HAYDEN, Idaho — Kootenai County commissioners are expected to fill two vacant seats on the Airport Advisory Board today and replace the remaining five members, as reported by KREM 2 News partner the Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press.
“It’s a new BOCC, so it seems appropriate to reevaluate the advisory boards,” Commissioner Bruce Mattare said Monday.
The county announced late Friday that commissioners would “reevaluate the membership” of the Airport Advisory Board after “discovering many issues with protocol and complaints” at the Coeur d’Alene Airport in Hayden.
Jonathan Gillham, the county’s communications coordinator, said the exact nature of the issues can’t be publicly revealed because complaints are exempt from disclosure under Idaho’s public records law.
The primary purpose of advisory boards is to gather information and perform research on different issues and provide guidance to the Board of County Commissioners.
In January, commissioners asked all Airport Advisory Board members — including the five whose terms were ongoing — to reapply for their seats, Gillham said.
Joan Genter, Tim Komberec and Mark Veher reapplied, as did Greg Gfeller and Brett Boyer, whose terms had expired in December 2022. Commissioners declined to interview any of them and did not publicly disclose why.
Between last Wednesday and Monday, commissioners interviewed 13 outside candidates, including all four members of the Hayden City Council.
“The board wants to hear from other folks in the city,” Gillham said.
Commissioners will take up the matter today at 2 p.m. at the Kootenai County Administration Building. The meeting will also be streamed live on county’s YouTube channel.
The Coeur d'Alene Press is a KREM 2 News partner. For more from our news partner, click here.
