County
Legal Bills Continue To Mount For Ada Taxpayers
May 25, 2017 
A 4th District Court Judge has issued a scathing order chastising Ada Commishes Jim Tibbs and Dave Case for their part in firing Rich Wright, former administrator for the county.
A jury unanimously awarded Wright $1.6 million for his claims plus the attorney fees bring the total to be paid by the citizens to $2.46 million. Wright had appealed a previous dismissal from another 4th District Judge to the Idaho Supreme Court. The Supremes overturned part of that decision, forcing the new trial.
On Wednesday Judge Kathryn A. Stricklen denied the county’s motions to not pay Wright’s $664,527 legal fees and to order a new trial.
“It is quite clear that both Case and Tibbs were acting together, and that their conduct was highly unusual,” Stricklen wrote. “Not one witness criticized Wright’s performance. The Court does believe that the verdict for Wright was in accord with the clear weight of the totality of the evidence.”
Stricklin termed awarding legal fees as “appropriate” and “reasonable.”
The case was filed as a “whistleblower” action after Wright was fired the day after Tibbs and Case took office. Larry Maneely, a former TV sportscaster and close friend of both Tibbs and Case was appointed the next day–lending credence to the Judge’s conclusion.
Case and Tibbs assumed the majority of power on the three member board in January 2013. Their first big legal move back then was to make a $2 million settlement to Dynamis over the failed Trash to energy scandal brought forth by the previous board. Had they treated Wright the same as Dynamis, it would have saved taxpayers some cash.
Some say a picture is “worth a thousand words.” The one at the STATESMAN website is worth well over two million dollars.”
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
May 25, 2017, 9:18 pm
Hey, why are their locks on the lockers at the police station?
On the other hand the county could garnish the cost of their misdeeds from their multifaceted pensions? I do believe attaching the cost would minimize unlawful and unethical problems in the future. Perhaps it’s time for a landmark case for the people to get their money back from the conspirators.
May 25, 2017, 10:31 pm
The amount should be deducted from Mr. Cases’ and Mr. Tibbs’ state PERSI retirement accounts!
They did…..they pay for it. Tax payers should not pay a penny!
May 25, 2017, 10:34 pm
Isn’t this grounds for the removal of both Jim Tibbs and Dave Case from office?
May 25, 2017, 10:43 pm
This is everyday Idaho. Congratulations to plaintiff Wright.
May 26, 2017, 12:29 am
Tibbs and Case should apologize to Wright and the citizens of Ada County, then resign. Failing that, a good old fashioned recall would be in order.
May 26, 2017, 6:57 am
Wright is also a former TV news person.
May 26, 2017, 10:04 am
These are the two of the three who voted to approve the sprawling Dry Creek sub-division (Ada Co. mistakenly calls it a “planned community”) on top of vital big game winter range and six feet of topsoil off Highway 55. As usual – they listened to near-unanaimous citizen opposition and just gave the developer whatever he wanted. Besides houses on the six feet of top soil down by Dry Creek, there are side-slope ones planned too – Terra Nativa West in the making … AND part of the wildlife “mitigation” was quite a joke. Ada County allowed the Developer to buy a little parcel of land (location still undetermined) as far away as Elmore County to supposedly make up for the habitat loss here in Ada County.
May 26, 2017, 10:54 am
Move along–this is just the usual settlement. City of Meridian paid over $4 million in legal fees after losing their fight with contractors over City Hall construction. Canyon County spent over $1 million trying to convict John Bujack –and lost 4 times in court. City of Nampa thru their insurance Company just paid $700,000 to settle a case brought against Mayor Henry’s firing of a fire dept. official—Our elected officials never admit they are wrong and force us to pay for their misplaced pride.
EDITOR NOTE–Good points Sam. Don’t forget the state of Idaho and the fiber optic deal, ag-gag, gay marriage, land board private business deals, etc.
May 26, 2017, 9:38 pm
Tibbs and Case have the “utmost respect” for the legal process, the same process that found they colluded against Mr. Wright… they should resign. I certainly will not vote for them.
May 26, 2017, 11:18 pm
I am just curious, is this lawsuit and the time and money it is costing the reason the county is doing nothing about Hawks stadium? They are saying that the Hawks haven’t told them they are thinking about leaving so they have not thought about doing anything to keep them. (Such as making a nice stadium.) The property is NOT owned by Garden City. It is owned by ADA county.
May 27, 2017, 5:46 am
Nothing new to see here. Tea party lackey Case needs to go. The county hemorrhages good employees because of the sad state of the leadership who elevate political and personal games above all else.
May 28, 2017, 2:56 pm
Any word on what happened to the employee who is at the root of this debacle?
May 31, 2017, 3:25 pm
It is very sad when the corruption of elected officials is so common that the media does not care to report it and the corrupt actions are considered acceptable to the public.
Jun 2, 2017, 11:49 am
having worked with Case before in another life, not surprised at all. This is how he rolls, vindictive
Jun 4, 2017, 11:55 am
Doggone, do you mean Benny Poole? Still collecting his pay from the Commish’ers. Major suck up.
And to ‘not surprised’, Case makes a wounded Badger look docile.