As we discussed the issue with current and former state employees, they told the GUARDIAN all sorts of things about government issued cell phones. From the employee who feared his boss was simply using the phone’s GPS feature to track him to the state lawyer not wanting to have a record of his messages and contacts “out there for scrutiny,” there were plenty of concerns about cell phones. Others quickly explained and justified the expense.

We contacted a sampling of state agencies and found the Idaho State Police don’t issue cell phones because commanders came to the conclusion their sophisticated radio communication system and in-car computers did the job. Troopers are welcome to carry personal cell phones. In Boise, coppers are issued phones with data packages which cost taxpayers $50 each per month. Most also carry a personal cell phone.

When it came to the costs, we did a little work with the State Controller and found during the four and a half months between July 1 and November 16, Idaho taxpayers paid $783,177 to cell phone providers. The Dept. of Health and Welfare had the “top billing” with charges totaling about $130,000.

Fully one-third (more than 600) of the entire Idaho Department of Transportation staff of about 1800 staffers carry public-funded cell phones. Spokesman at several state agencies told us the increased use of e-mail and internet “apps” have made it necessary for state workers to be “connected.”

Policies regarding the availability of phone numbers are also wide ranging. Some departments such as Boise Parks claim they will give you the cell number of any employee who carries a city-issued phone. With abbreviated government listings in the commercial telephone directories and most people using the internet to “contact” government, it is also becoming easier for public servants to use their cell phones to decide which calls to answer or ignore. “Is John Doe in,” has become an irrelevant question these days.

You can always send an e-mail or text message, but don’t forget it is a public record available for anyone to read.

Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas has made several attempts to get the ITD to cut unsightly and dangerously tall weeds in the I-84 median within Caldwell City limits to no avail. The worst area is near the Caldwell Airport.

Nancolas recently reported the following to a citizen:
“We have again contacted ITD and they state that this will be all they do now. They assert that even if they mow the weeds the cut weeds present the same fire hazard. They also assert this is the directive of the new Director!!

PHOTO and reporting: Paul Aldredge, Caldwell GUARDIAN

UPDATE 10/30/12
From Mayor Nancolas: “I have spoken again with the District Engineer from ITD and explained my concerns from a Code Enforcement standpoint. He understood and committed to have the weeds cut within the City Limits of all cities within his jurisdiction. He could not give me an exact date, but said he would assign the work to be done.”

Inflated hourly rates, purchase of computers, consultants, a lobbyist, 10% mark ups and more were detailed.

Sewell got it all in one spot–on paper in a format impossible to do on a blog. The GUARDIAN actually posted some of the facts before the Statesman, but their position as “The Daily Paper” made it all real and before a much larger audience than we can reach.

Of particular interest to the GUARDIAN were the comments. Readers actually took joy in the obvious irregularities which were exposed. In the end it seemed that most counties and at least one school district in Southwest Idaho have inept or crooked politicos.

Boise County readers noted how poorly their commishes performed regarding the Alamar Ranch for wayward youth debacle which cost taxpayers millions in legal fees and awards.

The 2/C crowd claimed the Bujak prosecutor scandal which is costing Canyon County huge sums to both prosecute and defend is no worse than the trash to energy deal between Dynamis and the Ada Commishes.

Then there was reference to the Nampa School District budget mess which has left taxpayers holding the bag for up to $4 million due to sloppy record keeping and budgeting.

Our only disappointment in the Statesman coverage was not mentioning the glaring violation of the Idaho Constitution which prohibits counties loaning money or credit in any form to private businesses.

ARTICLE VIII of the State Constitution:
Section 4. COUNTY, ETC., NOT TO LOAN OR GIVE ITS CREDIT. No county, city, town, township, board of education, or school district, or other subdivision, shall lend, or pledge the credit or faith thereof directly or indirectly, in any manner, to, or in aid of any individual, association or corporation, for any amount or for any purpose whatever, or become responsible for any debt, contract or liability of any individual, association or corporation in or out of this state.

Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas and Tom Dale of Nampa have talked with the Canyon County Assessor about raising property tax assessments from an average of 97% of full market value to 107%. Idaho Code calls for all County Assessors to assess property at 100% of full market value, but the Tax Commission allows “wiggle room” of 10% plus or minus the actual value.

Currently taxing districts are up against the limit for tax levies as a percent of property value, hence the attempt to raise the values. The Canyon assessor’s staff are well within the limits set by the idaho tax commission.

Perhaps these politicos need a class in “Belt Tightening 101.” No word from either of the city councils about passing resolutions publicly asking the county to increase property assessments so they can increase tax revenue without increasing the levies.

Our recent memory includes the former prosecutor embezzlement case, another former prosecutor’s son with kiddie porn, a pair of DMV clerks making off with nearly three quarters of a million dollars, a sheriff’s posse clerk charged with embezzlement, and today a former maintenance super plea bargains counts of “false accounts” for work he never did.

