County
The Price of Justice
December 26, 2005 
Justice doesn’t come cheaply in Ada County. The bill for the private counsel representing the Ada County Commishes has reached over $14,000 in that secret meeting case.
The commishes met with Boise City Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt last June in a closed session, claiming it was to discuss potential legal matters. Bisterfeldt has testified (by deposition) that strategies to get a bond passed to fund the Emergency Medical Services was discussed.
The Attorney General filed charges against the Commishes with a possible civil fine of $150 for each count. The Commishes dug in their heels and the AG’s office dug in theirs in a tug of war that is fund for the media pundits (and the GUARDIAN) but it is getting a bit pricey.
Since it is a civil matter, the GUARDIAN suggested a out of court settlement last June with the Commishes each giving a hundred bucks to a charity, saying they are sorry and the prosecution calling it good. That was before people listened to us.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jan 1, 2006, 8:09 am
Since I just gave a large chunk of change to Ada County in December it pains me to see the waste that goes on with my money and that of every other property owner in the county. It would be reasssuring to think that the Commissioners cared about the people but they seem only to think of themselves. I expect that there will be a quick approval of the “Avimor” community by this bunch so that quality of life can be further eroded in the Treasure Valley. Sometimes I wonder who these Commissioners think they are working for.
Mar 26, 2006, 6:24 pm
Now that the court ruled that the Commissioners were indeed holding an illegal meeting, I see that Tilman says the purpose of the $17,000-plus expenditure wasn’t to prove they were right in holding the meeting but just to “clarify” the law. In other words, they knew all along they were wrong but it’s the law that caused the problem not them. His goal, of course, is to confuse people enough that they won’t hold him accountable for this waste and his arrogance when he’s up for re-election — which voters probably won’t end up doing just as he plans. Even the Guardian has been silent on the guilty ruling!