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This morning’s Coeur d’Alene Press online posted a letter from Coeur d’Alene City Attorney Mike Gridley to Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane.
It would have been responsible journalism and less biased if the Press had simultaneously posted both this letter from Representative Kathy Sims to Attorney General Lawrence Wasden side-by-side with Gridley’s response so the public would have some context.
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Here’s what the President is doing today. After laying a wreath and talking with some military families, he hit the golf course for the 70th time of his two-and-a-half year stay in the White House. According to news reports, he has golfed the last nine weekends in a row, while two wars and whatever we’re calling Libya, are raging.
What’s on your schedule or your mind?
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The Idaho Supreme Court has unanimously reversed the second-degree murder conviction in Kootenai County of Jonathan W. Ellington. Here is a link to the Court’s decision. (more…)
This morning’s Press has an article describing the new tentative contract agreement for our school district. The teachers are taking some cuts. They will “slash”, the article says, a whole 2% of the amount contributed to the health insurance for the families of the teachers. That big “slash” is from 75% all the way down to 73%. Wow. This bold move will save our school district $156,000 next year, when we will have a $2.3 Million dollar deficit.
Oh, but don’t worry, the district (with our tax dollars) will still pay 100% of the medical insurance for the teachers themselves!
Go ahead and use this spot for any topic you want to bring up. Here’s my current question: In a letter to the editor today in the Press, Councilman Mike Kennedy said, in regard to a public vote on the McEuen plan,“…the easiest thing to have done, politically, would have been to simply oppose the project and call for a public vote. But it was clear to me that would have been a fruitless approach…” Why would it have been fruitless, Mike? He never says. Also, two days ago, over on a Spokane blog, Olivera said this: (more…)
True colors were showing last night. Not only did the council seem predetermined in their views but they lacked any courage at all (except Ron) because they just sat there, totally silent, unwilling to explain to the citizens their reasons for removing the boat launch, ball fields and why this enormous, contentious project should not be put to a public advisory vote.
About 400 people filled the room. A noticeable majority of the folks had paper signs saying “Save McEuen” or “Public Vote”. Many had both.
This was an official city council meeting, so all the council members and the mayor were up front at a long table. The evening started with a pretty, public relations presentation by the city and Team McEuen, espousing all the wonders that will come from dropping $40 Million into this existing park. (more…)
WE NEED your help! Attend this meeting and bring your friends and like minded supporters…Car pool to the meeting at Woodland Tuesday May 24th at 6 pm. (more…)
It’s nice when the City officials can just have their own inside attorney proclaim there is “no conflict of interest” in owning key properties near the proposed McEuen park renovation plan, which will cost the public an estimated $39 Million or more. You can read today’s front page article in the Press and see what you think.
There’s no conflict because the mayor’s building was inherited? She will still see a direct financial boost from the plan, so she shouldn’t vote on it. Councilman Mike Kennedy works for the guy who owns a big section of land right across the street from the park. (The Press just corrected their wording on this to show that Mike’s direct boss owns the property) It’s Mike’s main job and it’s how he feeds his family. Mike may not get a direct financial benefit, but the law says that if you’re an elected official you can’t vote on items that would give you, your close family or business associates a financial gain. Kennedy should not vote on it. City attorney Gridley kind of glossed those over, didn’t he? Your thoughts?
With surprisingly rude and divisive comments in this morning’s Press article, CdA School Board Chairwoman Edie Brooks sent a strong message to the newly elected board members: You are not welcome here. That’s not a good start to a working relationship, and certainly not good leadership from the Chair.
Edie says the board is a democracy, but she seems to have forgotten that our voting system is a democracy and the citizens have spoken at the ballot box.
She also says they have “balance” on the school board. No they don’t. Edie must have mistaken control for balance. But now Terri Seymore and Tom Hamilton will bring their extensive business backgrounds to the board; now there will be more independent voices and the beginnings of balance.
Congrats to new CdA School Board members, Terri Seymore and Tom Hamilton! They did a great job of getting their message out, and the many people who worked on their campaigns made the difference.
The sad part was the very low voter turnout of only 10%. Tom Hamilton told me, before the election, that his biggest challenge was fighting against apathy. I guess he was right, though enough of his supporters got up and out of their chairs to give him the job.
There were other races too. Any thoughts, comments, congrats?
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