County

Citizens Group Releases Damning Info On Dynamis-Ada Commish Scandal

The group calling itself “Idaho Citizens for a Safe Environment and a Transparent Government” has released a string of documents from a public RECORDS REQUEST which indicate Ada Commishes bought computers, paid consulting fees and much more on behalf of Dynamis and the proposed trash to energy project.

Commish Sharon Ullman hand delivered some of the checks amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars according to the documents and it would appear the $2 million in public funds were nothing more than a start up investment in something the citizens of Ada County would never own or operate–the entire project and all the proceeds from sale of electricity and energy credits would remain with Dynamis.

Ullman appeared on KBOI am 670 radio Thursday and openly admitted using the public money to “invest” in a local company (Dynamis). Idaho’s constitution prohibits local government loans of county funds to private companies, let alone private investments. However well intended, the deal is simply wrong. An investigation is underway and much of the info accumulated by the CITIZENS GROUP should be reviewed by the investigator. The 85 pages of receipts and letters are a bit difficult to understand, but the picture being painted is not pretty.

No doubt the DAILY PAPER’s Cynthia Sewell will digest the data and regurgitate it in a manner we can all comprehend.

NOTE:
Here is ARTICLE VIII of the State Constitution:
Section 4. COUNTY, ETC., NOT TO LOAN OR GIVE ITS CREDIT. No county, city, town, township, board of education, or school district, or other subdivision, shall lend, or pledge the credit or faith thereof directly or indirectly, in any manner, to, or in aid of any individual, association or corporation, for any amount or for any purpose whatever, or become responsible for any debt, contract or liability of any individual, association or corporation in or out of this state.

Comments & Discussion

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  1. Grumpy ole guy
    Sep 20, 2012, 11:17 pm

    I don’t know which is the greater impact, my sense of lack of surprise, or my sense of dismay that those who held/hold the public trust would violate it in such a callus manner.

    Poxes upon all them and their houses.

  2. WOW!

  3. I am amazed at all the outside engineers and consultants paid by Dynamis/Ada County.

  4. Brian Vermillion
    Sep 21, 2012, 4:32 am

    What is simply baffling to me is the unapologetic audacity of Ullman when questioned on her motives regarding Dynamis. Her defeat in the election only seems to have emboldened her and increased her praises for Dynamis. Does she simply have too much at stake financially with Dynamis to turn back now?

  5. Welcome to Idaho, the fourth Reich, were laws and regulations only apply to the proletarians.

  6. We are a one party State!

  7. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of law and requires swift action to prevent any further expenditures of public monies until a legal opinion on the county’s “investment” in Dynamis has been rendered.

    I am frankly surprised and outraged that this has gone as far as it has.

    KTA-Ada County taxpayer

  8. Invoices shown are all 2010. I couldn’t help but notice that attorney Ron Williams was paid $15,000 on Oct. 15, 2010. He was supposed to obtain financing thru the Idaho Energy Resources Authority. He is manager and legal council to the authority which is part of Idaho State Govt. Conflict of interest? Mr. Williams with Mr. Richardson were very much involved in the recent Idaho Public Utility hearings concerning renewable energy and PURPA contracts. Many states have said burning garbage for electricity is not renewable energy. Mr. Williams is seeing to it that waste to energy is still renewable in Idaho with all of the benifits that go with that designation

  9. Unfortunately, this is real. Wish it was a joke. Interesting method of spending our tax money. Not funny.

  10. I hope someone goes to jail. But, I doubt that will happen.

  11. My Two Cents
    Sep 21, 2012, 1:34 pm

    How does Sharon Ullman explains these receipts and expenses when she prevously claimed the $2 million covered proprietary design plans and would be repaid? Are these receipts in addition to the $2 million? Or are they the explanation of how some of the $2 million was spent? I’m a tad confused. I am truly shocked that there are expenses for items such as computers and consultants and all the things private industry is supposed to pay for on its own. Why would any governmental entity subsidize a private company in this manner? Do they have a vested interest? Have they been promised something in return? The inappropriateness is clear. Whether these were actually illegal acts remains to be determined. I hope someone conducts a careful investigation and puts the project on hold until such time as the investigation is completed.

  12. Clippityclop
    Sep 21, 2012, 2:58 pm

    Isn’t this project slated to break ground next month? Wouldn’t this be grounds for an injunction?

  13. modern columbo
    Sep 21, 2012, 4:12 pm

    Ah yes My Two Cents they have been promised something in return. They have been promised all future tax credits that come available. There is currently a lucrative market for Renewable Energy Credits. And yes this is the accounting for the 2 million dollars the county gave Dynamis. The county funded the startup of a company is what they did. The big catch is the boys over at Dynamis have pledged those future tax credits to someone else and the commissioners have been informed of that. Tuesday morning at 0900 for anyone who cares to attend. Would be nice to see an overflow crowd instead just under a dozen.

  14. Frank Brown
    Sep 21, 2012, 4:55 pm

    Oh what a tangled web. I’m hoping that this grist is just right for investigator Kessler’s mill. If there is any justice some commissioners and dynamis officials will be facing charges soon.

