If you are a registered voter living in Ada or Canyon County you can get your name on the ballot to fill one of the 5 open seats on the College of Western Idaho Board of Trustees with just 5 signatures of other registered voters. If you are 18 and NOT registered, just register to vote and you qualify to be an elected official.

The school is woefully underfunded, thanks to low ball estimates by those eager to get approval last year. The new board has authority to levy a ton of taxes on local property owners and they would not be bound by the promises of previous supporters. Conversely, the new board could be taken over by anti-tax types and they could kill all funding efforts with a tiny levy.

Chances of a victory in the November election are pretty good for ANY candidate because Seats 1,2,3, don’t have any candidates at all. Seates 3 and 4 are also up for election and you just have to beat a couple of men appointed to the posts who are not likely to campaign hard for a non-paying position.

The CWI trustee job pays NOTHING, meets at least monthly, and takes a fair amount of time. The rewards include being an “elected official in Idaho” so you LEGALLY get to carry a concealed weapon with no permit. (Just don’t try to go through airport security packing heat or you get busted by the feds.)

If the younger set decide to step up and serve their community through the CWI Board, they will be in a position not only to levy property taxes, but even hire and fire the president of the college. They will be the major deciders of the curriculum and approve budgets. No need for a student council if the students run the place.

This is a rare opportunity for the youth of Ada and Canyon counties to make history for a good cause. Better act now because the deadline for filing is September 2. For details contact the CWIelection official:

Cheryl Wright
5500 E University Way,
Nampa ID 83687
cherylwright@cwidaho.cc
Phone: 562-3299

THE GUARDIAN received a beautiful invitation to the groundbreaking ceremony for TVCC in Sky Ranch next week.

We did a public records request for the financial arrangements with the developer, City of Caldwell, TVCC and the Caldwell Urban Renewal District only to get a response from city attorney, Mark Hilty stating that no such documents exist. Another “cart before the horse deal.”

How does a multi-million dollar project get started without any financial documents or agreements? And why aren’t these financials out for the public to review? Not much “transparency” in Caldwell government apparently.

Smells like major taxpayer financial decisions made in a room the public never gets to visit, making this deal stinky–to use a polite term. Property taxes will pay for the TVCC project and yet we don’t get to see the terms and condtions. Our city deciders have circumvented the public process once again in a long term debt in violation of the Idaho Constitution.

Meanwhile they invite one and all to cheer the momentous groundbreaking where our tax dollars are going to be spent without any public inputs or comment. This is yet another back room deal by our elected leaders of Caldwell through the Urban Renewal District catering to a developer and an out of state school.

LATE DEVELOPMENTS MONDAY
The CALDWELL GUARDIAN obtained a note Monday from Caldwell’s finance director admitting the deal has not been approved by the urban renewal agency. He included a series of minutes from past urban renewal meetings which seem to fly in the face of all the reasons voters were given to approve the College of Western Idaho.

If the official minutes are to be believed, it appears to set a pattern of BSU and TVCC conspiring to provide things which at least some voters thought would be part of CWI.

Click “more” to read the timeline on this deal:

June 5, 2007
NEW BUSINESS
Mayor Nancolas provided an update on the TVCC project stating that Butch Gilliland has offered to construct a 40,000sf facility for TVCC, leasing 25,000sf to TVCC and finding a tenant for the additional square footage. Vallivue School District has expressed interest in the additional square footage to be used for an alternative high school. Negotiations are underway.

September 4, 2007
OLD BUSINESS
CEDC Update: Steve Fultz, Executive Director provided the following update:
CEDC Activity Report
Continued working with TVCC and Vallivue High School on joint project for expanded education opportunities in Caldwell. Several meetings with Bruce and Dean Susan Tinker regarding not only the expansion of current campus, but also a site at Polo Cove.
Chairman Waite noted that TVCC will probably be on the agenda for our next URA meeting. A draft proposal is in process from TVCC and Chairman Waite requested CCEDC’s assistance in growing TVCC’s campus. TVCC has an excellent nursing program in Ontario, however there are no wet labs in this area. BSU has inquired about shared expansion of the nursing program. Steve Fultz agreed to move this to top priority and help with discussions.

