Ullman’s troubles focused around the controversial Dynamis trash-energy project at the county landfill. At a candidate forum just a week prior to the primary election, Ullman showed up, but refused to participate–to the bewilderment of the audience.

The county rushed through a $2 million payment to Dynamis under the guise of acquiring federal stimulus funds. However, the Dynamis facility is to be privately owned and operated. The county would provide it with free fuel (trash) and Dynamis would retain all earnings from sale of electricity. Ullman repeatedly defended the deal and even boasted of working with the county attorney to formulate the contract. She claimed the $2 million was for the design plans to the private facility and would be repaid to the county prior to construction. Idaho’s constitution bans public loans to private organizations.

Case opposed the project, its lack of transparency, and the speed with which it was going forward–despite red flags regarding Dynamis and its financing. He was supported by folks living close to the landfill with three days of full page ads in the Statesman prior to the election.

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We also contacted a guy who left a flyer in the door that was NOT from a politician, so we read it. He wanted to do yard work. We gave him a call and caught him in the middle of a high school shop class where he is a senior about to graduate.

From a business standpoint (return on investment), the highschooler is much more “profitable” than the brilliant baristas. He has low overhead, little investment and can make upwards of $20 an hour.

The college grads have at least 4 years and perhaps $40,000 invested, are probably in debt to the government for student loans and have no job prospects on the horizon. This picture is common in the USA and something’s wrong with it.

This doesn’t mean we should be training landscape laborers, but it certainly offers food for thought regarding the value of a college degree, the “right” course of study, and the state of economics and education in America. Your educated thoughts please.

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He contacted the owner, only to learn the property was in the midst of a legal battle and subsequent foreclosure action. He followed the land dealings through the legal process and ended up on the steps of the Ada County Sheriff Tuesday at a public auction.

Long story made short: Ada County sent a couple of employees–at least one was probably from the Prosecutor’s office–and bid the price up in $10,000 increments fast enough to scare off Wood. They got it for $240,000. Opening bid started at $211,000.

The GUARDIAN has made calls and sent e-mails to the Commisioners and their administrator–no one has responded. Statesman reporter Cynthia Sewell had better luck and posted the COUNTY VERSION of events.

Based on the Statesman account the deal looks clean and tidy, all done for the benefit of county citizens. We hope that is true, but still note it is “irregular” to authorize a bid/purchase only two hours prior to acquiring land.

According to the Statesman report, Commish Ullman implies the county acquired the land at least in part to satisfy a tax lien of $10,403 and unspecified legal fees. While the county may now have land, it is off the tax rolls and cost taxpayers an additional $240,000 cash.

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Betsy Russell of the SPOKESMAN-Review lists Mahaffey as a contributor to Labrador–who happens to live in Eagle where Dynamis is based–to the the tune of $3,500.

Russell also noted the Mormon Congressman was paid $5,000 by the National Beer Wholesalers PAC.

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Commissioner Sharon Ullman has publicly claimed Ada County spent $2 million for design plans for the waste-to-energy facility and the money will be repaid once construction begins or is approved. Today after long consideration the GUARDIAN has determined there was no legitimate reason for the county to pay for design plans, drawings, or blueprints. The county has no business paying for plans to a facility it will never own, hold interest in, or otherwise operate.

The facility–if it is ever built–will be privately owned and operated by Dynamis on land it will lease for $1 a year from Ada County. The deal is akin to someone paying for architectural drawings for a home to be built, owned, and occupied by someone else! Any way you cut it, the best the county can claim is they made a loan and loans of public funds are illegal.

In another development, The STATESMAN linked two officers of the firm to the failed DBSI real estate development outfit that is subject of federal investigations and a bankruptcy. No sooner had the story been posted, it was removed from the DAILY PAPER website.

SATURDAY UPDATE–Statesman posted THE STORY.

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Sewell also confirms what the GUARDIAN has written over the past two years with regard to Mahaffey’s dodging questions from critics, tax debt in Boise County, and lack of performance on various projects that are “in the works or underway.” In addition to burning trash, the facility seeks to burn tires, claiming the super heated proprietary technology will eliminate concerns about emissions. Critics are skeptical.

Ullman is scrambling to make it all come together because she was instrumental in delivering $2 million in public money to Dynamis. It is unclear exactly WHAT the $2 million purchased if anything. Dynamis has become the focal point for the upcoming May 15 primary election.

