“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”

Must be the mantra of the current politico’s in office in either Ada or Canyon Counties.

We must stop voting for the incumbent fools and go with a non incumbent. Reminder to vote November 6th.

That is all.

How much clout does Joe Scott need? As much, apparently, as Dave Bieter will let him buy. Is this one of the reasons the City refused to release around 245 documents in response to a Public Records Act request???

One would think that public officials would grasp that secrecy and covert activities would only further tarnish their already tarnished reputations . So why not be transparent from the start? But that would require belief in the merit of civic virtue – something that is sadly and increasingly lacking from those who enter public life. It seems that public office acts as a magnet for power seeking sociopaths. Particularly on the federal level, but increasingly on the local level. Is it too much that people we elect simply act with decency?

Actually, 460 of 566 records (80%) deemed responsive to our Public Records Request were withheld as “privileged.” There were two requests 48 records were provided and 212 withheld in one request and 58 provided, 248 withheld in another.

It is not correct to say “opponents of the bike park” requested the records. I filed the PRRs, and I am not opposed to a properly vetted bike park in the flood retention basin.

I am concerned that a wealthy donor was allowed to trump the open, transparent, public involvement process promised by Boise’s open-space plans. The “world-class bike-skills park” was planned some two years ago by that donor and leaders of several bike groups.

Those of us who have worked for decades to protect & paid more than $10 million in taxes to enhance Boise’s open-space reserves deserve a voice in how they are managed and developed.

Casmir: I don’t think they start out as sociopaths. I knew several of our city councilors, actually actively supported their election because of the principles they espoused and demonstrated in their previous work.

I believe Lord Acton was correct and the ancient Greek playwrights explored the phenomenon in great depth: Power corrupts. If you’ve been in power long enough, you develop a kind of hubris and begin to think you know better.

Democracy is messy. If I already know what’s best for my people, why waste precious time & energy with public involvement?

The “world-class bike-skills park” is just one of the “gifts” present council “leadership” (mayor, council president & president pro tem) want to expedite for us. This one is “free” until the city has to maintain it.

We may end up paying a lot more for some of the others—a desire named “streetcar,” a glass palace by the river, F35s at Gowen field,…

We can only hope that Bistline’s complaint was correctly and strongly enough worded to shed light on this, but Dem’s usually don’t go too hard on other Dem’s.

Also, Albertson Corporation is bleeding money. I guess that does not affect Joe’s grandson with regard to his political spending and dealing.

Keeping the Albertson idea secret required a violation of the open meeting laws. Nobody asked any questions. Consider this: Albertson (et al) wants to see the mayor replaced . . .?

Westerner – Regarding where the other City Councilors are on this? Aiding and abetting antidemocratic measures to cut the public out of a voice in the Bike Park. They are all Bieter’s puppets and fellow conspirators in violating the public trust.

Just this week, the City Council again went to significant lengths to cut out even hearing a word spoken by the public on the matter. This Tuesday at a noon City Council meeting, two Bike park items were on the agenda. For context – we had learned that the day after the 10/16 Appeal hearing where Council denied the Bike Park Appeal, the City tore up the agreements they had signed with Albertson’s. The City claimed they needed new agreements because now Parks and Rec will build the Dog Park, and not a contractor – when really they are trying to fix past mistakes. On 10/18 Parks and Rec Commission unanimously voted for the new Agreements – but refused to take public comment.

Then Tuesday 10/23 the agreements were in front of City Council. Council also refused to take public comment – even after Council had to move the Bike Park documents off the consent agenda due to a citizen request.

Those present were Mclean (who supposedly has aspirations to be Mayor some day), Woodings, Clegg and Sanchez. Not a one stuck up for the public’s right to be heard on this matter.

If the Ada County D.A. blows this off, isn’t that A.G. Wasden’s cue to conduct an investigation? It seems to me that the chief duty of the Attorney General is to ensure that counties and cities adhere to state law.

EDITOR NOTE–A.G. has no duty or jurisdiction over cities. There is a recent law that gives the office authority over county official’s misdeeds, but that is because the county prosecutor is also the legal counsel for the county officials. County prosecutor is chief law man in each county (sheriffs will argue the point, but prosecutors are the deciders).

The Ada County Prosecutor has handed off the Open Meeting Law violation investigation to the Meridian Police. If a county prosecutor feels there may be a conflict of interest at the local level, the case may be handed off to the Idaho Attorney General, as happened in the recent ACHD matter.