City Government
Where Have All The Candidates Gone? Serious Contenders Need To Get Organized!
April 21, 2011 
Is it apathy or contentment? No one is popping up as a candidate for Boise City Council or mayor.
Interesting to note at least 50 people applied for the appointment to fill Bisterfeldt’s seat without election. Will any of them run if they have to pass muster with voters?
Of course, the incumbents will tell you they haven’t decided if they will run or not and they will also speculate there is no opposition because folks are so happy with the status quo.
No doubt about it, the job is time consuming and thankless–especially with the likes of the GUARDIAN sniping away every time a thoughtless decision is made. It does come with a fair amount of perks including a salary of about $22,000, state retirement and health care benefits.
Councilors whose terms expire include, Elaine Clegg, David Eberle, Alan Shealy, and Lauren McLean. Normally only three members are up for election at a time, but since McLean was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Vern Bisterfeldt in January, there are four seats up for grabs. Bieter has two elections under his belt and is likely to go for a third attempt.
The GUARDIAN is urging everyone to contact potential candidates so they can begin fund raising efforts and get up to speed on issues as diverse as the “desire named street car” or the unbridled spending on advertising aimed at manipulating public opinion for the trolley folly or another ball park.
We will offer space on the site to any and all candidates open enough to share their views with readers. It would sure be fun to have a really young member, one or two NOT in lockstep with the others, and a few who will return phone calls like Vern always does.
MEANWHILE G-BAD HEATS UP
Right now it looks like the Greater Boise Auditorium District election is about the only race of interest in town. The G-BAD race has 5 candidates for two seats–Judy Peavy-Derr, David Wali, Hy Kloc, Steve Schmader, Michael Sullivan, and Stephenson Youngerman. Youngerman is the only incumbent.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 21, 2011, 4:19 pm
We have got to figure out a way to get people into office for some other reason than they are likeable.
Most elected officials I know would not even make it to the interview if they had to apply for the office they occupy.
Elected officials are responsible for spending our tax dollars on projects and things we need to make our cities and counties better places, comply with laws, and maintain good order for citizens.
I cringe when I see them come to meetings unprepared or lacking basic knowledge about the things being discussed at meetings. We pay these people quite well for the time they spend in public meetings and they owe it to us to come prepared and informed.
I am afraid apathy has taken center stage and those of us who care choose not to have our families exposed to a microscopic review.
Apr 21, 2011, 4:57 pm
Paul, do you feel that bieter, Clegg and Shealy are “likeable”??
What is needed is someone that is willing to pound these people on their record. Past candidates have been too nice to push an incumbent out of office. The list of idiotic decisions that have been made by the current administration is almost endless. It is time for some “smashmouth” politics to happen!
Apr 21, 2011, 5:05 pm
Dave – how many seats are open in GBAD and is it the top winners take all or do they run for a particular seat?
EDITOR NOTE–Good question. One seat is open and one is incumbent with a total of 5 candidates. Not sure about whether they declare for a specific seat.
Apr 21, 2011, 8:48 pm
perhaps people are just so sick of the “evil” of politics that they don’t want to touch it with a ten foot pole.
Apr 21, 2011, 9:29 pm
Do a Jay Leno, “man on the street” and you have the answer
Apr 22, 2011, 12:58 am
I nominate Cyclops. Take on the Baboons. 😉
Apr 22, 2011, 9:55 am
It’s difficult to say no to the $22K pay. May run my own darn self.
Doesn’t sound all that evil in Idaho. Good for the teachers, standing up to the doofus state commissioner, whatever.
Also hats off to the environmentalists who are foothill bound. Does this involved Camelback Park?
Apr 22, 2011, 10:36 am
Note to Cyclops,
My reference to nice people is generalized to people all over the State of Idaho at all levels of elected office. It is no secret I am a fan of City/County Manager Govt. These people have to APPLY for the job and they know they are at will employees of a city or county. The subscribe to a code of ethics (not always foolproof eg. Bell, Ca.).
This form of govenment is used in more than 50% of cities and counties all over the USA with populations over 3,000 people. We deserve better managment and spending of scarce tax dollars. and City/County Mgrs. offer another way to run cities and counties.
Apr 22, 2011, 3:21 pm
Great to see that Steve Schmader is running for the Auditorium District.
Maybe he can do for the District what he did for the River Festival.
Apr 22, 2011, 6:00 pm
Paul, I couldn’t agree with you more. The type of government you propose is infinitely better than what we have. The problem with a mayor and city council that is functional, is they become dangerous! As ours has.
Apr 22, 2011, 6:03 pm
Clancy, Are you NUTS? I wouldn’t be able to stay out of jail if I had to run against these jerks! Talk to the Guardian. He knows how unelectable I am!
Apr 23, 2011, 5:34 pm
I think the biggest problem is the dirtiness of the campaign. Unfortunatly, the scrutiny a candidates family and past must endure scares many great potential cadidates away. If we just focused on the issues at hand and the candidates plans to address them it would bring out more candidates.
Apr 24, 2011, 11:08 am
Anony: I agree with you on Steve Schmader because he’s a candidate with a vast tourism background and has the results to prove it. He was also the name behind the Boise Millennium celebration which was shown on National TV with 60 hot air balloons lining capital blvd during the last minute countdown. So fun! He also started up the H-Bowl which BSU won that first year. All efforts brought visitors, jobs and $$ to our great city.
Two seats are up for grabs at GBAD. While the incumbent is running (think he’s been in there 16 years…), he is one of 6 candidates in total that still has to win a seat via the election.
Apr 24, 2011, 3:47 pm
Fact Check. I think Stephen Youngerman has been in for 116 years. It’s time for him to go. And no Judy Peavey Derr. Can you imagine the havoc that she’d wreak? We’d be looking for a roofer to take her out at the next election.
Sounds like the top 2 take all.
Apr 25, 2011, 5:59 pm
Schmader, you kidding me. You obviously don’t know why the River Festival stopped. He caused many people to lose thousands of dollars because of his mismanagement. He’s a joke to all those that tried to make the Festival a success.
Apr 25, 2011, 8:27 pm
Paden, I think you may be confusing the original River Festival that ran successfully for many years with the next run that Schmader’s successor (who I won’t name) took over and pulled it into bankruptcy within two years. It’s important not to confuse the two.
Apr 25, 2011, 8:56 pm
Paden is right….Schmader bailed just as the Boise River Fest went bankrupt. He made a lot of money running the show and then the show crashed. Timing is eveything.
Apr 26, 2011, 1:20 pm
While it appears you’re both passionate about the River Festival, I’m pretty confident your facts are mistaken. If you talk to many of those who played key roles in the success of the Festival, I believe you’d find they are not on your same page.
Apr 28, 2011, 5:07 pm
I was VERY close to the numbers and a part of the operation. I know the facts. When a ship is sinking some jump overboard and leave others to go down with the ship. Mr Schmader bailed and left others to sink.