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City Library Vote Off, Project “On Hold”
August 16, 2019 
Wiser heads have finally prevailed on the question of an advisory vote regarding the controversial Boise Library project. Ada County Clerk and chief election officer Phil McGrane sent a strongly worded Letter to Mayor Bieter 8.16.19 to Mayor Dave Bieter Friday refusing to place a confusing advisory question on the November ballot along with a […]
Library Study: Boiseans Are Fat, Poor
Included in the $12 million design fee for an $85 million library is a $40,000 study completed by Boise-based Vitruvian Planning. We note Chris Danley is the founder of Vitruvian Planning and is a former member of Boise City’s Planning and Zoning Commission. In an unbiased report, IDAHO PRESS reporter Margaret Carmel offers some results […]
Library Issue Gets Even More Confusing
In its continuing adversary relationship with the public, Boise City Councilors Tuesday allowed a citizen-passed initiative to require a vote on a new library to proceed to the ballot and voted to include their own “alternative” non-binding ordinance on the same November ballot. At issue is a measure to require public approval of a proposed […]
Tuesday Hearing On Library Vote
Boise politicos have scheduled a public hearing Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the issue of adopting an ordinance to place the libray question on the November ballot. Much has been written–and said–about a proposed ultra exotic structure on Capital Blvd. A citizens group, Boise Working Together, gathered enough signatures to require a vote, Team Dave […]
A Different View Of Latest Library Scheme
Team Dave and its leader, Mayor Dave Bieter are trying to sell the idea of “saving interest fees” by simply inserting $50 million cash for the proposed mega-library project. This after several years of economic schemes, projections, and sales pitches. If Boise has $50,000,000 stashed away in a slush fund, we the people have been […]
Library Petition Garners Enough Signatures For Vote
The Ada County Clerk’s office confirmed Thursday that enough signatures have been verified to place the questions of an $85 million Boise library and a sports park project on the November ballot. Mayor Dave Bieter released a statement saying, “I respect the citizen engagement behind it and the passion for our community it represents,” Bieter […]
Brent Coles Tells P&Z Not To Rezone Library
Don Day at BOISEDEV reports that former Boise Mayor Brent Coles testified before the Planning and Zoning Commission Monday against a rezone of the area near the library and the Log Cabin Literary Center. Coles and about 10 others opposed the rezone. Commissioners agreed and turned down the application to rezone the area which included […]
CCDC Pulls Out Of Library Project
Thanks to the Idaho Legislature and perhaps the Working Together group, financial support for the proposed $85 to $120 million Boise library project is waning. Monday the Capital City Development Corp. (CCDC) board voted unanimously to withdraw $2.6 million earmarked for the project. The legislature passed a law requiring a citizen vote for major projects […]
Library Petition Drive Appears To Succeed
The following is an open letter from David Klinger, one of the organizers of the petition drive to allow citizens a vote on the proposed library and sports stadium projects. Dear Concerned Neighbor, Petitions for ballot initiatives have to be signed on paper, and attested to, in person, before a notary public. Online signing isn’t […]
Library Petition Drive Deadline Nears
Volunteers for Boise Working Together are in the final days to collect signatures on Library and Stadium initiatives before an April 30th filing deadline. The proposed main library and civic center campus would cost an estimated $85 million and the potential sports park $50 million, much of which would come from public monies. Boise Working […]
Library Architect Fined By State
Timing is everything. The architectural firm awarded the $11 million contract to build the Boise Library was not licensed in Idaho at the time they solicited the job. A partner in the architectural firm Safdie and Associates has paid a $500 civil fine and $600 in legal fees to the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses […]
Trust, But Verify Library Vote
With pressure mounting from the GUARDIAN, former BSU Prez Bob Kustra, Vanishing Boise, and Rep John Gannon, Boise City councilors say they will discuss a possible public vote on the proposed library and stadium. See IDAHO PRESS story for details. There is a petition drive underway to obtain 5,000 signatures that would put the question […]
More Library Concerns
One of our GUARDIAN researchers combed through the contract for the architecture services on the library and some items raise red flags just as the first class travel expenses did prior to obtaining permission and funding from Boise citizens for the project. Of particular concern to the GUARDIAN is a clause that allows Moshe Safdie […]
Report: Kustra Backs Vote On Library
David Klinger, the vocal advocate of leaving “The Cabin” in place and having citizens vote on the library funding, sent this note to the GUARDIAN: “Dr.Robert Kustra is the former lieutenant governor of the State of Illinois and the recently-retired president of Boise State University. Today he endorsed our efforts to put the proposed Boise […]
Boise To Accept Library Written Comment
Folks who feel they are being steam rolled into building a “Taj Mahal” library and moving the Literary Cabin tell us there is one final shot at being heard by the City Mothers and Fathers. Written e-mail comments are being accepted at [email protected] until November 27. Feel free to comment on the GUARDIAN, but be […]
Library Hidden Costs Leave Bad Taste
We have had several readers contact the GUARDIAN expressing concern about the library proposal. Chief concern is the funding plan which is as “loosey-goosey” as the the fire department bond which was approved by voters, but failed to live up to its promise. Here is an excerpt from the preliminary contract with the “world class […]
Team Dave Favored Business Over Citizens In Library Deal
Our top researcher and reader, “Clancy,” gets credit for dredging up an old GUARDIAN story and a Cynthia Sewell Statesman piece from 2011 calling into question the decision to lease the Boise Library warehouse and parking area to a private company, even though future library plans were well known. Some seven years ago the GUARDIAN […]
GUARDIAN Library Plan Still Valid After 11 Years
We cannot stress it strongly enough. The citizens of in Idaho are empowered by the State Constitution to control the purse strings of public debt. Boise City and Team Dave have once again launched a public relations blitz to create support for a $70 million edifice to replace the main Library on Capitol Blvd. near […]
Caldwell GUARDIAN Vindicated Over Nampa Library
Thursday the Gardener Company sent Nampa Development Corporation (Urban Renewal) a letter backing out of the retail/officeportion of the Nampa Library Project. Caldwell GUARDIAN editor Paul Alldredge had filed legal action to allow citizens to weigh in on the indebtedness, but backed out when threatened with being forced to pay legal fees. In the letter, […]
Library Not Being “Run By The Book?”
Seems there is unrest at the Boise Public Library, given the reports filtering into the GUARDIAN. While we aren’t ready to declare things aren’t being “run by the book,” some recent personnel actions certainly have caused some staffers to question what pages management may be reading. Consider this: “Recently, Boise Public Library administration internally hand-picked […]
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