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November 9, 2012

Open Session, Veteran’s Day

Filed under: Open Session — mary @ 10:41 am

   I’ve changed this Open Session intro from Friday’s photo of the sudden snowfall to a Sunday tribute to Veteran’s Day.  I decided to change it rather than start a new Open Session because I think we’ve got some good comments going here about responsible government and how important that is for our veterans as well.

My thanks to each and every one of our veterans,  starting with our own Bill McCrory, retired military and Secret Service, who is my partner on this web site.  Your thoughts?

9 Comments

  1. Here is a picture of me enjoying the snow!

    ..

    Comment by up river — November 9, 2012 @ 12:21 pm

  2. Don’t overdo it!

    Comment by mary — November 9, 2012 @ 12:27 pm

  3. Inhale, Exhale, Inhale, Exhale…..Idaho’s rare mountain air!

    Comment by oldfaithful — November 9, 2012 @ 6:58 pm

  4. Would like to point out a couple of revealing points gleaned from Thursday’s Press article in regards to the “Streamline” County Government ballot.

    In summary, Commissioner Tondee said, “The bottom line was for county residents to decide their county structure for themselves…he doesn’t expect the commissioners will roll out another proposal to restructure county government, he added…not even to increase the number of commissioners.”

    First, “county residents” were not deciding the structure of local government “for themselves.” The impetus to change the structure was initiated by a small handful of influential business owners whose primary business is directly related to growth and development.

    The Board then took some of those ideas and proposed the ballot measure. Green and Tondee then relied on contributions (about $28,000) from a handful of donors and pushed their self-serving interest and that of their donors with little open discourse prior to drafting the ballot language or the ability of all county residents to modify their ballot to make it more palatable. Instead, the Board only provided one option; their way, or no way.

    Second—in relation to the Board giving-up so easily by not proposing other options for restructuring—Green and Tondee have for months over-and-over argued that the system of County government is broken to the point that it needs a major overhaul. But now after the only option (they and their donor friends) wanted to fix the problem was defeated, now all of a sudden it’s okay?

    This tells me that they really didn’t believe the system was broken or they certainly would be learning from the defeat and amending their proposal—or dare say promoting a public arena with open discussions to further define the “problems” with County government.

    Third, Commissioner Tondee made mention of NOT increasing the number of Commissioners from three to five. This item wasn’t even on the Ballot—so why did Tondee negate this idea? I think it is clear that Green and Tondee’s ballot to “streamline” the County was central to the idea that less participation and fewer elected officials, is best for their unwritten, unspoken goals.

    Green and Tondee got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Unfortunate though is that these same two Commissioners are getting close to adopting new County-wide land use regulations that will make the “streamline” ballot appear like a speed-bump before going over a cliff. It won’t surprise me if they take the same attitude as they did with the ballot—my way or no way. Or in other words, if you don’t like it, sue us and our deep pocket friends.

    Comment by old dog — November 10, 2012 @ 11:41 am

  5. I don’t like what Commissioners Green and Tondee were proposing and it’s too bad they ran unopposed in the county election.You can always try to streamline any democratic Gov’t to make it more effective, but then you’d have to either bypass the voters or violate the rights of the voting public somehow to do it.

    I also, don’t like the partime, (5) commissioners idea. If you’re being paid $64,000/ a year to be a Kootenai county commissioner, you’re being paid to be a full time commissioner imo. They have alot of work to do and it needs to be a fulltime job.

    Comment by kageman — November 10, 2012 @ 5:36 pm

  6. Wouldn’t it be great to honor our veterans and service persons with an open, honest government free of corruption and agenda since they are the ones in harms way defending the rights of those running our country?

    I would like to thank our veterans and service men and women on this Veterans Day.

    Comment by concerned citizen — November 11, 2012 @ 10:50 am

  7. Mary,

    Thank you. And you too, concerned citizen.

    Comment by Bill — November 11, 2012 @ 12:05 pm

  8. I was reading Brent Regan’s and DeNiles’ responses to the skewspaper’s editorial today titled The cost of free speech.

    Regan and DeNiles have a clearer understanding than Thompson and Patrick of the theoretical mission of a newspaper, to provide timely, accurate facts as completely as possible. The practical purpose of the Coeur d’Alene Press is to stroke the egos of as many local people as possible, to make them feel good about themselves and the community as a whole. It is not about providing accurate, timely, complete information.

    Comment by Bill — November 11, 2012 @ 4:51 pm

  9. I noticed it too, Bill. And Brent Regan’s comments were right on too. Here’s the link

    Comment by mary — November 11, 2012 @ 5:40 pm

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