Doug Eastwood, CdA Parks Director

Today’s Press had a surprising front page top story about McEuen Plan complaints that were made more than 6 weeks ago at a city council meeting. Here’s the article. What do you think?

Did you watch the President’s speech last night? Whether you agree with his spend-more-money tactic or think we’ve  spent too much already, there was an unexpected insight on a very liberal blog. The Huffington Post is an extreme left blog, but I check it every week or so to see what angles they are using to promote the current administration. Today I found a very interesting column over there that reminds me of the CdA City Council.  (more…)

Mary Souza’s Newsletter

I sat with Dan Green the other day and had a good conversation about the County, public employees and much more. Dan (pictured here) is one of the new Kootenai County Commissioners , along with Jai Nelson, whom, during our discussion, he complimented for her focus and work ethic. These two, as well as new County Clerk Cliff Hayes, offer us in the public a much needed sense of hope.

The County will not raise taxes this year. They eliminated at least 12 underutilized positions. They combed through the budget and sliced out $800,000, but were saddened to discovered the state-mandated indigent care had been estimated at only half its real cost by the previous administration, so the new budget savings were obliterated this legal obligation officially called County Assistance. But they’re trying.

The Commissioners rearranged the medical insurance, saving the county $420,000 in what would have been new premium increases. To do this they required employees to pay more for their spouses but less for their children, because that’s what the statistics revealed as most cost effective. And they’re offering a health savings plan with incentives for improving lifestyle choices, which could save the county even more. The bottom line is that, for the first time in many years, the County’s medical insurance costs will not increase.  (more…)

Dan Gookin has announced he will be running for Coeur d’Alene City Council, seat 3. That’s the seat that long-term incumbent councilman Al Hassel has just confirmed he will be leaving. The election is November 8th.
What do you think will be the top two issues for this upcoming election?

Over on the Spokane newspaper blog, there’s a false rumor posted under the  gossip headline of “Huckleberries Hears…” (apparently the blog meister thinks this absolves him from the blatant untruths he often writes under this heading.) Yesterday he wrote this:
Posted by DFO
Aug. 24, 2011 4:34 p.m.

” The Reagan Republicans have a booth directly across from the union folks. The Reagan Republicans are selling the Corrupt d’Alene bumperstickers.”

Here’s what CdA Citycouncilwoman Deanna Goodlander (pictured) had to say in response to this totally unsubstantiated rumor:  (more…)

Mary Souza’s Newsletter

Dear Newsletter Readers,
Sorry to disturb your summer. I wasn’t going to write to you until September but there are some local issues churning and I thought you’d like to know.

Let’s start with the interesting My Turn column in this morning’s Press. (more…)

Today’s Press reports that Tony Berns will get a 3% raise because, the LCDC board said, “We all agree that Tony Berns has done an excellent job…”

Tony Berns is the Exec. Director of the LCDC, our town’s urban renewal agency. Tony already makes more than $120,000 base salary, not counting his golden benefits and a fat retirement package of almost $20,000 per year. But poor Tony has not had a raise in the last two years!…oh, unless you consider the 3% raises in his retirement package each year a raise, which of course they were.

This morning’s Press buried the story on page 6, but at least they created a side section highlighting Tony’s raise, though that section does not appear in the Press online.

What was the rationale of the LCDC board? That Tony deserves a raise this year since, they said, according to the Press, that Tony didn’t get a raise the past two years because “the timing for a raise wouldn’t be appropriate given the economic conditions.” The Press went on to report that “Both years it did increase his 401k package by roughly 3 percent.”

What craziness is this? Tony is paid with TAXPAYER DOLLARS!” Local unemployment is WORSE now than it was last year or the year before. Unemployment is at 12% in the City of CdA, which is higher than the County average and much higher than the state and national average.

Your thoughts?