The GUARDIAN feels it is time for Dynamis to “put up or shut up” with regard to financing. Ada County politicos have failed to obtain any proof of financial ability, relying instead upon promises and statements from a guy with a public record of deceptive and evasive statements and a history of non-payment of taxes.

We first QUESTIONED THE DEAL in July 2010 and the concerns are unabated.

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Terms used to describe banks are somewhat reverse of what we normally think. When we DEPOSIT funds in a bank–savings, checking, or CDs–the institution shows that as a LIABILITY because it is ultimately owed back to the customer.

LOANS to customers who ultimately owe payments to the banks are shown on the books as ASSETS. It is confusing to most folks because it seems logical that money in hand (deposits) would be assets and money loaned out would be a liability. The problem with banks loaning more than is being repaid draws down their cash reserves known as CAPITAL.

When regulators talk about “seizing assets,” it is normally about taking over loan contracts and either the money being repaid or the collateral–usually a house–that is security for the loan.

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When we saw the majority of Monday’s front page (they call it the cover these days) of the Daily Paper devoted to yet another on-line phishing expedition aimed at gathering information, we just chalked it up to a “sign of the times.”

The site they promoted is called NEXTDOOR and it professes to provide a forum for neighbors. However it collects information about folks and here is what it says in the fine print agreement:

“In the future, we may create a section of the site to present offers for goods and services we think you’d like. If you decide to participate with an offer, you may be presented with an opportunity to share information with the merchant. If you accept the offer, then we’ll send the information you requested to share with the merchant. We won’t transmit information to the merchant until you explicitly ask us to do so. At that point, the data we deliver to the merchant will be governed by the merchant’s privacy policy, not ours.”

Which means “once the genie is out of the bottle, your personal data is no longer private.”

In our neighborhood, we actually TALK to each other. If a trash can is at the curb, one of us will return it to the garage. If someone doesn’t get home in a timely fashion, a quick call will get the dog let out because we all have keys to each other’s house. And you can bet there won’t be an ad on your doorstep if you talk about insurance, dog groomers, restaurants, or movies either.

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We have “done our homework” regarding the issue of Boise City’s paid “skating director” who also gives private skating lessons at Ice World. One camp says it is a conflict of interest for her to receive payment for private lessons using her city job as the basis for the instructor role.

The city’s ethics panel is driven primarily by the “pecuniary interest” rule of an employee making money from their position or while on duty. We think she is skating on thin ice.

Officialdom tells us the matter has “been discussed in the past” and an arrangement has been agreed upon which requires her to give lessons only when she is not on the clock working for the city. The problem as we see it is this: She can log in and log out on her city computer to accommodate her private business.

Discussions with managers, both within the city and at other government agencies, indicate such a liberal “punch in-punch out policy” is unique to the Ice World skating director and would not be tolerated by most employers.

Other staffers at Ice World say they would not be able to run a business while on duty by simply clicking their computer time clock on and off. Morale is not good out there.

EDITOR NOTE: Keep the comments civil and factual please. We will not post comments regarding the thoughts of a third party, intentions, etc. This director may be a wonderful person, adored by all who know her. The question is about the policy–NOT the individual.

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First it was Team Dave announcing they have abandoned plans for not only a downtown baseball park, but they also promised to not use any public money to further the desire named Streetcar (also known as the Trolley Folly).

Next thing we heard was the legislature realized how much impact they put on cities with the Land Board going into business against those who actually pay taxes. Plans are afoot to discontinue owning tax exempt businesses that would otherwise be private and pay taxes.

The new Urban Renewal director said it was simply wrong on too many fronts to continue to divert tax money to the agency at the expense of schools, cities, counties, and the highway district. He also noted citizens need a voice in long term debt issues.

With the tourist season upon us, we were thrilled to learn the Boise Depot was actually going to be open to visitors on a daily basis with tours to the bell tower to view the city.

Boise officials actually started talking to taxpayers and the media instead of hiding behind costly public records requests and claims of “personnel matter.” The new transparency is expected to cut down on costly records requests and lead to better understanding of all parties.

Then we realized today is APRIL FOOLS day. It doesn’t hurt to be positive, but sometimes it makes you feel like a fool.

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