City Government
Eagle Mayor Quits Amidst Controversy
March 2, 2010 
After the GUARDIAN provided a forum for critic Saundra McDavid’s revelation that Eagle Mayor Phil Bandy was holding two government jobs the legacy media picked up on the issue and Bandy suddenly resigned his position as mayor Monday.
Eagle’s political weather is as stormy as this past winter on the Eastern Seaboard–the stuff just keeps coming.
Our first encounter with Bandy was when he refused to tell citizens the names of citizens applying to fill a council vacancy two years ago. One call to their city attorney citing a supreme court decision got the names to the public, but that was chump change compared to budget woes, failure to pay the Ada Sheriff for coppers, a bungled attempt at buying a water system, and issues over City Hall rent-vs-purchase.
McDavid, who ran against Bandy and will probably toss her conservative hat into the ring for the upcoming appointment, said in her GUARDIAN guest piece that Bandy had taken a 30 hr a week position at BSU with benefits in addition to his full time job as mayor. On-line comments to the GUARDIAN, and the STATESMAN once they published the story were overwhelmingly negative.
City council will now appoint a new mayor. If they choose a sitting councilor, that will also create a vacancy for them to fill. There is actually a chance for “summer of content” if they can agree on both positions and prove you can control the weather–even if it is just political weather.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Mar 2, 2010, 11:37 am
Why should a Mayor be appointed by the council? Why should a councilor be appointed by the council? Is that a state constitution thing? Anyway, IMO vacant elected positions should go to an election. Either that or the temp should not be able to run in the next election.
Helps to keep down the cronyism.
Mar 2, 2010, 1:40 pm
Back when the talk of the town was what the sugar-beet market was looking like, it was probably pretty easy to be mayor of Eagle. Nowadays s/he has all those high-falutin Foothills Yuppies to keep happy. Whole new ballgame.
But Bandy must’ve wanted the job, since he ran for it.
(That quitting-midterm thing has worked out pretty good for Sarah Palin. Maybe ol’ Phil can get invited on the Leno show… now at 10:35!)
Mar 2, 2010, 2:27 pm
Good questions cynic…don’t have answers but do know that McDavid has a snowballs chance of being appointed by the Council. They are an openly divided Council and two of them would sooner get hit by a bus than appoint her to anything much less Mayor. Frankly it will be pretty interesting to see if the Council can come to agreement on any candidate taking Bandy’s spot. If they are smart they will take this opportunity to bust the postion back to half time as it should have always remained, and eliminate or reduce the Mayor’s Assistant role. Fun times for this yuppie Scottsdale/So Cal Hummer driving wanna be community!!!
Mar 2, 2010, 3:23 pm
The city of Eagle can’t afford to turn on the lights! Where would they get the money for an election? I do think your position that appointees can’t run in the general has tremendous merit.
Mar 2, 2010, 6:58 pm
The Eagle City Council Chair will serve as acting Mayor until such time as an appointment is made to fulfil the remainder of Mayor Bandy’s term. Saundra McDavid would be an admirable choice to fill any City Council seat that may be vacated. She is a vocal activist the same as now Ada County Commissioner Sharon Ullman once was. Whether I agree with Ms. Ullman’s political affiliation or not, she does provide balance on the BOCC. The city will be hard-pressed to find a businessman or businesswoman to fill a short-term, full-time job. There are worthy candidates within the community, but most already work full-time jobs. If I were on the Council, I’d seek some advice ASAP from the Eagle Chamber of Commerce, from developer/wine-grape grower Lloyd Mahaffey, from Eagle Economic Director Lee Schrack, from Faad Roghani of Camille Beckman, and from John Petrovsky of the Foothills group. They provide a range of voices who know the city and its needs, and could provide guidance. Good luck to Mayor Bandy and his young family. For what it’s worth, I think he made the smart decision.
Mar 3, 2010, 3:07 am
Eagle is welcome to have Boise’s train loving mayor…
Mar 3, 2010, 11:48 am
Why don’t the city councilors talk to and get input from the common Citizens of Eagle. Some one who has lived here for years, who have a lot better knowledge of Eagle than Developers and those who want to turn the city into an elite that the average person can not afford to stay.
We certainly do not need more developers and elitest driving prices up and ruining our small rural community feel.
