Burgstahler, Terrell, Meyers elected

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

Tuesday was a night for incumbents as seats on the Pend Oreille Hospital District Board and East Bonner County Library District went to individuals with trustee experience.

From left to right, library board candidates Joan Terrell and Judy Meyers and hospital district board candidate Scott Burgstahler won election in their races. Courtesy photos.

In the most-followed election of the night, incumbent Dr. Scott Burgstahler won re-election to the hospital district board, besting opponent Spencer Hutchings in a 2,450-788 vote. The election turned out 16% of registered voters.

Prior to this year, hospital district elections were a little-noticed election that largely played out as a matter of course. That changed this year when Hutchings criticized a majority of board members for simultaneously holding seats on the hospital district board and the Bonner General Health board, calling it a conflict of interest. A majority of voters ultimately saw no issue with the arrangement, approving Burgstahler for another term.

Meanwhile, West Bonner County School District staff are breathing a sigh of relief with the passage of a $3 million-per-year supplemental levy. Representing about a quarter of the school district’s funding, the successful levy was a second attempt following a failed effort earlier this year. Nevertheless, it was a narrow victory with 1,023 in favor and 955 opposed.

Finally, incumbent Judy Meyers and Joan Terrell, who has prior experience as a trustee, will take two open seats on the East Bonner County Library Board. Terrell took 1,769 votes, Meyers took 2,106 votes and a third candidate, Robert Diderich, took 739 votes in the election.