City Government
Mainstream Media Easy On City
June 4, 2006 
Mainstream media has been easy on Boise City and Team Dave over the Poop Farm Scandal.
The Statesman has been unable to decide how or when to cover the events over the past year at the City’s Twenty Mile South Farm. With the exception of KBCI-TV the broadcast media has stuck to official reports from Team Dave and the courts.
Unanswered questions abound:
–If the city knew about the financial shenanigans at the Poop Farm in March, why were city councilors told there was only a “personality problem” as late as the last week of My 2005?
–When the GUARDIAN passed along split invoices and illegal purchase documents made at the farm to the Councilors it made a big enough impact for them to call for a full blown audit–in June 2005. Why were they deceived? Or did the Councilors offer false information? (We think not).
–The GUARDIAN provided a forum for frustrated City workers who had blown their whistles on deaf ears. Team Dave spokesman calls it a “Great learning experience.” Why were the workers ignored for YEARS?
–More Public Works Department problems came to light when the GUARDIAN exposed a scheme that allowed employees of that department to “borrow” tools for personal projects–like building vacation homes and remodeling houses. Tools included power equipment and specialized items. Statesman and TV refused to report on the practice which has been curtailed at the direction of the Councilors and Team Dave…in response to the GUARDIAN report. Why no mainstream coverage?
–Why were the Poop Farm workers under investigation allowed to stay on the job during the audit and criminal investigation? One of the alleged crimes took place DURING THE AUDIT when tires for a tractor were purchased on split invoices. Teachers and back tellers would never stay on the job if they were under investigation for criminal activity.
–The auditor quit several months ago and even offered a two week notice, but they have failed to replace him. Why?
The GUARDIAN does not see the mainstream media as “competition.” In fact we rely upon their ability to cozy up to the officials and offer information. However, when we break stories and the city says, “We’re in charge and we have it under control,” like former Secretary of State Alexander Haig, experience should tell them to ask questions.
Both Boise City and Ada County are reluctant to allow the GUARDIAN the same access they offer to the mainstreamers. Ada County refuses to put us on their press release e-mail list. Boise forces us to file a weekly official request for public records so we can share the transcript of the Mayor’s Hotline with you. Prior to the GUARDIAN, it was distributed to the mainstreamers without a freedom of information request.
These government spin doctors work hard at fogging the “window of transparency” they have all promised to keep clean. The mainstreamers should take a lesson from the Poop Farm story and push for answers.
The Statesman’s belated coverage of the audit report was what newspapering is all about–informing the public. The Team Dave spin doctor said a mouthful calling the scandal, “a great learning experience.”
Indeed!
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jun 4, 2006, 11:03 pm
The mainstream media plays by the rules, theirs… You go after the truth.
If you took notice during the Coles/Lyman ordeal, Ch7 and others only reported what the city was telling them and the city cooperated fully with them in many ways, but not so with Ch2. Even after all the dust had settled, there was a LOT of hard feelings towards CH2 and considerable favoritism towards Ch7, the Statesman and others.
You have now taken the place of Channel 2; you’re the threat and the one to watch out for. You’re the one now causing them problems and they don’t like it – they don’t like you. To top it off, your just one individual, a private citizen – not a corporation they can wiggle a way to control.
In addition, mainstream media can’t go wrong by reporting exactly what their being told; they’ll never be accused of false reporting. They are also not guilty of good investigating reporting, getting the true story out to the people… That takes time, effort and money.
You and those like you are the reason so many have turned to the Internet for their news.
