Business
Boise Library Joins Communist Movement
March 22, 2011 
communism |ˈkämyəˌnizəm| (often Communism)
noun
a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned…Central to Marxist theory is an explanation of social change in terms of economic factors, according to which the means of production provide the economic base, which influences or determines the political and ideological superstructure.”
Boise City Councilors have done another of those dirty little land deals–perfectly legal, but without transparency or public purpose. This time they are entering into a 45 year lease of the library storage warehouse behind the main library building on Capitol Blvd. to an existing business that makes fish ID tags.
Meanwhile at least part of the anticipated $3,000 monthly rent will have to go toward replacing the library book storage space, not to mention lost parking spaces.
According to an IDAHO STATESMAN story, If approved, the city would lease the warehouse it owns adjacent to the main library to 9th & River LLC, a partnership between Rocky Mountain Management & Development Co. and Biomark, Inc.
We have no idea why the city is doing the deal, but you can bet it is not a “clean deal.” It was slipped onto the council agenda at the last minute and smells of vintage Team Dave.
There is no reason to offer ANYONE a 45 year lease other than to keep someone else from bidding and to avoid the public bid process while effectively giving away city property TAX FREE for nearly half a century.
The defunct or nearly defunct Rock Climbing Gym on City land off the Connector is now a dog kennel–owned by the city and with a 50 year lease.
There is also talk of a land swap and we have no doubt it will end up just like the last such deal at 27th and Fairview…nowhere near how it was presented and no chance of the “private hospital.” The city can legally avoid the bid process through land swaps and leases, but it is a shameful practice which smells of insider trading and results in commercial use of public assets–just like in China and other communist states.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Mar 22, 2011, 3:35 pm
Does anyone in Boise/Ada County/State of Idaho ever do an honest, transparent deal? Not that I remember and I am quite old.
Mar 22, 2011, 3:36 pm
FORTY FIVE FRIGGIN YEARS!!!
Someon PLEASE make sure these jokers are called out on this crap come election time, this is fraud and criminal abuse of power!
Mar 22, 2011, 4:16 pm
The comparison to communism seems rather incendiary. But, I agree, the deal smells bad and ought to be fleshed out.
Mar 22, 2011, 4:46 pm
I’m afraid that I have to disagree- this isn’t Communism that you’re describing. It’s a Plutocracy, a very different animal altogether.
Mar 22, 2011, 8:57 pm
Follow the money. Who are the owners behind the LLC, Rocky Mountain Management & Development Co. and Biomark, Inc. entities?
Mar 22, 2011, 9:01 pm
Heather is correct. Nationwide, statewide, countywide, and citywide, we live in a plutocracy, where the playing field is steeply tilted in favor of the rich. Just pay attention to the news.
Dave, go look under your bed for the commies.
Mar 22, 2011, 9:31 pm
Sounds more like Republicanisim to me.
Mar 22, 2011, 10:24 pm
Does this mean that a profit making group will be operating in a facility which pays no property taxes? Why, yes, I believe that it does. The money lost to the schools should be included in the leasing fee and paid by the city to the school district on this, and by every government every time such an arrangement is made. I’ll bet that the Library won’t get the money from the lease of “their” space, it’ll go into the city’s general revenue stream and get flushed away.
Dirty sums-a-whatevers.
Mar 22, 2011, 10:38 pm
Socialism, communism, republican, democrat! It does not matter. When you elect an idiot to run the city, why would you expect anything but idiotic policies and moronic deals??
Mar 23, 2011, 12:04 am
Thank you for calling this what it is. The funny money is becoming more and more apparent. Next step: Inflation and levy increases. Thank goodness for our Dear Great Brother and Sister leaders to have the forsight to watch over ALL of the community and not just those closest to heart.
Mar 23, 2011, 10:44 am
That Rock climing gym is still there, with a new name, http://urbanascent.com/ and that building has always housed a rock gym. I believe a doggy day care was part of it for a while but never took over the entire building. Looks like a nice place.
Mar 23, 2011, 2:03 pm
Hi, just discovered your site. Very interesting stuff. Just wanted you to know that
library people are opposed to this deal. This is something the city is doing to the
library, not the other way around. Thanks and have a great day:)
Mar 23, 2011, 2:34 pm
The Facts —
1. Michael N. Fery, Manager, Rocky Mountain Management & Development, LLC
2. 9th & River, LLC, Member/Manager, Fery Bros. Plus, LLC
3. Michael N. Fery, Member/Manager, Fery Bros. Plus, LLC
4. Michael N. Fery, President & CEO, Rocky Mountain Companies
5. Michael N. Fery’s biography on rmmdllc.com specifies the following:
a) Streetcar Taskforce, Member;
b) Mayor’s Task Force to Restructure the Building Dept.;
c) Boise Convention Center & Visitor’s Bureau, Chairman; and
d) IACI, Board Member
The Idaho Statesman indicated that the lease agreement provides for a potential land swap between the parties. Does anyone know what land Rocky Mountain is proposing to swap?
