County
Boise County Prospectors Still Abound
December 26, 2010 
Since the gold rush days of the mid 1800’s, Boise County has been a target for get rich quick schemes…like the guys who “salted” gold in the area known today as Bogus Basin to make it appear a valuable claim.
The huge forested county north of Boise has a history of suspect local government, a series of issues involving sheriffs, school administrators, commishes, and of late a prosecutor who holds office under questionable circumstances.
Last week a U.S. District Court jury awarded the latest prospector, Oaas Laney, $4 million while ruling the county violated the Fair Housing Act when commishes placed so many restrictions on a proposed “treatment center” for troubled teens Laney would be unable to turn a profit.
Attorneys for the developper were quoted in a Stateman story claiming neighbors acted out of “fear and ignorance” opposing the project. Had the Boise County commisshes sprung for a cup of latte with the Boise City legal department and city planning director, they could have saved taxpayers what stands to be a liability that is nearly half of the entire annual budget.
Throughout the country “care providers” have learned there is big money in crime and disability. Boise residents have joined folks across the nation opposing various drug counseling, halfway houses, and group homes in residential neighborhoods to no avail. Between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Federal Fair Housing Act, it is nearly impossible for the Not in My Back Yard (NIMBYs) advocates to prevail.
You can bet the lawyers on both sides will be able to afford new snomobiles and boats when it is all said and done.
When McCall totalled the books in 2007 on the cost of fighting with a contractor over a sewer construction project, the lawyers walked with just under $1 million and taxpayers were stuck with repaying a 20 year debt on bonds sold to settle the court order.
Barring a successful appeal, it looks like Boise County residents will also be on the hook for a debt to payoff the legal fees and judgement.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Dec 27, 2010, 2:04 am
Win or lose… the lawyers on both sides win.
I also blame the lefty laws for letting the rehabs reside in rosey residential ramblers.
Dec 27, 2010, 10:32 pm
Geez Dave,
Another bash the lawyers piece. How about more details on the laws that were broken by the various county entities?
EDITOR NOTE–The Boise bash was regarding the prosecutor running in two county primary elections in search of a location with no opposition. There was a fracas of sorts regarding his true residence. In Valley County the McCall deal was simply costly. We have never alleged any violation of law, just bashing the lawyers. THAT certainly is not a crime!
Dec 28, 2010, 10:00 am
Lawyers love being bashed…. negative attention is better than no attention at all. It’s a win win situation for them.
Dec 28, 2010, 12:37 pm
Glad to see you are finally on this Mr. Guardian.
For those of you that don’t live up here the Boise County Prosecuting Attorney is Ron Twilegar. Mr. Twilegar didn’t “live” in Boise County but was elected to office. Right away the County Commishes sued him saying he wasn’t a resident of Boise County. He won the lawsuit. Then the Commishes cut his salary and he sued the County and got his salary back.
And now the County Commishes are asking him for legal advice?? It looks like us taxpayers up here are going to on the hook to pay off the $4,000,000 and at least $1,000,000. in legal cost.
PS The folks from Oaas Laney showed up at the Commishes meeting last week and wanted to know when they could pick up the $4,000,000 check
Dec 28, 2010, 6:00 pm
Having had the “honor” of working for R. Twilegar a couple of decades ago I can attest that he doesn’t do anything that doesn’t help him financially. A friend told me a few years ago that he was teaching at a law school in South America. I remarked that I hoped he wasn’t teaching ethics. If you had a heart attack he would negotiate a fee before he started CPR. Idaho has a really large amount of crooks it seems to me.