Mar 3, 2010, 4:09 pm
It wasn’t the developers and elitists driving prices up it was the city council and the apparatchiks “working” at city hall. They required 1, 2 and 5 acre lots over most of their “urban” impact area and now wonder why they have a dead business district and no tax income. It wasn’t developers and elitists contracting with a builder to build the city hall and lease back from. Once again that was the city council. Its like a mausoleum.
Mar 3, 2010, 5:44 pm
In my humble opinion, how Boise handled the aftermath of Cole’s resignation is the best way forward for Eagle.
Appoint a sitting councilmember, who has no intention of running for mayor, to fulfill the remainder of Bandy’s term. That way, as boisecynic has indicated, there will be no chance of an unelected incumbent exercising an unfair advantage.
The only downside will be if Eagle’s council doesn’t contain anyone who can act with jurisprudence, and without an ax to grind, to represent the interests of all Eagle citizens.
Mar 3, 2010, 5:58 pm
I wish they would just change the name from Eagle to Beagle. I’d feel a lot more at home over there with all the constant howling, whining and barking at windmills.
Mar 3, 2010, 9:33 pm
If we knew exactly what was said that made him resign, we could then say it about Tilman and Yzaguirre at Ada County. Those two also need some alternate part-time work.
Mar 3, 2010, 10:13 pm
Uh! Marv, I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but that thing about “ruining our small rural community feel”?? That pony has long since run away! Boise has more small town feel than Eagle!
And it will be a really cold day in hell before McDavid is appointed ANYTHING in Eagle. Over 1/2 the citizens think she is completely wacko!!!
Mar 4, 2010, 8:32 am
“failure to pay the Ada Sheriff for coppers,” I wonder what the status is for that payment. Is the county going to get stuck holding the bag?
EDITOR NOTE–Sheriff says they indeed paid and on time at that.
Mar 4, 2010, 2:02 pm
So, anyone who bucks the system or expresses doubt about a current administration is a WHACKO? At least half of Eagle DOESN’T think Ms. McDavid is a WHACKO. I suppose the BG, the CG, and I are WHACKOs too. How about Abe Lincoln, was he a WHACKO? Commissioner Ullman was once branded such, and she was instrumental in eradicating the county’s imperialistic and over-priced public information spin department. Regarding Sheriff’s Department, I know they made cuts in Eagle’s force. If the common folk in Eagle have something to say, then they’d better step up and say something.
Mar 4, 2010, 2:22 pm
This is a great time for the City of Eagle to consider and debate the idea of a City Manager form of government for Eagle.
City manager government is the norm for nearly 60% of cities and counties across the country. It brings a trained professional to the job.
Cities and counties are multi-million dollar organizations and need the benefit of professional decision making. They will save you money.
Mar 4, 2010, 2:23 pm
WHOA! Kappa TA, back away from the keyboard and take a deep breath! You sound like you and McDavid just had lunch! No argument here. 1/2 belive she is nuts, 1/2 believe she is the “savior” of Eagle. Commish Ullman is, in my opinion, a “whacko” under control. She recognized what got her into trouble the first time around and should be commended for taking steps to avoid those actions. But for you to try and compare McDavid and/or Ullman to Lincoln really does nothing but add the affirmitive to your original question. If that is what you believe, you’re pretty much wacko!
Mar 8, 2010, 8:21 pm
Cyclops,
Never met or voted for either woman, nor had lunch with them. Willing to give both of them the benefit of the doubt, for now, on some issues. I didn’t compare them to Lincoln, only intimated that some people brand those who seek change, value openness, or have alternative views as nutcases. EVERYONE is entitled to his or her own opinion without being PERSONALLY attacked. Latest word, according to Valley Times, is that the soon-to-be former mayor’s part-time BSU job has morphed into full time, and that Saundra McDavid has applied for the mayoral spot or a council seat should one become available. I favor Jackson-Heim for mayor, as she has mayoral experience (Wyoming.) Don’t know if she’s interested or if she, too, is just another WHACKO.
Mar 8, 2010, 11:28 pm
KTA you gotta admit, one needs to be a little wacko just to want that job! Personally, I admire someone that “pushes the envelope”. I understand that McDavid has burned a boatload of bridges in Eagle. I am not really familiar with Jackson-Helm, but you may be right.