This has been a memorable summer for our family, busy from beginning to end. It has been full of visits from relatives and friends, and now we have wrapped up the main part of summer with the wonderful wedding of our daughter.  We are so blessed!

In the midst of our activities, I’ve been tracking some of the goings-on about town, many of which I will address in newsletters after Labor Day.  But this week there was an event I thought you should know about right away. (more…)

Mary Souza’s Newsletter

I hope you are having fun in this wonderful sunny weather.  This is what makes the winter worth enduring!

Just so you don’t lose touch with what our fair City is doing during the summer, I thought you’d better be aware of a law they have just altered.  One of my alert readers sent this info—thank you–which I then confirmed on the City’s web site.  The changes to this law were approved by the City Council and signed by the Mayor on June 1st.

The law, quoted below, controls the use of alcoholic beverages within the city.  You can see from the first paragraph that it is illegal to have an OPEN container of alcohol on any public property.  Now read the second paragraph.  It states that it’s illegal to have ANY container, whether open or not, on public property.  Notice that they took out the term “public park” and substituted “public property”.  (more…)

Mary Souza’s Newsletter

Don’t get mad at me…I’m not the one that said it.  The city’s own legal counsel said it at Friday’s hearing about the Election Contest.  I couldn’t believe it.

Attorney Mike Haman, representing the City of CdA, was dancing fast as he tried to answer a question by Judge Hosack about the City Council’s role in the City election.  Mike Haman  argued that the City  should not be added back into the election lawsuit, saying the City played absolutely no part in the election; that they contracted everything out to the County.

Seasoned Judge Hosack showed his experience and wisdom when he responded to Attorney Haman. The judge calmly asked about the role of the City Council when they acted as the “Board of Canvass”. (This is their official role at a Council meeting six days after the election, where they not only ACCEPTED the election tallies produced by the County, which have since been shown to be inaccurate, but the City Council CERTIFIED the results of the election with a unanimous vote.)  It was the lawyer’s answer to the judge’s question that prompted my headline.

Attorney Haman, obviously caught off guard by the judge’s astute question, tried to downplay both the function of the City Council and their responsibility for the CITY election.  He said, basically, yes, they were the Board of Canvass and yes they certified the vote tallies but, Attorney Haman said, the City Council was just a “RUBBER STAMP”.

Yes, he actually said that. I think he said it twice. And I agree.  (more…)

Mary Souza’s Newsletter

Tammy Currie Farkes lives in Canada.  She voted in our last Coeur d’Alene election, even though her mother said, “She hasn’t lived here for 10 years.”  Tammy is not the only one.  There are many people who voted in our city election from outside the city, county, state and country.

Forget Obama’s Health Care bill, forget Cap & Tax, forget Card Check.  None of these important measures will be repealable or controllable if our election system is seriously compromised. And there appears to be a dangerous national movement to do just that.  (more…)

Another Judicial Slapdown

This week we have some good news and some bad news.  Let’s leave the good for the end, since it’s nice to go out on a more positive note.  The bad news is that, once again, one of our District Court judges has tried to flatten a citizen attempt to hold our local government accountable.

Here’s the story: Three citizens brought a lawsuit against NIC and the NIC Foundation, saying that the school’s efforts to get the old DeArmond Mill site by conjuring up a twisted, complicated procedure through the NIC Foundation is illegal.  They say it circumvents the rights of citizens to vote on big decisions that will raise taxes.   (more…)

Things are buzzing right now, but most of the action is behind the scenes.  On the surface there’s a sense of quiet, which is good.  We can all use a break, especially during Easter week, when our focus is on spiritual connections, family and friends.

The City of CdA was busy last week, though.  They held a public meeting to discuss the options for McEuen Field’s renovations.  Good for them!  And kudos to the 75 or so citizens who attended.

If you missed the meeting, don’t worry, the city says there will be more.  Let’s all keep an eye on this process because, though I applaud the city’s efforts, they have a history of asking for citizen input then doing what they had planned anyway.  And that’s not just my opinion, here’s an editorial from the Idaho Spokesman Review, way back in 2002, that points out the city’s “Committee of Nine”, who were in charge of this decision, were not listening to the public. The editorial states that “Coeur d’Alene’s Committee of Nine is off base again in its quest to revamp public McEuen Field…”     (more…)

Dangerous Doctor Dilemma

Our oldest son will graduate from medical school in two months. His graduation will be just a milestone, albeit an important one, on a long journey of dedication to his field. Now, after 8 years of college and med school, he will spend the next 5 years in an Ear, Nose and Throat residency program in the Midwest.

Dave called us last night and he is concerned.  He’s worried about the impact the Obama health care bill will have on doctors’ professional freedom and the quality of care in our country.  (more…)

Mary Souza’s Newsletter, March 9, 2010

Who are the customers for our local government?  We are.  We consume their services and, as taxpayers, we pay for everything they do.  So, do you think we’re getting good customer service?  Would you put up with arrogance, name-calling or absurdly high prices, if you were dealing with a regular business?   (more…)

In a stunning, arbitrary decision this afternoon, Judge Benjamin Simpson imposed a $40,000 bond on those challenging last November’s local city council election.

His action appeared random because the number was apparently plucked from thin air, as we all watched, without reason or rationale given by the judge.  First he asked Mike Kennedy’s attorney, Scott Reed, what dollar amount Scott thought the bond should be to cover his expenses.  Mr. Reed hesitated and said it would take some thought… but the judge prodded him again, asking for a dollar figure, to which Scott Reed answered, “$25,000”.  (more…)