October 2, 2007
NEW BUSINESS
Four representatives of TVCC (named above) were present to discuss URA’s potential partnership with TVCC to assist them with expansion in Caldwell. Needs, opportunities, concerns and options were discussed. Critical issues at this point are ensuring Oregon and Idaho taxpayers are not put at risk, building a cooperative partnership with BSU, resolving articulation concerns, drafting a year-to-year lease that allows TVCC funds for research and development to increase enrollment, and creating private interest for ownership of the facility.

November 6, 2007
NEW BUSINESS
Bruce Shultz, TVCC, presented a funding request on behalf of TVCC’s Caldwell Center expansion. Their plan of action involves three steps: Student Support Services $35,000, Workforce Assessment and Curriculum Development $32,000, and Targeted Marketing Campaign $35,000, for a total of $102,000.00. Bruce announced that the TVCC Board of Directors reached a consensus at a recent meeting regarding the Caldwell campus: Increased support, build a full-time faculty, build staff capacity. They endorsed this decision with a
CEURA, November 6, 2007, Page 2

$115,000 commitment to the Caldwell Campus. Motion to provide $102,000 to support the TVCC Caldwell Campus expansion: Nancolas/Hopper M/S/P

NEW BUSINESS
March 4, 2008
Steve Fultz presented information concerning the TVCC Campus Relocation Project. He introduced Bruce Schultz, Jim Sorensen, President of TVCC; and Butch Gilliland of Norfleet Development. He stated that the new site contains three acres and is located within Sky Ranch Business Park. The projected start date would be March 2009. CCEDC will contribute $300,000 to assist with the buy down. Bruce Swanson noted that the new facilities will double the size of the current facility. The new location will assist in recognition and awareness of the campus.

Jamie Hoover reported that Freehold Development is responding with in-kind investments for the development and is looking forward to the campus location within the Sky Ranch Business Park.

Motion to authorize Chairman Waite to construct the agreement with the Urban Renewal Agency and TVCC concerning the Urban Renewal Agency parcel with the provision that the agreement be brought back for review by the UR members before being executed: Nancolas/Hopper M/S/P

May 6, 2008
OLD BUSINESS
The TVCC campus plan was presented by Butch Gilliland. The building will be approximately 60,800sf and includes two levels. The main level is currently planned to house the bookstore, resource center, etc (approx 5,000sf), West Valley Medical Center is considering using 5,000sf, and 20,000sf is available at this time. The second level will be filled with TVCC administrative offices and classrooms. Mayor Nancolas has had several meetings with BSU President Bob Kustra who has expressed interest in leasing space for BSU classrooms and offices. There is also the potential of offering high school Advanced Placement classes in a college campus setting.

June 3, 2008
OLD BUSINESS
Mayor Nancolas stated that the TVCC Campus partnership between TVCC, the city, Urban Renewal and the business sector is an excellent and unique model that has attracted much attention and praise. The partnership creates a long-term benefit for both education and business in the valley. Dialog is in process with BSU to house a BSU student services department and share classrooms with TVCC. BSU is seriously considering offering a “2 + 2 Program” with TVCC. This allows TVCC to be pro-active and responsive to the business needs in the community, and allows BSU to offer curriculum such as criminal justice and nursing in Canyon County.

Paul:
“I continue to pursue an agreement for this project that will be taken back to the UR board for approval. The agreement will outline the requirements for UR ownership of the building or the sale/lease of UR land to support the project. If an agreement cannot be reached then UR will not have a part in this project. The developer has stated that he has the financial backing to complete the project. This project would be funded from current revenues streams and be paid off before UR sunsets in 2015. We are not plegding future growth revenues and do not need to obligate bonds to the project.” (ElJay Waite)

It is inappropriate, demeaning, and illegal to hold meetings with “common citizens” in public and then conduct a similar set of closed meetings with the elite “community and business leaders and elected officials.”