Each time we learn of another crook in 2/C government it begs three questions:
–Is Canyon more corrupt than other counties?
–Do they have better auditing and investigation techniques to catch bad guys (and gals)?
–Are the workers just dumb crooks and get caught easier?

According to the AG, Former Canyon County maintenance superintendant Andrew Eveland pleaded guilty today to four counts of presentation of false accounts, a felony under Idaho Code § 18-2706, and one count of grand theft, also a felony under Idaho Code §§ 18-2403(1) and 18-2407(1)(b)(8), Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. Eveland entered his pleas during a hearing before Third District Judge Susan Wiebe in Canyon County.

The Canyon County grand jury returned an indictment on December 7, 2011, charging Eveland with 40 counts of presentation of false accounts and one count of grand theft. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the state dismissed the remaining counts.

The indictment issued by the grand jury alleges that Eveland submitted false invoices and claims to the Canyon County Commissioners for cleaning services that were never rendered at the Canyon County Juvenile Detention Center. It also alleged that Eveland wrongfully appropriated various items of county property to his own use.

The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit investigated and prosecuted the case at the request of the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney, because it involved allegations of criminal misconduct by a former county employee.

Judge Wiebe ordered a pre-sentence report and set a sentencing hearing for June 28, 2012.

The problem lies with the Idaho law which requires candidates to file for office by February 27 for the MAy 15 primary election. If the lines are not carved in stone by that date, there is no way all candidates will know what district they may reside within and ballots cannot be printed.

The entire press release follows below.

Ada County Clerk Chris Rich and Canyon County Clerk Chris Yamamoto have filed an application to appear as amicus curiae in the challenge to the Legislative Redistricting Plan that is before the Idaho Supreme Court.

The Clerks have taken this unusual step because delays in the redistricting process may prevent Ada and Canyon County’s Elections Departments from being ready for the May 15, 2012 Primary Election. Combined, the two counties account for more than 37% of Idaho’s population.
Legislative and congressional boundaries must be finalized before the Clerks can begin their work. That work requires first mapping out new precinct boundaries, then entering all changes into the Idaho State Voter Registration System (ISVRS). ISVRS is the tool used to identify the districts and precinct in which all Idaho voters and candidates reside.

To quote from the amicus application, “All federal, state, county and precinct candidates must file for candidacy on or before February 27, 2012. I.C. § 34‑704.” For a person to file in the correct district or precinct, those boundaries must first be defined and then entered into the Idaho State Voter Registration System. The clerks must have sufficient time to enter and proof the data that defines those districts and precincts.

Should the application to appear as amicus curiae be granted, the clerks will detail how the delay could jeopardize the upcoming election.

A preliminary hearing is set for December 22.

In the poorly worded complaint, Plew is charged with taking cash in the amount of “more than $1,000″ over a period ranging “on or between” November 1, 2010 through November 10, 2011.

Based on the ambiguous wording of the complaint it is impossible to determine when the alleged crime was committed. The GUARDIAN is particularly interested to know “who knew what and when did they know it?”

Ada County Commishes recently renewed a contract with the private for-profit Ada County Misdemeanor Probation Services company. If ANYONE knew or suspected Plew of criminal activity during the past year and allowed him to continue to supervise misdemeanor offenders, a slew of legal actions could ensue.

These members of the “Treasure Valley Partnership”–comprised of local elected officials–are spending YOUR tax money for hotel rooms, travel, and rental houses to meet and discuss a topic near and dear to Treasure Valley residents: How to promote Treasure Valley as a tourist destination, attract conventions and visitors to the area. Local venues apparently were not adequate for the two day “retreat.”

They need to take a lesson from the bankrupt Tamarack and the economically depressed Valley County!

PREVIOUS POST.

It makes no sense to the GUARDIAN for all the citizens of the various units of government in this area to be forced to pay travel expenses so their respective mayors and officials can spend a couple days September 15 and 16 adding to the economy of LONG VALLEY and the defunct Tamarack Resort.

Not only does the local area lose out on the potential revenues, we all have to pay for these elected officials to go to the bankrupt Tamarack resort instead of one of the Boise area’s top notch lodging establishments that pays its employees and taxes.

Would be interesting to hear from The Boise Convention and Visitor’s Bureau on this one.

Of course the nature of this planned “retreat” is to avoid public scrutiny and have a pleasant get together at taxpayer expense. The standard mantra is they are “away from their offices, phone calls, and other distractions to do their planning”…will city council budget sessions head for the hills next?

Nampa reports discovering $30,000 missing from deposits made on behalf of the city prior to March. The Ada County Prosecutor is investigating…since Nampa has had its own problems with a deal at the Canyon prosecutor office.

In recent memory we have reported on two crooks at the Canyon DMV office making off with a combined total of over $600,000, the sheriff’s posse bookkeeper stealing cash, the prosecutor pocketing cash, and other public employees terminated for dipping into the public honey pot.

The logical question is this: “Are there more crooks in Canyon local governments or do they just get caught more than in other jurisdictions?”