed property values which is still a large increase in monthly rent and mortgage payment. So the question goes back to budget appropriation that fits our needs. If we do not keep our team members happy, we loose our largest assets regardless of their profession. I feel our residents need our county services that are in place and we need top level management as we move forward.
2. This is easy to answer, I am not a politician. I feel being honest is always the best approach even if I do not have the same opinion of others. I understand the laws, I also understand management and I do not feel that it is fair to give an answer to a question just to get a few extra votes when I know the answer cannot be accomplished. I also believe in hearing conflicting opinions because I am not always right; not many politicians admit to this.
3. Do you understand the job of being a Bonner County commissioner?

Yes, I do understand. The reason I waited to declare my candidacy is due to understanding the commitment and duties of this position. It should not be a part-time job or merely take a small portion of your daily plate of activities. Imagine spending your summer months spent on the Board of Equalization to ensure consistency in property assessments. Not too many people understand that the BOCC is this CEO of the county. Just like a Corporate CEO, decisions are made on laws and policies. The BOCC does not make laws. The BOCC makes ordinances and upholds State laws. There are 18 departments under the BOCC and all are essential to our community. Each of these departments needs leadership and criticism at times as holding department heads accountable for their teams and budgets is not the glamorous potion of the job. Having critical thinking skills is essential to success in this position.

1. Critical thinking, management experience, community involvement, understanding there are multiple concerns to every decision and finding the best path for the county. During my time as Plant Superintendent for IFG, we held community meetings to understand our neighbors’ concerns and be transparent; these were in the evening. I have been on advisory panels for North Idaho College for several years and was unanimously picked, by a very split board, recently to assist on the committee for selecting the new N.I.C. President. I have coached baseball in Sandpoint at levels including Little League, High School, and American Legion. I have also been on committees for Priest River Timberday, Winterfest, and fireworks events. In conclusion, Bonner County is home and will remain my home and I consider everyone a neighbor.