Sagle, county at odds over levy

SAGLE — Plans for a Nov. 3 levy election in the Sagle Fire District may not come to fruition.

The district's board of commissioners is conducting an emergency meeting Monday to review its options after disagreements arose over the ballot language and the implementation of a new policy to tax unimproved property in the district.

Sagle Fire contends the tax policy change will drive down the levy rate because the tax burden will no longer be borne entirely by owners of improved property. It will also fuel plans to staff its Careywood station and improve the level of service in southern Bonner County.

But for the tax policy change to take effect, Bonner County has to adopt an ordinance implementing it.

Bonner County Commissioner Todd Sudick said the county can't adopt the ordinance in advance of the election because there's not enough time to comply with public noticing and review requirements.

"There's not enough time because we have to advertise it, we've got to hold public hearings on it and then we've got to pass it. There's not enough time to do that," said Sudick.

Moreover, the ballot question has to be revised because the $291,000 the district is seeking exceeds the statutory levy rate cap even if voters approve a levy increase, according to Sudick.

"The maximum they can ask for in this levy is actually $238,000 in order to not go over the 0.0024 levy rate," said Sudick.

But Sagle Fire commission Chairman Steve Fels said that would only occur if the county balks at adopting an ordinance implementing the tax policy shift.

"We're in a catch-22 situation," said Fels, who suspects bad blood between the county and the district is to blame for the disagreement.

The county and the district acrimoniously parted ways when Bonner County canceled its EMS contract with Sagle earlier this year and set up its own station south of the Long Bridge.

Sagle Fire is a firm adherent of the fire-based EMS model, while Bonner County contends they best way to deliver emergency services is to make it a department's sole charter, which resulted in a culture clash.

Meanwhile, the county and the district are at odds over the effect of the contract's cancellation. Sagle contends the loss of the contract will cost the district three firefighter positions, but the county maintains that those positions are in jeopardy because temporary Federal Emergency Management Agency funding is set to expire.

Fels acknowledges there is discord between Sagle and the county, but said that it ultimately should not interfere with how the district conducts its affairs.

"They're reaching to come up with reasons, in my opinion, why this can't happen rather than working with us to make it happen," said Fels.

Sudick said the county is not trying to obstruct the district and would likely pass an ordinance on the tax policy shift if voters support a levy increase at the polls.

"I don't know that we should be out in front of the voters," said Sudick.

But Fels said the county is conflating the tax policy shift and the levy, and that both matters should be considered independently.

The latest incarnation of the proposed ballot language is being reviewed by the district's legal counsel.

If the district can't levy the full amount it's seeking, Fels said the election could be called off or postponed. The district is also studying its legal options, he added.