County
Probation Officer Probe Moves To Canyon
The grand theft case against Ada County Misdemeanor Probation officer Austin Plew was moved to the Canyon County prosecutor Monday at the request of the Ada County prosecutor. 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 [...]
PUC Plugs Into Dynamis-Idaho Power Deal
The Idaho PUC is now on the punch list for the “trash to electricity” deal proposed for the Ada County landfill. Idaho Power agreed to buy power from Dynamis’ project at the Ada County landfill for $92.35 per megawatt-hour. The proposal was submitted Tuesday to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Regulators will evaluate it for [...]
Boise County Explores Bond Sale
Boise County Commishes issued a press release Tuesday saying they are exploring options to satisfy a multi million dollar federal court judgement. The DAILY PAPER quoted the release saying they may be able to have a smaller levy spread out over 20-30 years—just as the GUARDIAN suggested recently.
Boise County Debt Easily Solved
DISCLAIMER: The GUARDIAN is not an attorney, but plays one in court when necessary. As a public service to the citizens of Boise County, we will offer some “municipal finance” advice about the ill advised actions of your Commishes with regard to bankruptcy and zoning the property for troubled teens. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn [...]
Will Ada Probation Officer Get Probation?
The GUARDIAN had multiple tips Thursday about Ada County Misdemeanor Probation Officer Austin Plew, 26 allegedly “kicked it up a notch” Thursday when he went from misdemeanor probation officer to felony defendant. The GUARDIAN has it on pretty good authority he allegedly violated the basic rule of “Don’t bite the hand the feeds you.” Plew [...]
GUARDIAN Reader Plugs Into Dynamis Deal
The following came into the GUARDIAN as a comment on the DYNAMIS story posted recently. We contacted Commish Vern Bisterfeldt and shared the details of the comment. Bisterfeldt told us, “This is all news to me. I have asked for much of that information for over a year and was unable to get it–that’s why [...]
Dynamis Inks Deal With Ada Commishes
Dynamis Energy, the outfit that got $2,000,000 of taxpayer cash to design a “trash to electricity” generating plant signed a five year agreement with Ada County Tuesday. Commish Vern Bisterfeldt voted against the project, citing “serial meetings,” lack of a bid, no performance bond, improper loans (of public funds) and no payback as Commish Sharon [...]
Training Ground To Kill Humans “Not Authorized” Use Of Forest Service Land
A disturbing story appeared in the Eastern Idaho media over the weekend detailing the “perfect location” for a commercial for profit venture to teach the intricacies of high altitude killing. According to the Post Register story, a guy named Buck Holly has determined that Skull Canyon on the Caribou-Targhee in Clark County is an ideal [...]
Ada Commish Says “Good Ol’ Boys” Pervade County
We posted a little story earlier about alleged GENDER BIAS at the Boise Public Library to give folks to confirm or deny morale and personnel problems at the City. Some readers responded with comments, but the gangbuster was a damning comment from Ada Commish Sharon Ullman revealing what she claims is a county workplace that [...]
M3 Spring Valley Development Has No Voters To Approve Financing Scam
The DAILY PAPER ran a comprehensive story today about a planned development north of Eagle which plans to take advantage of a recently passed law that is nothing but a financial scam. The law requires an election and approval of two-thirds of the resident property owners. According to the STATESMAN story, M3 Spring Valley is [...]
Commish Ullman Talks Probation Issues
By Sharon Ullman. Ada County Commissioner Ada County is gearing up to take over the provision of misdemeanor probation services at the end of this contract term, which is September 30, 2012. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to call or write to my Board to express your concerns and frustrations with [...]
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 [...]
Get the Guardian by Email
Categories
Recent Comments