County
Bisterdeldt Resigns– “I Just Can’t Answer The Bell”
April 14, 2012 
After 53 years punching it out in the public service ring, Ada Commish Vern Bisterfeldt told the GUARDIAN Saturday, “I just can’t answer the bell anymore.”
Known to almost everyone as just “Vern,” the 74-year-old former copper, city councilor, and county commish has resigned his post (we hear effective May 4). He has undergone two back surgeries which have left him with debilitating pain.
“I can’t make it to the office anymore and it’s time to step aside. It’s only fair to the people for me to leave,” said Bisterfeldt. Family has asked friends (and media) to respect his privacy until he has had more time to recover from his lengthy medical treatment.
The Republican Central Committee will offer three names to Governor Butch Otter who will select a replacement. The replacement will come from the district Bisterfeldt currently represents. Redistricting and Bisterfeldt’s prior decision to not seek reelection has left a seat open with three Republican candidates: Jim tibbs, Steve Halvorson, and Brad Rowen. Larry Rincover is the sole Dem running for the two year term.
The BISTERFELDT LEGACY.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 14, 2012, 9:10 pm
I read the last comment thread on Vern. Particularly the remarks about Nancy Cladis and the juvenile probation mess.
I met Vern when I was a kid cop. He was a seasoned old vet back then. He was very well liked by the troops which always means two things. He was a good guy and he managed to pull some s#$% and get away with it once in awhile.
To be perfectly honest- I have not followed the probation thing.
This is what I know. After more than 50 years of public service, Vern may have made a few mistakes. I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t- which includes the cowards who act as though they are somewhat morally superior as they write derisive comments about Vern from their anonymous perches.
I’ll take Vern over any one of you- any day. Thank you Vern for your service.
Apr 15, 2012, 6:09 am
Salute, Vern. Please enjoy the beautiful days ahead with Shirley, your family and friends. Thanks for more than a half century of public service.
Sincerely,
KTA
Apr 15, 2012, 8:14 am
I don’t think that “comments from … anonymous perches” are any more cowardly from one side of an issue than they are from another. The fact is that there are often good reasons for being anonymous. Right, Frankenstein?
Apr 15, 2012, 12:00 pm
Vern used to cruize around N. Junior Hi when I was a student there. Everyone liked him.
Apr 15, 2012, 12:58 pm
I sympathize with Vern on two back surgeries and constant pain. For the life of me I do not understand why doctors and medical people are reluctant to prescribe pain meds in the quantity that will restore some quality of life to people in constant pain.
Addiction is better than living in pain. I too have had two back surgeries and have some idea of what Vern is dealing with. Life is short no matter the yardstick so why not live it pain free.
Apr 15, 2012, 1:55 pm
I’d like to thank Vern for all of his years of service.
Apr 15, 2012, 5:27 pm
Paul: DEA and the War on Drugs.
Apr 16, 2012, 1:46 am
How many paychecks is Vern, or any other elected offical, entitled to collect for doing nothing? Yes that is harsh. But he was elected to DO A JOB not line his pockets and pad his PERCI.
Lets see if the Bistefeldt apologist Frazier has the sack to post this comment.
EDITOR NOTE–Glad to oblige. Elected officials don’t get any “sick leave” or vacation time. Their only barometer is from people like you–the public. The media has been harsh on Guv Butch for attending a rodeo instead of traveling to Brazil for instance. Vern put his heart into it until he could, “no longer answer the bell.” Legislators with cancer have also taken inordinate time off, but they are allowed temporary replacements who are not elected.
Apr 16, 2012, 8:33 am
Not one comment on how his vacated position will be refilled by appointment, meaning fiat, rather than going to an open election?
Apr 16, 2012, 8:57 am
I think Vern is a good man who did what he felt was best for his community.
I also think the system is broken. I’d like to see the elected and appointed have reduced or no pay and bennies. I’d like to see them do what the community wants on each issue, rather than do what they think is best (true representation). Even better; in this day of modern communications, I see little need for such a vast and expensive system of elected and appointed officials.
These jobs should not be the best jobs in the community as we really don’t need them anymore. Much of what they do is shovel paper around in a circle. And make their friends sweet deals. If we can manage $millions$ in the blink of an eye via internet, we certainly can make local policy choices ourselves too. We are being crushed by these public servants sucking us dry and mismanaging our money on projects none of us would every chose. Ask yourself how much you can currently see in public policy which the majority of voters would never approve of.
Time for real change as a product of technology.
Apr 16, 2012, 3:13 pm
I have met Vern many times, I always felt he was genuine.
Apr 16, 2012, 4:48 pm
Zippo, as long as it’s not the military ,police and prisons..right?
Apr 16, 2012, 10:42 pm
@dog: Pay and bennies appropriate for work getting done. Here’s a nice link, there are many other links which rank occupations. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/04/best-and-worst-jobs-of-2012-most-stressful-careers/
Point I’m making in post above is that we no longer need “representation”. Communication now travels faster than the speed of a horse, as it did way back when these public office positions where created. They where a good thing then, necessary to bring democracy and civility to tame the wilds of the new nation. However, now it is clear to most Amerikans that our leaders are very poor listeners and often do what they think is best, rather than trying to represent the will of the majority of citizens. With modern technology, a discussion and consensus of the people themselves can very quickly be undertaken. This blog is a good example of input from the public that was not possible just a few years ago. We can represent ourselves without the expense and corruption of the elected official.
Let us elect people willing to implement such ideas and begin the process of real government change. Let us get started on a government formed by the people themselves…Proof of citizenship required. This should take years to do; not a revolt, just a slow change away from centralized governmental power brokers. Just think what a 20 page tax code could do for us! Military, police and prisons are some of our largest expenses which also need reforms. Public safety is 43% of the total Ada County budget.
Khrushchev’s predictions seem to be coming true. I’m not certain if the ideas I post here will hasten his forecasted failure or prevent it. Do you recall how much he hated JFK. Today we have a former hardcore KGB killer in charge of Russia, and he is actively supporting the leaders and ideas of our current federal government. Khrushchev was not stupid, neither was Alexander Tyler who also wrote about the life cycle of democracy.
Let us run a series of small, isolated experiments to find a way out of the cycle.
The government is desperate to regain control of the printing press as a result of ideas like this one. (internet tax, internet kill switch, specific user ID, etc.) 😉
Apr 26, 2012, 7:06 pm
I have known Vern for decades. I remeber Vern when he was a rookie cop, and at times, patrolling Murry’s (speling) Drive In. Take care friend and keep that smile.
May 2, 2012, 5:09 pm
I remember Vern in the parking lot of Meridian High School always talking to the same girl, she never had friends, I think we all thought it strange a little odd any way he never busted us for smoking in the alley, and he never busted anyone for smoking weed at the middle School so Cops will be Cops.