Comments on: Eagle Voters Burned In “Stealth Election”

By: B Rock

B Rock — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 11:40:29 +0000

Seriously huge amount of whining on this page.

“Stealth” election? Seriously? 300 people voted, information was handed out door to door, public notices were posted, television appearances were made…that’s your definition of stealth?

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

If they followed the letter of the law and that’s not “good” enough for you…make the necessary adjustments to the law, don’t bitch and moan about the results.

EDITOR NOTE–Doubt if it ever happens again, thanks in part to the “whining.” It was confusing and simply wrong to have a single precinct for one issue and 7 precints for the other issues on the same election day. Do YOU think 2,700 people who took the time to vote that day made conscious decision to NOT VOTE on the fire station?

By: Tommy G.

Tommy G. — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:21:16 +0000

Back to the top of the page…Stephen: just to clear this up, the Eagle Fire District contains no parts of Boise or Garden City. Anything within the limits of those two cities falls under the protection of either the Boise Fire Department or North Ada County fire district respectively.

By: Warren

Warren — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 02:02:03 +0000

The Eagle Volunteer FD (funny that they are dependant on full-time, paid staff, but still called a “volunteer” FD) continues to exercise good judgement (not!). Now they are in hot water over their “nut feed” ads. What is going on over there? Being in the media in a negative light twice in a few weeks is not such a good plan to gain & maintain the respect and loyality of the community.

By: T.J.

T.J. — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 16:12:28 +0000

No, I don’t think Guerber needed to be enthusiastic about a new election. What he could have done was to take a thoughtful position such as acknowledging that when only 300 people vote perhaps the proper amount of publicity was lacking or that perhaps a little more money should be spent to put the vote at each polling place. His words smacked of arrogance to me. That’s just a personal opinion.

By: Donna

Donna — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 17:40:38 +0000

Perhaps Mr. Gerber should have been enthusiastic in his TV appearance? Or did he have have a right to be somewhat offended at the request of a small group of people that aren’t happy with the effort made to inform them of an election that the three Commissioners now deny the voting rights of the 300 people who actually voted, thus violating both the Idaho and the U.S. Constitutions? How many people should have voted to make the legal process that the District followed “really” legal? 500 people? 1,000 people? How much visibility is enough? Seems like this isn’t as simple as some would have us all believe. Should the District actually declare this vote null and void and start over again as demanded? Is this something that we should expect everytime a group of people are unhappy with the outcome? Think about it. I agree that this needs to be solved by changing the rules if they are inadequate, but not by changing the outcome after the fact beause the existing guidelines didn’t work.

By: T.J.

T.J. — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 12:45:57 +0000

I saw on the local news that some people in Eagle are calling for a new election but Steve Guerber seemed terribly offended by the idea. I am not in favor of a new election but his attitude was very offensive. Guess I won’t be voting for him when he runs again. He has been in office way too long.

By: Jon Q Publique

Jon Q Publique — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 03:49:22 +0000

Seems the Eagle Fire District borrowed a page from the same playbook that Meridian Schools and Boise Schools use for their bond elections. Do something questionable, but be sure to keep it (barely) legal. As the Statesman advocated in an editorial today (6/1/06), it’s time to change the law.

Guardian readers should consider contacting their legislators before the November election, and again afterward, and ask that they introduce legislation to change the law so that Fire District election polling places are the same as the primary and general election polling places. This is a statewide issue. It’s not limited to Eagle.

Phone calls and emails to follow up on your original request should help keep the issue high on your legislator’s priority list. Friends and family can pitch in also. The more the merrier. Send your legislator, family, and friends a copy of this Guardian article to bolster your case.

Also, don’t forget to ask your legislator to allow, maybe even require, cooperative election cost sharing agreements between the various election groups (county, fire districts, etc.) to help keep the cost to us taxpayers down.

As to legal notices, publishing in the local general circulation newspaper is fine, but maybe it’s time to change the law on this also. Maybe readers can suggest to their legislators that the legal notice also be required to be posted on the agency website – if the agency has one, of course.

And Eagle Fire District residents, you might want to elect a new group of Fire Commissioners when the opportunity presents itself.

Nothing like turning the heat up right?

JQP

By: Joe moran

Joe moran — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:49:52 +0000

The guardian is raising one of the most important issues facing area voters right now.. and that is the subtle denial of Citizens voting rights by omission or trickery on the part of too many of the Treasure Valleys local politicians.

By: Gracie

Gracie — Sun, 28 May 2006 15:50:59 +0000

Whynotski –
Obviously you approve of misleading or limiting voters knowledge.

I hope no one takes down any of the signs where you ski, you might have problems figuring out you’re options … as the voters did.

By: Agent Whynotski

Agent Whynotski — Sun, 28 May 2006 14:13:53 +0000

I am personally frustrated with the attitude of entitlement from so many individuals who feel everything has to be hand-delivered to them with a blowhorn announcement, neon instruction sign, and an attendant to oversee if they voted correctly.