Dirt on The Farm Take Two

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Dirt on The Farm Take Two

June 2, 2005 ⋅

The odor at the Boise Poop Ranch (“Twenty Mile South Farm”) near Kuna is getting a little stronger and the Boise City Council probably is not aware of the extent of the problem, thinking it is just a personnel matter.

Boise operates the 3970 acre farm mostly to get rid of the leftovers from the sewage treatment plants–politely called “fertilizer.” They employ 12 full timers and 7 seasonal workers which includes a farm manager, office personnel, and field hands. The operation falls under the Public Works Department and from what we have heard they don’t all play nice with each other.

The city has gone into the farming business following bungled leasing and “tenant farming.” Oversight has been scanty and the GUARDIAN has been told of fraudulent invoices, private use of city equipment and property, nepotism, and a general disregard for the budget and purchasing procedures which plagued the Brent Coles administration. There also may be some “diverting” of crops produced at the publicly owned farm.

It may be a carry over from that band of convicted criminals in the previous administration who left office in shame, but we are hearing the new gang at city hall has done little or nothing to clean up the mess.

To top it off, it appears there is a shortage of proper ground water monitoring wells down slope from where they plop the poop…maybe next year’s budget will have enough extra cash to properly protect the aquifer.

If the City Council audit committee–created to watch over department heads among others–hasn’t been activated it is time to get it in gear. The mainstream media guys may even have time and space for this one. Tell ‘em to read the GUARDIAN.

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