  15. Hey folks, this is Idaho corruption. No one will go to jail and justice will not be served. How do you send the Republican bus to jail? Welcome to Afghanistan.

  16. It is no wonder Mayor Bieter asked the Boise Police to not investigate. They might have actually uncovered something and implicated him as well. The commissioners basically gave Sheriff Raney a legal bribe (pay rise) to stay out of this as well. Anyone going to jail over this one? Doubtful. They will rally around each other, like they always due, all the way to the statehouse and change the laws and shrug their shoulders and call the taxpayers STUPID like they did when we voted in term limits.

    Oh and while we are at this can all of us here get $2MM? I am certain anyone of us can come up with a cockamamie scheme like Dynamis and I sure could use a new computer. I mean it sure would be better than overtaxing us and using the “slush” money for your “good close personal friends” now wouldn’t it?

  17. This new bank of Ada Co. sounds great. No application (just talk to the commissioners one by one), no loan fees, no interest, no particular loan maturity. No downpayment documents required. No UCC filings on computers or equipment=no collateral required. The business can be experimental, no revenue history required. The checks will be delivered.
    This same deal should be available to all existing or new businesses in the county!
    It’s time to request Rubber Stamp Rick’s and Ullman’s resignations.

  18. Has it been more than just $2M? Has anyone checked the books at the county?

  19. I can hear it now from our AG…. While what they did was a crime, it serves no public purpose to proseucte these well intended public servants.

    We can all hope for a different outcome but I remain skeptical. Republican politics in Idaho are a euphamism for dirty dealing, back stabing and corkscrewing at every opportunity.

  20. My Two Cents
    Sep 22, 2012, 8:48 am

    The original contract (8952) indicates Dynamis was to receive reimbursement for many items such as actual cost of printing and reproduction of plans/specs; wages paid for design of the Project; cost of employee benefits and taxes; transportation costs related to design of the Project; cost of materials and supplies incorporated into contract documents; cost of payments to subcontractors for work performed in design of the Project; and permits, fees, licenses, tests, and royalties. I think this must be what the receipts show. Of interest, however, is that Dynamis was also to be reimbursed the premium cost of performance bond of not less than 95% of Guaranteed Maximum Price, and ON THE CONDITION they obtained that performance bond, were able to add “markup of not more than 15% of the materials and services.” To my knowledge, Dynamis never posted a performance bond, yet the receipts posted include markups. The voucher dated 8/6/10 clearly shows “markup” of $13,606.54. The voucher dated 7/23/10 includes $13,421 “markup” and so forth. How is that legal? It is my understanding Dynamis was unable to qualify for a performance bond and one was never posted. If that is correct, these markups seem to violate the express terms of the contract.

    Also of interest is the letter from the Director of Operations dated 12/10/10 wherein he explains that the benchmarks in the contract had not been met by Dynamis (which failure was also recorded in the November Operations Staff meeting), and thus the County simply changed the deadlines to accommodate Dynamis’ failure to meet the original dates, rather than withholding payment, as is the standard practice in construction matters. Shockingly this was under done under the direction of “Commissioner Ullman and Administration Services Director Rich Wright”! So to this mix of bizarre activities on the part of the Commissioners, we now add Mr. Wright—the former Public Information Director promoted to be Directed of the Administrative Services Department, who is neither an elected official nor someone who has the right to act in any formal capacity with a commissioner—providing joint approval with a commissioner for moving these deadlines. Why was this change not done in an his appropriate fashion with a formal amendment to the contract and/or a vote by two commissioners? Does this circus atmosphere never end?

  21. Everyone should contact the AG, FBI, Governor, US District Attorney etc and demand that this is investigated. Maybe the squeaky wheel theory will work. Hopefully getting lots of calls will force them to put some pressure where it needs to be.

    Can an injunction be filed to stop all Dynamis projects until the investigation is done?

    USDOJ Boise Office: (208) 334-1211
    FBI (208) 344-7843
    Governor’s office (208) 334-2100
    http://gov.idaho.gov/ourgov/contact.html
    AG’s office http://www.ag.idaho.gov/onlineForms/contactUsForm.htm

    Just for fun
    60 minutes
    http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml?tag=ftr

    EDITOR NOTE–We will not censor the comment, but the GUARDIAN feels it would be an exercise in futility to make calls unless you have factual information to share. None of those listed will likely act until the current investigation is complete.

  22. My two cents
    Sep 22, 2012, 3:26 pm

    We should wait “until the current investigation. Is complete”? Surely you jest. The investigation has not even started, much less will it ever be completed. Last it was rumored a new person was appointed, a retired FBI person as i recall, but I have seen no confirmation she is actually DOING anything, have you? It’s been months of passing the buck. While perhaps contacting all these people is futile, so has been everything thus far, so I say let’s at least try!

  23. In Idaho you have to steal a RV, get a DUI, and sexually harrass someone if you are Republican and need to go to jail. So far in this Dynamis fiasco, no crimes of this nature have happened.

  24. Resalistically, did you expect anything different. This is Idaho afterall. The way everyone passed on a handling this case, you could tell it was a political “hot potato”. IMO, this probably goes deeper than just the ADA County commissioners….

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