County
The Price of Justice
Justice doesn’t come cheaply in Ada County. The bill for the private counsel representing the Ada County Commishes has reached over $14,000 in that secret meeting case. The commishes met with Boise City Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt last June in a closed session, claiming it was to discuss potential legal matters. Bisterfeldt has testified (by deposition) […]
Tragic, Sad, Fire Protection Lesson
Steve Tupper’s house burned to the ground Wednesday night in rural Ada County south of Kuna-Mora Road and because he lived outside any fire protection district, no fire trucks responded. KTVB-TV had Tupper on camera and he felt “someone” should have responded. Tupper’s tragedy is a common tale and a risk accepted by everyone who […]
Commishes Legal Fees Climb
The Ada County Commissioners have spent $6, 480 in taxpayer funds so far to defend themselves against civil penalties of $150. They have been charged by the Attorney General with violating the Idaho open meeting law when they went into executive session last June and discussed the Emergency Medical Services program and what it would […]
Avimor Moves Closer
Avimor, the planned community which will eventually eat up 26,000 acres of Spring Valley Ranch in parts of three counties, obtained Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission approval last week. At the public hearing a lone supporter testified in favor of the subdivision which will include 685 houses and 75,000 square feet of commercial structures. […]
Mayor Inappropriate On Inquest
The GUARDIAN finds it disturbing that Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has been communicating with the Coroner behind the scenes over a case involving one of Bieter’s cops. We agree the on-again-off-again-on-again inquest and surrounding publicity in the midst of a city election is a bungling effort at best. However, the mayor is out of line […]
He Said, She Said, They Said
New motions filed in court over the Ada County Commishes alleged illegal meeting are going to end up with a legal conclusion that somebody isn’t telling the truth. The latest filing includes an affidavit of Boise City Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt who flatly says, “There was no discussion of pending litigation…Additionally…I was not aware of pending […]
Boise Wrong on Ustick Issue
The ongoing feud between the Boise City Council and Ada County Highway District over Ustick Road is a direct result of rampant developments along the once rural country road. After years of approving thousands of housing units, office parks, retail outlets and their own library-recreation center along Ustick, Boise has created the demand to widen […]
What About Combat Pay?
Looking for a job as a war correspondent and don’t want to visit Iraq? We have a tip for the guy or gal seeking danger, excitement and the thrill of combat. The Ada County Commissioners are looking for a full-time public relations person to make friends with the community and the media. The job posting […]
Give Me More, Give Me Bigger!!
Like the odor from the sugar factory and feedlots, we have become inured (for you non-library types that’s “accustomed to something unpleasant”) to the effects of growth in Idaho. Easy to sound like an old fart that wants to return to the “good old days” on this issue, but folks we are assaulted daily with […]
Prosecutor Has Inquest Conflict
The GUARDIAN has received several reader inquiries about the on again-off again-on again coroner’s inquest into the death of 16-year-old Matthew Jones who was shot and killed by a Boise police officer last December. The Ada County prosecutor has a definite conflict of interest since the only potential defendant is a policeman on the same […]
Best Defense is Good Defense
A GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE Those three Ada County Commissioners facing charges filed by the Idaho Attorney General for allegedly violating the open meeting law know a good thing when they see it. The lengthy legal battle with Lariat Productions over the lease at Les Bois Park had many legal turns and twists navigated by Lariat’s lawyer, […]
Ada Offers Gas Guide
When we noticed a link to a commercial gas price list site on Ada County’s official website, we figured it was a great idea to have an official County Consumer Price Guide. But why limit the service to just gas? The county could link to those mortgage finder sites so people could save on house […]
State and County Need to Talk
Looks like the Ada County Commishes and Sheriff along with the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare have been training with the Bush administration and Katrina States when it comes to coordinating detox services. Sheriff Gary Raney and Commish Chair Rick Yzaguirre narrowly averted a public meeting at a private club just over a week […]
Meeting Host or Guest?
The GUARDIAN asked the folks at St. LuKe’s Regional Medical Center exactly who called the meeting that Sheriff Gary Raney contends was not a meeting, but the Ada Commissioners listed on the agenda as a meeting at the posh private Arid Club on Wednesday. Government and community leaders were set to discuss a proposed drug […]
To Meet or Not to Meet?
Like President Bill Clinton who had trouble with the meaning of “is,” Ada County officials are wrangling with “when is a meeting not a meeting?” In a good faith effort to err on the good side of Idaho’s “Open Meeting Law,” the Ada county commissioners posted a legal agenda item for Wednesday which included a […]
Tell It To The Judge
Ada County Commissioners have been the subject of an Attorney General’s investigation of a June 15 closed meeting with Boise City Councilor Vern Bisterfeldt. The issue is whether or not the meeting should have been closed. One of the prime witnesses is Bisterfeldt, who made an attempt to talk nice with the county on behalf […]
Official Yzaguirre Rehash
Ada County Commissioner Rick Yzaguirre has maintained a pretty low profile after his reelection campaign, but not low enough to escape some pot shots from former Commissioner Sharon Ullman and the BOISE WEEKLY. The WEEKLY ran a piece called “Taxing The Public Trust” which was pretty much a rehash of Yzaguirre’s financial problems with the […]
Commissioners Salaries Total $256,470
Ada county commissioners voted themselves a 3% pay hike, bringing each one an annual paycheck of $85,490. County commissioners are among the few if not only elected officials able to vote themselves a raise between elections. The raises go into effect in October and the combined total for the executives will be $256,470. The commissioners […]
Residents Protest Development
A petition with 634 signatures of Ada County residents and other interested parties protesting a 1,500 home development overlooking the Boise River and Lucky Peak was filed Thursday with the Ada County Commission. Anthony Jones, founder of something he calls SaveThePlateau.org. delivered the petition to the Courthouse in a move to get the Commissioners to […]
Ada Deputies Allowed Behind Bars
Hard to believe that some people WANT to stay in jail, but that was the case with a couple of Ada County jail guards who narrowly avoided the unemployment ax following the escape of a bad guy last month. The GUARDIAN has it on good authority that contrary to earlier reports only one guard was […]
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