Mar 23, 2011, 2:59 pm
Here, No-team Dave, is another example of your “snarkiness.” The definition of communism cited has absolutely no bearing on the type of transaction you seem to be decrying.
If is does, as others have noted, you sure failed to draw the connection. Your personal vendetta against “Team Dave” often colors what could be a useful service to the community–if you’d learn how to distinguish fact from opinion.
Mar 23, 2011, 6:50 pm
Hey Gary, In the many years I have known the Guardian, I have never seen an example of a “vendetta” on his part. You sound like the typical team dave liberal who, if you can’t fault the message, simply assault the messenger. Now me, on the other hand, vendetta works just fine! Why? Because you just can’t fix STUPID!! (thanks Ron) This administration has made more stupid moves than one would think possible.
Climbing club: multi year lease at 1/4 the going rate for the area. Stupid!
Land swap with the bone cutters that “said” they were going to put a hospital there. The only reason for the swap was that it was included in the proposed 30th. St. development for CCDC (which they currently have no authorization.) Stupid!
Land swap for sagebrush and dirt way outside city limits because the city owns the spur. STUPID!
Announcing the terminal of the mass transit system (which sucks) before discussing with the current landowner and tenants (whose response was ” what are you idiots smoking down there?”) Stupid!
Enetering into an agreement with the county (court mandated) and then refusing to pay. STUPID!
A trolley from nowhere to nowhere. TERMINALLY STUPID!!
Selling Hammer flats to F&G when they said they don’t actually have any money to buy it right now. INSANE STUPID!!!
Proposing major residential growth southeast of Boise when there is no water to support it.(it is, after all, a desert) and then proposing a solution by pumping water from the Snake River?? The state wanted to know what they are smoking down there. STUPID!
Vendetta? you bet!! These guys are dangerous!!!!! You need to wake up and smell the coffee1 (anything but Starbucks, their coffee sucks!)
Mar 23, 2011, 11:04 pm
Name calling and government structure aside this story is becoming all too familiar. The Democrats in charge of the city of Boise own far too much property that is used for non government use. The Republicans in charge of the state own far too much property that is used for non government use. Both do so for the same reason…money and power under the guise of the public good. It opens up opportunities for insider deals, conflicts of interest, fraud, etc. Whether the property is put to good use or not is irrelevant. The government should not be the landlord for some ID maker. Its a simple test if the building or land is used for anything other than direct government business then it should be sold (and taxed to the benefit of all citizens). I guess the next argument would be “what is government business?”
Mar 24, 2011, 10:25 am
I can’t believe the stupidity of the voters of this town that just keep re-electing these jerks! Boise needs to clean house- No wonder they had to raise all our taxes to support their underhandedness!
Mar 25, 2011, 9:48 pm
I am confused as to how the city can enter into long term leases w/o a vote of the people? We still have Article 8 sec. 3 of the Idaho Constitution the last time I took a look.
How are they able to get around this requirement?
Mar 26, 2011, 12:53 am
Smoke and mirrors Paul, smoke and mirrors!!!
Mar 26, 2011, 8:24 am
LOGIC tells us that if the players–Fery Boyz and Team Dave–are now about 40 years old, they would all be at least 85 when the lease expires.
In reality the lease is merely a deceptive ploy and has no basis in reality.
Mar 27, 2011, 7:23 pm
Another thing that doesn’t make sense is why Biomark would want this building as it is very old and needs a lot of money put into it. It has ancient wiring and plumbing, poor insulation, full of asbestos, lead, etc. I have been inside the building including the back rooms not open to the general public so am speaking firsthand. On April 1st it will be open for the Friends Book Sale so you can come down and see for yourself how bad the condition is. I guess they like that it is close to the river and think it has a view (though the current building doesn’t have windows from which you could enjoy it).
EDITOR NOTE–We strongly suspect there is a much deeper ulterior motive that will someday be revealed. It will probably be couched in terms of “public-private partnership” but the public will learn of it only after it is a done deal.
May 25, 2011, 7:18 am
When I read about this kind of things going on in the USA it warms my heart.