KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — This November, voters in Kootenai County will weigh in on who they want to manage their transit system.
The Board of County Commissioners has placed an advisory question on the ballot. Voting “yes” supports keeping things how they are now, with the county managing the Citylink North buses. A “no” vote means voters don’t want the county managing the buses alone and would like to see individual cities get involved.
The buses primarily run through Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Hayden, with a few stops in Dalton Gardens and Huetter. While most of the funding for the buses comes from grants, each of those cities makes some financial contributions.
The advisory question would not change how the buses are funded.
County Commissioner Bruce Mattare said right now, the county bears all the liability for managing the transit grants. He said cities should share that responsibility.
“I think the question comes down to who exactly should be responsible for managing a transit system where that benefit is enjoyed,” Mattare said. “From a policy perspective, as a county commissioner, I believe that the cost should be associated where that benefit is enjoyed.”
Rick Nelson lives in Coeur d’Alene and rides the bus weekly. He said he’s OK with how things are now and plans to vote “yes” on the question. For Nelson, the bigger issue is limited bus routes.
“It needs to be probably expanded since the city is growing and the routes don’t always go where the people need to go,” Nelson said.
If the “no” vote wins, Mattare said the commissioners will look into other options, like partnering with the cities that have the most stops. Since this is just an advisory vote, it is not binding — it’s a way for the county to gauge public opinion.
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