Such “back room” strategy of apartheid is offensive to the GUARDIAN and exemplifies all that is wrong with local politics in Idaho. It is a slap in the face to the majority of citizens who voted to tax themselves–only to be excluded from the REAL decision making process. Even if it is an “innocent oversight,” it is shameful to even contemplate private meetings with the rich and powerful. At least their decision was based on money and power rather than race.

Nice gesture to meet the public Aug. 21 at 7pm in the Nampa Civic Center and then again at the Boise Center on the Grove at 7pm Aug. 28. However, Idaho’s Open Meeting Law demands TOTAL ACCESS, even to those of us who are not of the privileged minority known as “community and business leaders.”

The Chamber of Commerce can limit their meetings to Idaho Elite, but a government funded and managed institution of higher learning must abide by the Open Meeting Law.

Shame on CWI officials for even contemplating the idea of excluding those of who pay their salaries from a “deliberation” aimed at shaping the future of students who may someday attend the school.

Thanks to the Daily Paper for publishing the plans for “apartheid meetings.” CWI didn’t send us that press release.

UPDATE 3p.m. Monday 8/18/08
The GUARDIAN obtained a copy of the invitation to the “STAKEHOLDERS” which reads in part as follows:
“”… we are hosting a series of “Community Conversations” in Canyon and Ada counties on August 21 and August 28, respectively. You have been recommended to participate in a stakeholder focus group. Your session is being held on Thursday, August 28, at the Boise Centre on the Grove in the Peregrines Room. The event will start promptly at 1:30 and will end by 5:00. If you are unable to attend this session and would still like to participate, please contact us to select another session.

“These sessions will be comprised of other invited guests in the community, representing business/industry, economic development, state and local government, parents, and higher education. To ensure broad representational voice in the process, we are also holding two evening sessions on the same dates that will be open to the general public.”

It seems clear whether intended or not, the message is: “We are having private sessions for you Mr. Elite and evening sessions for the public.” The press release (which we also obtained) made absolutely NO MENTION that “Daytime sessions are also available for public interactive participation.” In fact, the release made no mention of the private “STAKEHOLDER” sessions–the Daily Paper provided that tidbit.

Here–unedited–is the explanation she got from a Caldwell Councilor:
“This is true with a couple of interesting facts: The college of Western Idaho is funded by tax dollars. TVCC is funded with tuition and private enterprise with no tax dollars being used for the Caldwell Campus.

If you want to know more, email again and I will give you a call with the rest of the story. The Guardian is a spin paper that spins stuff to create readership. Most of it is not accurate or does not explain the whole story.”

Our GUARDIAN reader finds it difficult to understand why the city is involved at all if, “it won’t cost you money” (why doesn’t TVCC just go to a builder with its tuition money and leave the city out of the loop?”

Now that we have the “truth” from the City Council, we hope readers will have a better picture of WHY the city is pulling for the out of state TVCC and not offering to help College of Western Idaho.
The lease-purchase deal set to be signed August 27 will indeed be funded by taxes on the appreciated value of property within the Urban Renewal District–without voter approval.

THE CALDWELL GUARDIAN attended the Chamber of Commerce Lunch at the College of Idaho yesterday and learned about plans for a Treasure Valley Community College (of Ontario, Oregon) campus to be built in Caldwell…before the voter-approved College of Western Idaho has even opened its doors.

The plan to get this Oregon based campus up and running in Caldwell is a financial maze of convoluted ownerships, leases and lease purchase agreements. To the best of our knowledge here is the scoop:

1. The East Caldwell Urban Renewal District owns the land for the proposed project.

2. Norfleet Development LC (Butch Gilliland) will build the building and improvements on the urban renewal property and lease the building back to the urban renewal district.

