Politics
Did County Legal Dept. Act In Bad Faith?
The Ada County Prosecutor’s office needs a reminder about their ultimate boss. It is the people of Ada County, not the Commishes. When the Idaho Statesman was sent a LETTER denying access to public information on the grounds the information was a “personnel matter” exempt from disclosure, that office acted in bad faith in our […]
Kudos To Statesman For Commish-Dynamis Story
Kudos to the DAILY PAPER for some good old fashioned journalism on the Ada Commission coverage in today’s paper. No sense in us attempting to match reporter Cynthia Sewell on this one. She simply “told it like it is.” It is a long read by today’s news standards, but she covered the 12 minutes of […]
Private Eye, Former Boise Ombudsman Investigator To Probe Ada Commish-Dynamis Deal
Verna R. Kessler, a former investigator for the Boise Office of Ombudsman, has been assigned to the investigation of the Ada Commishes and Dynamis Energy. The “hot potato” investigation has been passed off from the Ada Sheriff, Ada Prosecutor, Attorney General, Bannock Sheriff, Boise Police, and now a private investigator. Perhaps the sixth time will […]
Most Ada Salaries Top Those Of State Officials
Look for state elected officials and local coppers to pitch salary hikes during future legislative and city council meetings, comparing state and local salaries as justification for pay hikes. Ada County Commishes approved a budget crowding $200,000,000 last week and bumped up the salaries of elected officials including a 15% hike for Sheriff Gary Raney, […]
Dynamis Hot Potato Investigation Flipped (or mashed) Yet Again
The “Hot Potato” investigation of the Ada County-Dynamis trash to energy deal has been tossed once again thanks to the withdrawal of Boise PD from the case. Sadly, it was only after the GUARDIAN informed readers of the BPD involvement that Mayor Dave Bieter called them off the case. Several potential witnesses contacted the GUARDIAN, […]
Private Probation Firm Ordered To Assist Ada Sheriff Transition
Citing a refrusal to cooperate with the Ada County Sheriff’s office, Fourth District Administrative Judge Mike Wetherell has issued an order to the private for profit “Ada County Misdemeanor Probation Services, Inc” firm to meet with the sheriff no later than September 3 to insure the orderly transfer of services to the Sheriff. In his […]
Dynamis “Hot Potato” Probe Lands At Boise PD
The “hot potato” investigation of the Ada Commishes and Dynamis which no one wants to handle has finally landed in the lap of the Boise Police. The inquiry was begun when a CITIZENS GROUP wrote letters to the County, State, and Federal prosecutors demanding action The GUARDIAN started getting tips during the past week saying […]
Bieter Ignores Public, Seeks More Tax Money From Feds For Pet Train
Ignoring at least two public opinion SURVEYS funded by the city and one conducted by the Idaho Statesman, Team Dave has continued its short sighted quest engineer expensive trains in the Treasure Valley. Mayor Dave Bieter gave away an autographed Kristin Armstrong bike helmet to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and got a promise of […]
Dynamis Circles Wagons, Conservation League Opposes Waste-to-Energy Project
The GUARDIAN has been skeptical from the beginning about the so-called trash to energy plant proposed at the town dump. Now it looks like just about everyone is against the project. Conservatives and libertarians oppose the financing, the neighborhood greenies question the environmental issues and now the Idaho Conservation League is on record against issuing […]
Lowdown On Lowe Settlement
Still no official word on the amount of the settlement between former Idaho Transportation chief Pam Lowe and the state. She sued for unlawful dismissal and gender discrimination, but agreed to settle out of court. In response to a GUARDIAN (and other) record request, the State Controller’s office tells us: 1.) Currently, our system does […]
Yet Another Unintended Political Consequence?
One of the GUARDIAN’s political junkie readers has come up with an interesting twist on the recent appointment of a Boise County prosecutor to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Dem Ron Twilegar, the itinerant lawyer who runs wherever he can find a vacancy. Twilegar is running as a Democrat for Ada County […]
Proposed Brew Pub In State-Owned Building Illegal As Planned
Looks like the Oregon based brew pub set to go into a state-owned Boise commercial building has been cut off, at least temporarily. BOISE WEEKLY‘s Andrew Crisp has a good explanation. The short version is existing state laws preclude brewers from owning retail outlets that import beer from other states and also selling retail. The […]
Dynamis Deal Declared DOA in Wyoming
Once on the list of “projects underway, in the works, awaiting completion, etc.” a garbage to energy plant in Riverton, Wyoming has joined the list of failed projects for Dynamis–the outfit with a 30 year contract and $2 million in Ada tax money. Seems like any news about Dynamis and its principals is bad these […]
90% Of Priest Lake Cottage Leases Held By Non-Residents, 90% of Payette Sites Are Held By Idahoans
We got this note recently from a North Idaho reader following the Idaho Supreme Court decision which calls for open bidding on state owned cottage sites around North Idaho’s Priest Lake and Payette Lake near McCall. The Statesman and other media have reported frequently and rather sympathetically about lease rates being raised to a level closer […]
Claim On A Rotten Deal Filed Against Ada
A tort claim of $30 million–legal action required prior to filing a suit against local government–has been filed against Ada County by the energy firm currently generating electricity at the landfill by capturing methane gas created from rotting garbage. Through a couple of subsidiaries, Fortistar Methane Group has a contract to operate the gas-to-energy facility […]
Boise Budget Woes Worsen, Mayor Seeks Extra $$ For Unions
If we understand what the BOISE WEEKLY’S George Prentice has written, it looks like there is a shortfall of several million dollars in the proposed City budget, but Team Dave is seeking some extra bucks for the coppers and firefighters. The GUARDIAN has expressed concerns about inequities of our civil servants. The union members are […]
State Denies Request, Keeps Settlement Secret
The State of Idaho has refused to honor a request from the Boise GUARDIAN for the settlement agreement between former Transportation Director Pam Lowe and the State of Idaho. Lowe was terminated and filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court. The case was settled out of court and both sides have declined to reveal how […]
Thoughts On Movie Mass Murder Mania
Early reports of the tragedy in Aurora point to a deranged madman entering a theater during a Batman movie and opening fire on the audience. No indication of foreign terrorist involvement. –Sadly, one of the risks–and benefits–of living in a free society is people have access to guns and you can’t make every theater, retail […]
ITD Covers Up Expenditure Of Public Funds In Secret Deal
The State of Idaho has spent public money in a secret settlement deal over the firing of former Transportation Director Pam Lowe. The GUARDIAN is less concerned about the settlement than with the secrecy surrounding the agreement. When public money is expended, government has an obligation to disclose the recipient and the amount spent. Anything […]
Bike Group Forces Garden City Election
The Committee for an Open Greenbelt (COG) filed petitions today containing more than 130 signatures from Garden City residents on two initiative petitions seeking to overturn the Bike Ban. According to the group, once the signatures are validated the City Council must call for a special election. The election will apparently allow the residents of […]
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