Just make yourself a FOIA template and flood their mail boxes… They can provide you the information you need the easy way or the hard way – their choice…
Thanks for the great job…
Jun 4, 2006, 11:34 pm
The MSM goes easy on this story because:
a) other stuff is going on (like a new Governor) that they believe deserves attention and there’s a limited news hole;
b) sometimes they’re lazy and will use the boiseguardian.com website as a tip sheet but not bother to dig deeper;
c) they are more dispassionate about this matter than Guardian, who has become emotionally invested in this 20 Mile Farm issue and has had a couple of inside sources to egg him on. So there were a couple of crooks involved in running a farm twenty miles south of town. And it took a while to tease out some complex dealings. That’s a pretty good story in itself. But I think it’s time to move on so this website is not viewed as a one trick pony.
Jun 5, 2006, 4:11 am
Keep taking your vitamins, Guardian, so you can push the Statesman to do its job.
I notice you are going with the “printer friendly” deal. My husband doesn’t enjoy sitting in front of a screen, so I will now be able to print out the choice stuff for him to read. Thanks.
Jun 5, 2006, 7:51 am
OSPREY –
You sound very much like what is coming out of the mayor’s office.
I would think there are a lot of emotional investments in this, especially from the MANY within the city that have been involved and the many more outside the city that do care.
We all want to get beyond this, only problem is those responsible would also want us to move on. Let’s get this resolved the correct way, clean the mess up then get on with life.
The way it is right now, there are too many loose ends and unanswered questions.
Jun 5, 2006, 12:45 pm
The fact is that City Hall knows that NO ONE has the guts to ask any hard questions or dig up the truth. And they bank on this lack of guts.
It is still easier for Council memebers to say “we have fixed the problem” and that is all that gets reported – and the reporters back off. Even when they don’t have an auditor no one presses them!
Finding the truth and exposing problems still takes a back seat to “maintianing the relationships” between reporters and those in public office. The media doesn’t want to make anyone mad – the officials may stop talking. Well too darn bad – it is time to find a single editior in this town that has the guts to dig like Channel 2 did with the Gary Lyman deal!
So let’s see who steps up – – Mike Petrak and Kevin Richert will not, neither will Doug Armstrong, maybe Bob Rosenthol will get with it.
Jun 5, 2006, 3:48 pm
Great reporting. Keep it up. Your blog is a good example of why newspapers are losing readers to the internet.
Jun 5, 2006, 9:56 pm
But don’t forget — just because you read it on this blog, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Jun 5, 2006, 9:56 pm
But don’t forget — just because you read it on this blog, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Jun 5, 2006, 9:56 pm
But don’t forget — just because you read it on this blog, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Jun 5, 2006, 9:56 pm
But don’t forget — just because you read it on this blog, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Jun 6, 2006, 2:09 pm
And it doesn’t mean it ISN’T true. What would be really choice, is if we could count on the City to be forthcoming with information. You know, go straight to the source and not worry about the media, mainstream or otherwise, filtering or spinning. One would think that a lesson hard learned would be a lesson remembered.
However, in the case of Boise City, it seems only to have made them more determined to protect miscreants, shroud misdeeds in secrecy, put significant stock in managers with a great deal at stake, and treat those seeking truth with disregard. If you make the public peel a stinky onion to mete out facts, you can’t expect to garner trust and good faith in the end.
Jun 6, 2006, 5:13 pm
How about MSM going easy on Risch for his change of leadership with H&W? I just saw the story on KTVB. I got the impression they didn’t press the new Gov too strongly to find out what was going on.
My cynical side says political payback.
Jun 6, 2006, 6:20 pm
Thanks,Guardian, for informing the public of the ongoing attempts in city and county govt. to cover their own corruption. The ” statesman” and all local TV channels should be ashamed at their refusal to investigate this issue from the beginning! All I can say is what a bunch of well paid ” good old boy Clowns.”
The City needs a full time auditor and Team Bieter and council knows it.. Let’s start representing the People, Mayor Bieter and council and make sure we have an auditor ASAP!!
Jun 6, 2006, 9:03 pm
Don’t Forget –
Interesting comment you posted… Either you just tuned in, are naive as hell or have something in particular in mind.