Typically, these contracts have a clause that any taxes will be passed through to the leasee should the issue arise. There WILL be taxes due on the PRIVATE COMMERCIAL RENTAL building under Idaho Law–A very good deal for the developer as he will potentially get a guaranteed rent for his building and a guaranteed buyer, TAX FREE during the life of the lease arrangement.

3. TVCC will lease the building at a highly reduced rate while the urban renewal district (funded by property taxess) does the heavy financial lifting on this deal with full “lease/purchase” payements to Norfleet for the building and improvements.

4. At the end of the East Urban Renewal District life there will be a baloon payment to Norfleet of several millions of dollars for the balance due on the cost of building/s and improvements. A long term debt by any other name is still a LONG TERM DEBT.

5. Concurent at the end of the urban renewal district life, a deed for the property, buildings and improvements will be handed over to the city of Caldwell. A PURCHASE WITHOUT PERMISSION OF CITIZENS. Caldwell will then become the landlord to TVCC.

6. Mayor Nancolas has assured THE CALDWELL GUARDIAN this is a simple annual lease and the urban renewal/city can walk away at the end of any years renewal time on the lease (known as a “non-appropriation clause). However, the lease payments apply to the purchase price, so this is in reality a “purchase”. Think Canyon County Decider’s and the Jerome property “lease deal” and the mess the Commishes found themselves in over this deal.

Questions arise about how Article 8 section 3 of the Idaho Constitution (no long term debt without voter approval) applies to this project and long term debt for taxpayers. It also appears public assets are being pledged as security for the lease.

Who owns the land once the building is built?

If the developer owns the building then he is liable for property taxes under Idaho Law without regard to who occupies the property. (Same situation happened in Boise with some Fire Stations under the Brent Coles Administration.) The entity holding title is on the hook for property taxes–unless both parties agree have the “leasee” (urban renewal, city, and TVCC) pay the taxes.

If there should be a default by either the urban renewal district or the developer, who will own the land/buildings/improvements?

This project has all the earmarks of the Ada County Courthouse on it. Property taxpayer’s are going to be on the hook if and when this deal tanks.

The real question here is ..why is this not getting put up for a bond election? The GUARDIAN can think of no school project that has been built without a bond election. Secondly, how does the yet to be opened voter-approved approved College of Western Idaho fit into the scheme of things?

Right now TVCC, the Oregon institution- is fully funded by student tuition fees. The murkiness of this comes into play with the financial arrangements and cross ownerships and lease underwriting by the city of Caldwell and the “alter ego” of the city, known to you as the Caldwell East Urban Renewal District.

THE GUARDIAN welcomes and will provide space to the “Decider’s” of this project if we have any of this incorrect. The GUARDIAN was offered the contract AFTER it was signed–which is far too late to shed the light of public scrutiny on a convoluted financial deal worthy of Fannie, Freddie, Idaho Housing and Finance Association, and the big city of Boise and Ada County politicos.

JUST TELL IT TO THE VOTERS AND LET THEM DECIDE!

He reports College of Western Idaho trustees are facing growing costs and uncertainty about property tax levies. Like Bill Clinton’s debate of “what IS is,” there seems to be a question of the details of the campaign pledge–was it to a tax RATE or to a dollar figure?

It appers to the GUARDIAN that voters actually authorized a tax rate nearly 10 times what we were promised in the campaign literature favoring the new institution.

Here is what “INSIDER” wrote for the GUARDIAN on April 2, 2007:

“The numbers don’t add up. When asked by the Albertson Foundation for a proposal to start a community college, TVCC proposed an $18 million startup cost. Boise State’s internal proposal for spinning off and establishing a community college was a $71 million, and while that was surely larded with a lot of wishlists, it’s still more consistent with the real costs of establishing a comprehensive community college than $4 million. The proposed levy that voters are being asked to vote on is either poorly researched (unlikely), or being lowballed to make it more palatable to voters. Either option should raise some significant concerns for voters.”