Commissioner-elect Domke declines to assume District. 1 seat early

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

Commissioner-elect Brian Domke has rejected an appointment to serve out the remainder of current Dist. 1 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw’s term — which ends Monday, Jan. 13. 

Domke’s decision, announced Dec. 20, follows months of back and forth between the Bonner County Republican Central Committee and Bradshaw, with the BCRCC alleging Bradshaw had vacated his seat by moving to Texas. 

The central committee passed a resolution Dec. 17 appointing Domke to the seat, though he declined to accept the appointment citing concerns over potential legal action.

BCRCC Chair Scott Herndon raised the issue of Bradshaw’s residency at a special Nov. 19 meeting of the BCRCC, alleging that he no longer lived in Bonner County and was consequently ineligible to serve in local government. Herndon cited Idaho Code 59-901 as justification, which stipulates that when an elected official ceases “to be a resident of the state, district or county in which the duties of his office are to be exercised,” the official automatically vacates their seat.

Brian Domke. Courtesy photo.

Bradshaw sold his area home and bought property in Texas in August 2024 and has attended BOCC meetings remotely since October; however, he maintains a lease in Bonner County that will expire upon the end of his term.

The BCRCC proceeded to follow I.C 59-906A, which states that, following a vacancy on the board of county commissioners, the central committee of the former elected official’s party “shall submit, within fifteen (15) days, a list of three (3) nominations to the governor,” who then has 15 days to appoint a new commissioner. Should those 15 days expire without a nominee being accepted, the decision is remanded to the central committee.

Following the Nov. 19 special meeting, the BCRCC submitted its three nominees — Domke, BCRCC Algoma Precinct Committeeman Rick Kirschner and Edgemere Committeeman Doug Paterson — to Gov. Brad Little. Simultaneously, dissenting members of the BCRCC sent a letter to the Governor’s Office alleging improper action on Herndon’s part and calling into question the assertion that Bradshaw had vacated his seat.

Tamera Felter, who serves as Boards and Commissions special assistant to the governor, subsequently told Herndon in a Nov. 22 email that, “Until such time as this office can fully determine the existence of a vacancy on the commission, this office will not consider the Governor’s fifteen (15) day appointment timeline under Idaho Code section 59-906A to have been initiated.”

Felter asked the BOCC for written confirmation on whether the Dist. 1 seat was vacant. Though the commissioners never officially responded as a board, Bradshaw told Felter in a Nov. 25 email, “I have not resigned nor do I have any intention of doing so.”

In a Dec. 4 email to the Reader, Little’s Press Secretary Joan Varsek wrote, “The Governor’s Office has no appointment to consider because our office has not received a letter of resignation from Commissioner Bradshaw and the Bonner County Commission has not taken a position on the existence of a vacancy.”

Determining that the governor’s 15-day timeline had come and gone, the BCRCC passed the Dec. 17 resolution appointing Domke to Bradshaw’s seat. 

In response to the resolution, Domke emailed Herndon, the BOCC, the Daily Bee and the Sandpoint Reader on Dec. 20, declining the appointment but expressing his enthusiasm to assume office in January.

“Given the differing opinions between the Idaho Governor’s Office and the BCRCC on this matter, I believe that should the Bonner County board of commissioners take action to follow the recommendations outlined in the BCRCC’s resolution, legal action against the county could result,” wrote Domke.

“Our local Bonner County Government and its taxpayers cannot afford to defend against litigation that can be avoided,” he added.

In response to Domke’s email, Bradshaw wrote, “Thank you Brian for being a wise man. You are going to be an excellent commissioner and an asset to Bonner County.”

Bradshaw, who did not run for reelection and instead ran an unsuccessful race for sheriff against Incumbent Daryl Wheeler, will serve the remainder of his term as Dist. 1 commissioner.

“Your position is reasonable,” wrote Herndon in a Dec. 20 response to Domke. “Thank you for living in Bonner County, being present and actually being a resident and following the law while you prepare to represent us.”