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GUEST OPINION
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
-THOMAS JEFFERSON
We wish to express our gratitude to Bonner County commissioners Asia Williams and Brian Domke for helping to preserve our liberty in Bonner County with greater transparency and accountability. During their weekly business meetings, they seek public input at the end of each department presentation, as well as at the end of the meeting. This demonstrates they are valuing citizen’s input to this process of government, realizing that they are not the whole depository of information. There might be someone who has an idea they have not thought about, or insight that could benefit the county.
In addition, on June 11, 2024, Asia Williams started doing zone reports at the end of Bonner County business meetings. This was a new way of informing her constituents. Each commissioner represents one of three zones in Bonner County, so each one has constituents that they were elected to represent.
And in January 21, 2025, Brian Domke started as commissioner, and had a Commissioner Update on the Agenda. (1. Citizen Concerns and Suggestions 2. Current high Priority Tasks) Ron Korn’s Report (1. Summarization of Meetings during the week 2. Community events attended during the week). Asia’s Report (1. Commissioner Chat review: Summary of the completed chat with information on upcoming chat guests 2.
Ongoing issues/concerns updates 3. Litigation 4. Workshops pending 5. Discussion regarding open board/commission positions: which boards have openings, also tracking of positions that will become open within 6 months’ time 6. Questions from the public.)
Presently, at the end of their weekly business meeting, each commissioner reports on what they have pursued, specifically, in their zone.
This was spear headed by Asia Williams, so now weekly issues in each zone are highlighted to inform constituents in the three zones.
But, that is not all. This is the time of year that each department head and elected official that oversees a budget, presents their budget report to the commissioners for review. Asia formerly directed a nursing facility and was familiar with Risk Management. She also heard the county’s concerns and desire for internal auditing and completed all the necessary course work to be deemed an internal auditor. Looking at the different budgets of each department, both Asia and Brian were able to find some ways to make them more efficient.
Additionally, the comment section of the submitted Budget Report form was largely ignored or minimally utilized. This is where specific details can be entered. Now, every entity is entering details of their expenditures so that a history can be recorded. For example, every detail of a trip is requested. That includes not only any airfare and motel costs, but registrations fees, parking fees, toll costs, etc. With this history of expenditures, they can better evaluate future decisions on spending. It does take additional time for everyone involved, but it creates more accountability.
When Asia had many emails asking about functions of the different departments in the county, she realized there was a desire for the community to know and understand more about how their county works. The County building mainly opens at 9 am. So, she came in early and organized weekly cross county commissioner chats that would help inform the community from 8 to 9 a.m.
When community members asked for help, she held workshops on Saturdays, which is another example of her working above and beyond what the job requires. Some of these workshops were Elections Department, Road and Bridge Department, Planning Department, Human Resources Department, Emergency Management Services, and Justice Services.
There are four huge changes in county government that help all of Bonner County citizens to be more informed about where their tax dollars are going. Also, Asia recently completed course work in grant writing, in advanced grant proposal writing, and grant writing consultant.
The value of Asia and Brian to the community is transparency and Accountability turbo charged!
THIS COLUMN WAS WRITTEN BY MAUREEN PATERSON, WITH THE HELP OF DOUG PATERSON, BILL O’NEAL, STEVE HILDSETH, THERESA HIESENER, AXEL HIESENER, SANDY SPARLING, ROGER SPARLING, MERILEE CONELEY, JUDD CONELEY, MICHELLE ROHRER, GLENN ROHRER, CATHY FAHRIG, MIKE STOUT, BONNIE STOUT, ERIC MCMILLAN, BRIAN HOGAN, MARCY HOGAN, JACKIE MAIRS, MANNY MAIRS, KEITH RUTLEDGE, BRENDA RUTLEDGE, JACK GARGANUS, AILENE TATUM, LARRY TATUM, LINDA KESNER, BILL KESNER, LARRY KNUTSON AND MARY JO KNUTSON.
