County
Ada Commishes Approve Probation Contract On 2-1 Vote
Despite a class action lawsuit, legal questions about the constitutionality of county operated misdemeanor probation and numerous complaints, Ada County Commishes voted to approve a 12 month contract extension with the private for-profit Ada County Misdemeanor Probation Services, Inc. The outfit is run by Nancy Cladis and has been subject of numerous complaints and online [...]
More Questionable Spending By Politicos
The DAILY PAPER ran a good page one story Sunday detailing questionable spending by the Idaho Water Users on behalf of its director who is running for mayor of Eagle. The short version is the nonprofit group which represents water users (mostly irrigation customers) has acted as banker on behalf of the group’s executive director, [...]
When The “Nonprofit” Saints Go Marching In It’s A Taxpayer Shuffle
A rather straight forward business story in the DAILY PAPER got our attention last week with a look at the tax return of St. Luke’s “nonprofit” medical center. The hospital has been buying up private, for profit medical practices at a rate bound to get the attention of taxing authorities and consumers alike. In the [...]
Constitutionality Of County Probation Remains A Question
The Idaho Association of Counties has sent a memo to its members in the wake of media coverage first reported by the GUARDIAN, advising them not to panic when it comes to handling misdemeanor probation programs. Counties are being advised by the association director, Dan Chadwick, “At this point, it is my advice to the [...]
County Probation System May Be Unconstitutional
While the GUARDIAN has been concerned with allegations of fee overcharges and other irregularities in the Ada County Misdemeanor Probation system, we question why the county is even in the business of offering probation services–private or public. We have been advised of constitutional issues which should stop the practice in its tracks. In a nutshell [...]
For-Profit Ada Probation Agency Defendant In Class Action Lawsuit
Ada County’s private for-profit misdemeanor probation services, ACMPS has been named as the sole defendant in a class action lawsuit filed Thursday in 4th District Court. Plaintiffs could include “thousands” of people currently and previously on probation. The three named plaintiffs are Kenneth E. Green, Nicholas J. Hall, and Thomas Smith. They are represented by [...]
Private County Probation On The Way Out
An insider provided the GUARDIAN with a revealing exchange of e-mail messages in which the owner of Ada County’s misdemeanor for-profit probation department sings her “swan song” and expresses her desire to get a government job as director of what will be a county-run agency. She was apparently notified by Ada Commish chairman Rick Yzaguirre [...]
Nancy Cladis Responds To Probation Concerns
Following a series of mostly negative comments posted by GUARDIAN readers, Nancy Cladis has responded in her own words. The most revealing statement is her intention to retire in a year and turn over the private, for-profit misdemeanor probation program to Ada County operation and control. Her statement: Wow, I had no idea there were [...]
Ada Seeks Taxes On Church Rental Property
Anna Webb over at the Daily Paper had a good page one story Friday about Ada County seeking property taxes on the First Presbyterian Church space being used to generate rental income. The issue has apparently slipped by those who make the decisions about tax exemptions. The Statesman notes that “by law and tradition,” the [...]
Private Probation Pressures Offenders
This disturbing comment was sent to the GUARDIAN Friday by an admitted lawbreaker who claims he is being pressured by his private probation officer to support the for profit program. “So I was asked by my probation officer today to fill out this card asking if I wanted supervised probation to be run by a [...]
County Offers $5 Game Day Parking–No Booze or Tailgating
COUNTY PRESS RELEASE TEXT: Beginning this Saturday, September 24th, Ada County will offer event parking at the Civic Plaza complex just east of the Ada County Courthouse during Boise State home football games. There will be a $5 fee charged per vehicle, and all proceeds will go to support the Family Advocacy Center & Education [...]
Can’t Find Local Officials? Try Valley County’s Tamarack Resort
If you can’t find your local mayor, city councilor, or county commish, try looking at Tamarack Resort in Valley County. 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: [...]
Ada Commishes Didn’t Play With A Full Deck
When Ada County Commishes got together with Boise’s Team Dave to make a compromise deal over who pays what and how much for misdemeanor court services they were one card short of a full deck–Commish Sharon Ullman was not in the game. We have said in the previous post the deal is probably a good [...]
Boise, Ada Agree On Court Deal, Ullman Opposes Terms
Here is some real news. Boise City and Ada County officials appear to have come to an agreement on something! After repeatedly losing their legal fight with Ada County, Boise will begin paying the county $750,000 to $830,000 a year for magistrate court facilities and services. The commishes and councilors are set to ratify the [...]
GBAD Ponies Up Cash To BCVB
The GBAD boys were able to get around the GBAD girls Wednesday and pony up $24,500 to the Boise Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for promotional services. No other agency was asked to bid. The Greater Boise Auditorium District treasurer refused to sign a check to BCVP, citing a Pocatello court ruling that prevented using auditorium [...]
Clancy and Commish Talk Over Drinks
Sometime volunteer researcher and avid GUARDIAN reader, Clancy, asked us to share the following exchange of messages with Ada Commish Sharon Ullman when he discovered a lack of free water at the fair–thanks to a contractual agreement that prevents the Western Idaho Fair from offering free water to visitors, despite temps pushing 100 degrees! “Sharon, [...]
Leave Town To Attract Boise Tourism, Business
Treasure Valley Politicos just “DON’T GET IT.” They want to attract people to the Treasure Valley for tourism and economic development, but they choose to do their backroom deals clear up at TAMARACK in Valley County of all places. It makes no sense to the GUARDIAN for all the citizens of the various units of [...]
Payette County P&Z Commishes Have Gas Deals
We all know that much of government fails to pass the “smell test.” In Payette County they appear to have passed gas, at least in a meeting approving a gas fired dehydration plant. Normally these things don’t get our attention, but this sentence from the BOISE WEEKLY left us shaking our head. “Last night’s meeting [...]
GBAD Scuffle Turns Serious
The Greater Boise Auditorium District hassle between board members has gone from political to formal complaints of illegal actions by fellow board members. The GUARDIAN has learned GBAD board member Judy Peavey-Derr has filed a formal complaint with Ada County Prosecutor Greg Bower against three fellow board members. Her allegations include illegal meetings between the [...]
Volunteer Report on GBAD Meeting
The GUARDIAN is working the day job while there is still summer sun. The following report comes from a reader who attended Tuesday’s GBAD meeting. It was posted as a comment, so bear in mind the lack of vetting. BY ERIC WEISS Today’s GBAD meeting was just like the others except for 3 simple events. [...]
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