Narrowing it down, it couldn’t possibly be the farm issue, except for the mayor and a few of his supporting staff members being in denial, that one is pretty much out in the open now. The Public Works tool issue at the plants was proven to be true, so the only thing left would be the two moon lighting managers at the treatment plants who were double dipping at the tax payer’s expense (did I miss anything?).
What are the odds of that being wrong? I would be willing to bet those two managers are doing exactly what the employees say they are and then some. I bet they still are…
The bigger issue here is that all the reported Public Works problems to date have been under the same management with much of it going on for years on end.
Believe whatever you want, but as far as I can tell this Blog has been right on.
If you have information that shows otherwise, come out with it…
– Daily Reader
Jun 7, 2006, 7:49 pm
The below was taken from last Sunday’s Statesman; it is political rhetoric at its best. If the city was going to do anything more with its employees, they would done something by now. Businesses have nothing to fear, the city isn’t going to be stupid enough to do anything with them other than maybe inform them of the city’s purchasing policies. The last thing the city wants is a law suit or any more bad press. What the city told the Statesman was nothing but empty “tough talk” for the public, using the Statesman as the messenger.
If city council was truly interested in getting to the bottom of this, they would have been asking those kinds of questions long ago. I am sure they’ve been asking questions, but not heard from anyone they expect to get a different answer from.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the city to do anything more and the only thing mainstream media is good for is providing messenger services.
This has been a learning experience for many…
—————————————-
“But city officials also say there might be more consequences, including possible personnel action against additional city employees and sanctions against businesses that sold or rented equipment to the farm and helped employees violate city policies.”
Jun 10, 2006, 6:33 pm
James — you are correct on the Health and Welfare’s new director. The MSM will not ask hard questions about the new director OR Blue Cross. They have no memory past the press releases they get handed weekly by former reporters turned “Information Officers.” Ask hard questions and you will not get hired when there is a job available.
Just do a Sunshine Report and look at what Blue Cross of Idaho “donated” to political candidates. That will tell you one story.
The other story is that Blue Cross wants the State health insurance business in the worst way -mostly to devastate Blue Shield but to also add more to their income and paychecks.
Blue Cross is known to hire (and bail out) former public officials and give them positions with hefty salaries. They hired Drew Forney – former Dept Of Insurance Director (after a stumble and while wife Paula was a leading member of the City Council – Blue Cross now has the City insurance), Tracy Andrus – after she lost the mayor’s race (hoping to get the State of Idaho business through her dad Cecil……She is now married to one the executives at Blue Cross), and Jerry Evans – former Super. of Public Instruction, after he “retired” but was a board members he was hired to manage the Blue Cross State of Idaho school insurance business. Just three examples.
Then there was the trip to the SLC Olympics for Coles paid for by Blue Cross which raised allot of questions.
Seems payback works both ways.
Jun 10, 2006, 6:33 pm
James — you are correct on the Health and Welfare’s new director. The MSM will not ask hard questions about the new director OR Blue Cross. They have no memory past the press releases they get handed weekly by former reporters turned “Information Officers.” Ask hard questions and you will not get hired when there is a job available.
Just do a Sunshine Report and look at what Blue Cross of Idaho “donated” to political candidates. That will tell you one story.
The other story is that Blue Cross wants the State health insurance business in the worst way -mostly to devastate Blue Shield but to also add more to their income and paychecks.
Blue Cross is known to hire (and bail out) former public officials and give them positions with hefty salaries. They hired Drew Forney – former Dept Of Insurance Director (after a stumble and while wife Paula was a leading member of the City Council – Blue Cross now has the City insurance), Tracy Andrus – after she lost the mayor’s race (hoping to get the State of Idaho business through her dad Cecil……She is now married to one the executives at Blue Cross), and Jerry Evans – former Super. of Public Instruction, after he “retired” but was a board members he was hired to manage the Blue Cross State of Idaho school insurance business. Just three examples.
Then there was the trip to the SLC Olympics for Coles paid for by Blue Cross which raised allot of questions.
