Sue Thilo, our only North Idaho representative, was the lone “yes” vote on the 99 year lease for the Harbor Center by the University of Idaho.   Sue was quoted in this morning’s Press as saying,  “There were other documents other board members were not familiar with. Those we didn’t have access to until 10 minutes before the meeting started and rightfully so, some board members thought they needed more time to review the remaining documents,” Thilo said.”

So, did Sue know more than the others on the board?  If so, why didn’t they get the same info?  If Sue didn’t know more, why would she vote for this measure without enough investigation?

Can you figure out the names of these North Idaho towns?

1. Sounds like a dirty word with a lisp.

2. Ghost and bigger than a pond.

3. A measure of wood and what people like to stroll down. (more…)

This just in from the City’s Web site: The Planning Commission’s View of its Role in the Community. It’s a special meeting of the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission, and it’s taking place at 3:00 today, outside of the regular planned Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Visit the link above for additional details, including an agenda. I assume that it will be broadcast on Channel 19 “Woody TV” but the current schedule does not list it.

One of the points in Bill McCrory’s excellent exposé of the Cop Shop in the park was that it had no running water, no bathroom. After touring the Ironman Village today, I confirmed that Bill was wrong; there is indeed plenty of potty taking place on the Cop Shop location.

Today, the Idaho State Board of Education tabled the notion of a 99-year lease on the Osprey property in Coeur d’Alene. The contract will not be signed.
(more…)

The City’s Pulse Newsletter

By Mary Souza, June 19, 2008

Now I’m angry. For the past year and a half, since my first column in March of 2007, I have been pushing for better communication with our local officials. I’ve been reporting the cover up of important information and have been demanding more respectful treatment of the public. But now things have gotten painful. (more…)

Joy and Rick Seward were at the city council meeting this past Tuesday too. Rick stood up and spoke but Joy wasn’t going to. But after cocky Chris Copstead gave his rude remarks, Joy was so upset she went up to the podium to speak also. She was shaking with emotion and made a strong statement about treating the public with respect and particularly chastised Chris for the tone of his words.

Then after listening to the city council pretend to deliberate and throw barbs and insults at those who spoke out, Joy was not feeling well. She asked her husband to take her home . It turns out that Joy was having a heart attack and she is in very serious condition right now at KMC.

Please keep her in your prayers.

City Council met tonight and, as expected, passed the 99 year “lease” of the Harbor Center building to the University of Idaho. At least 6 people stood up and spoke during Public Comments at the beginning of the meeting. I was one of them. All 6 people, some of whom I did not know, asked for a public hearing or a time for the public to ask open questions and get answers back. It made no difference. The council voted unanimously to approve the lease.

Here’s a copy of my comments to them: (more…)

We need the spirit of Tim Russert in CdA…now! The well-respected moderator of the Sunday morning political show, Meet the Press, was remembered in a touching program today. His colleagues spent the hour reviewing his life and accomplishments after he died suddenly this past Friday.

The major theme of their television memoir was that Tim believed in public accountability for elected officials. He was dedicated to asking tough but fair questions and he expected politicians to be ready to answer with direct, honest information.

That’s what we need here. (more…)

A busy week ahead. Did you read about the Lake City Yearbook? Apparently it has drug references and questionable photos. Any Comments? Also, of course, there are waaay too many other issues:

School district budget meeting tonight, the school public forum TUESDAY at NOON. The MidTown/LCDC meeting is tonight also. Check our calendar in the upper right hand corner, for dates, times and places.