City Government

This category contains 776 posts

Gov. Candidates Weigh In On Constitutional Issues

Both Repub Guv. Butch Otter and Dem opponent Keith Allred responded to a GUARDIAN question about the three proposed Idaho constitutional amendments on the November 2 ballot. In a nutshell the three proposals deal with the right of citizens to approve public debt at AIRPORTS, PUBLIC HOSPITALS, and CITY OWNED ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS. All three seek [...]

Publicly Funded Website Gets “F” For Education

Using part of a $60,000 appropriation of public money from the Boise City Council, a new website claiming to be an “educational outreach” debuted recently in what can only be seen as a blatant campaign promotion to pass a constitutional amendment. Dubbed HJR5FACTSthe one-sided website has a plethora of facts about airports in Idaho and [...]

Mayor Hotline August 21 to 27

8/21/10 Jill Feeler S. Horseshoe Pl. Boise, ID 83716 ISSUE: Concerned about the trees that the City of Boise and the neighborhood board have decided to take out because of safety concerns. Parks & Rec 8/23/10 Thorpe Orton Johns Landing Way Boise, ID 83703 ISSUE: This is the 4th time in the last few years [...]

White Paper Explains Constitutional Challenge To Voter Rights

This is the first in what we expect to be many discussions of three constitutional amendments before Idaho voters on November 2. The GUARDIAN will be crusading like an old time newspaper editor to preserve our voting rights, defending the Idaho constitution and the rights of citizens to hold the “power of the purse” when [...]

Rural Fire Costs $$$ Thanks To Growth

When it comes to fires “threatening structures or lives,” firefighters pull out all the stops and use available resources to protect the assets at risk. Such was the case Tuesday afternoon when a grass and brush fire broke out off South Cole Road. Boise FD, Kuna FD and the BLM battled a 200 acre fire [...]

Mayor Hotline August 14 to 20

8/14/10 Anonymous ISSUE: He doesn’t think the Mayor and City Council have the right to go against a court order if two different courts and the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that Boise needs to pay court services. Mayor & Council 8/18/10 Daniel Foster N. 19th St. Boise, ID 83702 ISSUE: Irritated that the Mayor’s Hotline [...]

Anne Frank Chestnut Topples In Amsterdam

As Boiseans clean up downed trees following the weekend windstorm, the cleanup of a single tree in Holland has gathered worldwide attention…and like most world events, there is a Boise angle. The giant chestnut tree that gave comfort to Anne Frank while she was in hiding from the Nazis was toppled by wind and heavy [...]

ACHD Joins County In Spending Hold

Here is the second self-serving press release from a government agency, but we have to give them the space. ACHD joins Ada County and has not taken the 3% budget bump allowed by law while Boise City has taken the max. PRESS RELEASE FROM ACHD ACHD Commissioners are expected to adopt a hold-the-line budget for [...]

Ada Commish Candidate Tells Cities To Pay Up

Commenting on the conflict between Ada County and cities regarding payment for magistrate court services, Ada commish candidate Larry Rincover sent the following statement to the GUARDIAN. The cities were mandated by the Idaho Supreme Court to provide the services which resulted in an agreement between the cities and Ada County. It seems that the [...]

Fire Station Closure May Hurt Boise Service

The proposed closure of the North Ada County Fire and Rescue station on Chinden will increase response times to Boise City residents, thanks to past bad decisions and present economic woes. About 15 years ago Boise FD closed #6 station at Fairview and Allumbaugh and relocated it to Franklin Road near Cole to service the [...]

Mayor Hotline August 7 to 13

HOTLINE 8/9/10 Kevin Saxton Powderhorn Street ISSUE: Thinks that recent events in Bell, California, need to occur here and across country. Citizens need to keep close tabs on city government and how it is being run. Mayor & CC 8/9/10 Steven Hulme Camas St. Boise, ID 83705 ISSUE: Upset that city no longer transcribes Mayor’s [...]

Ada Commishes Send Boise “Past Due” Message

Looks like the GUARDIAN isn’t the only one with whom Boise officials can’t get along. The STATESMAN ran an enlightening piece Saturday by reporter Cynthia Sewell about the ongoing rift between Boise City and Ada County over the issue of who pays to provide magistrate court facilities. Ada Commishes are backing out of various financial [...]

Mayor Hotline August 1 to 6

We don’t want to beat a dead horse, but it would seem this document which is sent to department heads and city councilors is near worthless in this abbreviated format. Calls from citizens to their government are reduced to things like “outraged at City’s response to a previous Hotline caller,” with no context, subject, or [...]

Round 2 Of GUARDIAN “De-listed” by Boise PD

What honestly started out as an olive branch extended to the Boise FD to provide some needed warning signs has evolved (degenerated) into the police spokeswoman bumping the GUARDIAN from the media e-mail list which she said was for “media only,” but after KIVI jumped on the issue the reason for not sharing news tips [...]

GUARDIAN “De-listed” As Media By BPD Spokeswoman

Boise City’s attempt to control the media and deny the GUARDIAN normal access afforded the news media took another turn Monday when we received this curt message from the police spokesperson: Dave – FYI – You are no longer on the “media” email list. The list is for media only. Feel free to call me [...]

City Of Caldwell Agrees To Secret Deal With Developer

A confidential agreement stemming from a lawsuit filed against the City of Caldwell by the developers of Cirrus Pointe subdivision paints a picture of secrecy and ineptitude on the part of the City. The CALDWELL GUARDIAN obtained the settlement dated July 6 in an effort to reveal why no traffic signal was constructed at the [...]

Boise Refuses To Post Free Warning Signs

Following the drowning death of a Garden City woman, a GUARDIAN reader contacted editor David R.Frazier suggesting that after three incidents at the same location in two weeks, perhaps some signs would be a good idea. We got them made overnight. After the GUARDIAN provided free warning signs–funded by reader donations–Boise Fire officials said they [...]

City Should Warn Floaters Of Dangers

A reader contacted the GUARDIAN with a safety suggestion that would cost less than a single emergency response to the Boise River. He noted the tragic incident west of the Main Street bridge which claimed the life of a young mother at Thurman Mill Dam was one of at least three emergency responses in the [...]

Hotline Summary Is Tip Of Iceberg

It’s no secret the GUARDIAN is not happy with the new policy at Team Dave to summarize calls to the Mayor’s Hotline rather than provide a transcript to City Councilors and the media as it has done for years. A call reported this week diminishes the true tenor of how business is handled. Here is [...]

Mayor Hotline July 23 to 31

This is an edited version of the calls to the hotline, provided by the office Mayor Dave Bieter and may or may not reflect the tone and intent of callers. 7/26 Thomas Mort ISSUE: Owns property at 1401 Euclid Ave. Filed claim for basement damage from city sewer backup. City is suggesting it is not [...]