Search On To Replace CWI Prez

Dennis Griffin, president of the newly created College of Western Idaho barely made it through his first semester of junior college classes.  He is ready to retire. Griffin was hired for a two year contract in August of 2007 to head up CWI and told the GUARDIAN he will retire in August of this year [...]

Boise Schools To Layoff Teachers, Staff

Although the details are too complex to enumerate here, look for some major personnel cuts at the Boise School District–both in certified teachers and classified staff. Here is an excerpt of a memo sent to employees Wednesday: “Based on current revenue projections and our recent history of declining enrollment, the Boise District will be forced [...]

Levy Passed By 6.5% Of Eligible Voters

Meridian School officials got a resounding 74% approval for a $10,000,000 supplemental tax levy from a tiny fraction of the registered voters–about 6.5% of those who could have voted.   There are about 79,000 registered voters in the Meridian District which takes in parts of Boise and most of western Ada County including Eagle and [...]

GUARDIAN Primer On Local Governments

A recent reader comment requested that we post some sort of organizational chart explaining local government.  We will give it a go, but space will limit detailed explanations.  We will be glad to made additions based on reader comments from those in the know.   Click on MORE for the complete summary.

Meridian Schools Seeks Continued Tax Hike

In what can only be described as a “stealth election,” Meridian School District is seeking to take away a scheduled tax break for District patrons in a ballot measure set for Tuesday MArch 3. The District has failed to even post the election on their website or calendar of events. A disgruntled parent contacted the [...]

CWI Joins Long List of Faltering Ventures

The new College of Western Idaho, set to open January 20, joins a long list of ventures that glibly blame “the soft economy” for failing to meet predictions. It looks like the long awaited opening will fall two-thirds short of predicted enrollment. We fear the bill of goods sold to voters was overly optimistic and [...]

City & Schools Team Up For Rec Centers

Boise City and Boise Schools are teaming up with some after school programs and according to a recent letter from Team Dave’s Mayor Dave Bieter, he has visited the centers and plans repeat visits. The city ponied up $71,000 for “tenant improvements” after the schools built recreation centers within Grace Jordan and Morley Nelson elementary [...]

Chance For Young Politicos To Shine

Hey kids! Want to be the youngest elected official in Idaho with authority to levy $40,000,000 in taxes in the name of higher education? 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 [...]

Caldwell To Start Building Without Agreement

By PAUL ALLDREDGE CALDWELL GUARDIAN 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 [...]

Shame On CWI Apartheid Meeting Plans

The fledgling College of Western Idaho–approved by voters last year–is about to get off on the wrong foot with plans to have “invitation only” meetings to gather information to shape the future of the college. It is inappropriate, demeaning, and illegal to hold meetings with “common citizens” in public and then conduct a similar set [...]

Caldwell Councilor On TVCC Funding Scheme

A GUARDIAN reader inquired of a Caldwell City Councilor about the wisdom of the lease-purchase scheme about to be signed with Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College without voter approval when the College of Western Idaho has yet to even open its doors. Here–unedited–is the explanation she got from a Caldwell Councilor: “This is true with [...]

Caldwell Forgets Ada Courthouse Fiasco

BY THE CALDWELL GUARDIAN Paul Alldredge 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 [...]

Can CWI Trustees Be Trusted?

Dr. Bob Goat Gotten

C Of I Grant No Factor To CWI

When the Albertson Foundation ponied up $50 mill to the College of Idaho and apparently endorsed dropping the family name off the college letterhead, at least one GUARDIAN reader voiced concern about the future of the new College of WESTERN IDAHO Community College. We did some checking and were assured by both the Albertson Foundation [...]

Why Super Majority Vote Is Fair

Ada Voters Raise Canyon Tax

De’Ja Vu’ University Land Deal

De’Ja Vu’ University Land Deal

C. College ReRun, Three Views