The Bonner County Board of Commissioners met April 28 to interview applicants for one of two open positions on the county Fair Board, voting 2-0 to appoint Sarah Mitchell to the position. Commissioners will finalize her appointment at a regular Tuesday meeting in the coming weeks and solicit additional applications for the second open seat.
Candidates who applied for the first seat are still in the running for the second. Three applicants interviewed for the board position, including Mitchell; frequent BOCC and Fair Board meeting attendee Kristina L. Nicholas Anderson; and Zach Spohn, chief financial officer for Wildwood Custom Millworks.
Mitchell was born and raised in Bonner County, and her relationship with the fair spans generations.
“I’ve served as superintendent at the fair, volunteered in multiple areas — both livestock and flowers,” said Mitchell. “My mother was superintendent of flowers for 60 years, so I have a very big history in the fair. I have kids and grandkids involved in the fair now.”
Sarah Mitchell. Courtesy photo
In addition to her background in 4-H leadership, Mitchell sat on the Bonner County branch of the Idaho Farm Bureau board for nearly a decade and has a wide variety of experience managing budgets, workers and facilities over her almost 40 years with Litehouse, Inc.
“I have done everything at Litehouse except human resources and marketing,” said Mitchell. “I have managed every department within there. My big expertise is in cost-saving functions.”
When asked how she would improve the fair and inspire more community involvement, Mitchell emphasized local promotions, educational outreach and low-cost, high-yield activities such as the Idaho State Draft Horse and Mule International Show, which currently takes place in Kootenai County.
“I think getting out into our community and getting them involved in it is a key thing — getting into the schools …” she said. “How do we bring the people in? You promote it. You get out and you educate the kids. You do mini fair days at the schools.”
“We have a new community now that didn’t grow up in this area. It didn’t grow up with the fair. They don’t realize what the fair is,” she added.
Commissioners Ron Korn and Brian Domke both agreed on Mitchell as their top choice, citing her educational, professional and volunteer experience. With Commissioner Asia Williams absent, they voted unanimously to elect Mitchell to the role.
For more information on the Fair Board, visit bonnercountyfair.com.
This article was updated July 7, 2026 to better reflect Zach Spohn’s work history.
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