Seems payback works both ways.
Jun 10, 2006, 6:33 pm
James — you are correct on the Health and Welfare’s new director. The MSM will not ask hard questions about the new director OR Blue Cross. They have no memory past the press releases they get handed weekly by former reporters turned “Information Officers.” Ask hard questions and you will not get hired when there is a job available.
Just do a Sunshine Report and look at what Blue Cross of Idaho “donated” to political candidates. That will tell you one story.
The other story is that Blue Cross wants the State health insurance business in the worst way -mostly to devastate Blue Shield but to also add more to their income and paychecks.
Blue Cross is known to hire (and bail out) former public officials and give them positions with hefty salaries. They hired Drew Forney – former Dept Of Insurance Director (after a stumble and while wife Paula was a leading member of the City Council – Blue Cross now has the City insurance), Tracy Andrus – after she lost the mayor’s race (hoping to get the State of Idaho business through her dad Cecil……She is now married to one the executives at Blue Cross), and Jerry Evans – former Super. of Public Instruction, after he “retired” but was a board members he was hired to manage the Blue Cross State of Idaho school insurance business. Just three examples.
Then there was the trip to the SLC Olympics for Coles paid for by Blue Cross which raised allot of questions.
Seems payback works both ways.
Jun 10, 2006, 6:33 pm
James — you are correct on the Health and Welfare’s new director. The MSM will not ask hard questions about the new director OR Blue Cross. They have no memory past the press releases they get handed weekly by former reporters turned “Information Officers.” Ask hard questions and you will not get hired when there is a job available.
Just do a Sunshine Report and look at what Blue Cross of Idaho “donated” to political candidates. That will tell you one story.
The other story is that Blue Cross wants the State health insurance business in the worst way -mostly to devastate Blue Shield but to also add more to their income and paychecks.
Blue Cross is known to hire (and bail out) former public officials and give them positions with hefty salaries. They hired Drew Forney – former Dept Of Insurance Director (after a stumble and while wife Paula was a leading member of the City Council – Blue Cross now has the City insurance), Tracy Andrus – after she lost the mayor’s race (hoping to get the State of Idaho business through her dad Cecil……She is now married to one the executives at Blue Cross), and Jerry Evans – former Super. of Public Instruction, after he “retired” but was a board members he was hired to manage the Blue Cross State of Idaho school insurance business. Just three examples.
Then there was the trip to the SLC Olympics for Coles paid for by Blue Cross which raised allot of questions.
Seems payback works both ways.
Jun 12, 2006, 9:42 pm
In a recent interview on Boise State Radio (NPR), The Statesman’s new Executive Editor (Vicki S. Gowler) announced that part of her improvement goals was to keep the public more informed on what was happening within their local government and to have the government be more responsible to the people they serve.
There is no doubt in my mind that news reporting at that level, (provided it was kept honest and without judgment) would being customers back and peak valley wide reader interest. It’s the kind of stuff “barber shop” talk used to be about.
She was either engaged in idle talk or had a short lived goal. The only “change” I’ve seen is the new format they are now using.
That said, if the AG’s office and others charged with protecting the public can turn a blind eye to all that has been going on at City of Boise over the Public Works mess why would the Statesman want to get their hands dirty? Better to play it safe than to be sorry…
Jun 13, 2006, 9:02 am
I just noticed a Statesman Blog…
http://www.topix.net/city/boise-id
I figured that the news media would work it’s way towards news Blogs with comments sections similar to what the Guardian offers…
The Statesman has joined forces in doing just that.
However, neither the stories nor the comments have that special Guardian touch (smile)…
I call it the “touch of truth” where the Guardian doesn’t just report on the issues, it gets involved with both the issues and those responding to them.
I have learned a great deal about government as a whole and not just the negative side of it since I started reading the Guardian. For me, it’s been both informative and educational.
Nice touch…