Priscilla Bell
Mary Souza’s Newsletter — Follow Up!
Dear Readers,
My newsletter from last Friday was about NIC’s abrupt firing of Dr. Robert Ketchum, the respected director of NIC’s Work Force Training Center in Post Falls. The previous evening, the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet, and Dr. Ketchum attended, as did NIC’s President, Priscilla Bell. (I bet they weren’t sitting at the same table!)
Several of my newsletter readers were at the Chamber banquet and emailed me with their outrage at what happened. Here’s a sampling of their candor:
“I was shocked and dismayed this evening when Priscilla Bell pledged $3000 of our money to sponsor a railing for the new Post Falls Chamber Building. It was done at the annual awards banquet. I questioned her, asking if it was her personal money, and she said no it was NIC’s money.”
“In this economy with education cuts, how does she have the audacity to spend public money for such a thing? And with Mr. Robert Ketchum in the room, who she just fired for not fitting into her agenda/plans. I find this to be incredibly irresponsible and am absolutely shocked! “
“I cannot believe she would spend education money in this way right now. Even our governor is saying he can’t support things like public parks because there is not the money, and here Priscilla is giving away money that could go to scholarships or other STUDENT programs.”
(Please remember that the Chamber of Commerce is a PRIVATE business group, not supported by, or accountable to, the public.)
The next morning, someone emailed the NIC Board of Trustees asking them to rescind the $3000 pledge by President Bell. Here’s NIC’s official response:
From: Board of Trustees <BoardofTrustees@NIC.EDU>
Date: January 15, 2010 2:08:08 PM PST
To:
Subject: RE: $3000 spent by Priscilla Bell
The NIC Board of Trustees supports the college’s donation to the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce for their new building. NIC has a long history of partnering in programs and organizations throughout the communities we serve. This is part of our marketing and community outreach activities. To that end, the college uses funds for memberships and participation in organizations such as the Post Falls Chamber and Jobs Plus. These funds are available as the college budget includes revenue from sources other than that generated by state or county taxes.
North Idaho College Board of Trustees
Notice, if you will, that this official response was sent at 2:00 pm the next afternoon, the day after the dinner. How did the whole Board of Trustees come to this agreement so quickly?
NIC may think that $3000 is not much money. But Priscilla Bell’s casual use of public monies when NIC is raising costs on students and the State is putting many employees on furloughs and cutting budgets to the bone, is inappropriate. Her donation of public dollars to this private business group gives the impression of indifference to the plight of taxpayers struggling in this economy. Remember, NIC already bumped their portion of our taxes up over 100% by taking foregone taxes to pay the inflated price tag on the mill site property near the sewage plant.
If Priscilla wanted to be magnanimous with her own money, that would be fine. After all, she makes $179,250, including a new car, full auto & health insurance and $1,000 per month for housing.
So, Readers, that’s the scoop, make of it what you will. But notice the email address for the NIC Board of Trustees on their response shown above, in case you would like to let them know what you think.
Have a good week! –Mary
PS–I mistakenly wrote, originally, that the PF banquet was on Friday night but it was on Thursday night. That’s why NIC’s response email is dated Jan. 15th, which is Friday. One of my newsletter readers picked up on this and let me know right away–thank you! (I’ve been recovering from a bout of vertigo and obviously am still a bit out of it!) The info above has been edited to reflect the correct dates. –Mary
Bell and the Board of Trustees are trying to use public money to buy influence. Sadly, there are a lot of people in this community who see nothing wrong with that. It is very encouraging that your newsletter readers aren’t among them.
I am not at all surprised to see that Christie Wood considers this misuse of $3,000 in public money to be one of those “… decisions that ensure fiscal responsibility to our taxpayers while serving our students and the community.” That’s how it’s done in Coeur d’Alene. I hope the Post Falls people have higher moral standards and return the money to NIC.
Comment by Bill — January 17, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
Please note the “PS” I just added to the end of the newsletter. My dates were off a bit!
Comment by mary — January 17, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
I would have no problem with this . . . had the donation been made by the NIC Foundation. NIC exists for education. All dollars that come into NIC, whether they be from state or local taxes, grants, or whatever, are intended to be used for education purposes. Period. The Foundation, on the other hand, could make such a donation to help promote NIC, which seems to be the Foundation’s purpose.
Sadly, the NIC Foundation appears to be more interested in developing commercial real estate than in helping promote NIC or, remotely, education itself.
Comment by Dan — January 17, 2010 @ 4:22 pm
Like NIC cares.
“Let them eat cake” is their unofficial motto.
Comment by Pariah — January 17, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
My knee jerk reaction was also that Bell is buying influence of the Post Falls business community with our money.
This is not unlike Obama buying union influence with our money.
Both people neglect to understand that it is our money and not NIC’s money or Obama’s money.
Comment by citizen — January 17, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
Yeah: Bell to Post Falls: “Sorry about firing Dr. Ketchum. Here’s $3,000 for your new chamber building! We’re friends, now, right? Money helps make friends! Just like in Coeur d’Alene, where money is what it’s all about, especially money from people who don’t live here who will eventually buy all those empty condominiums that the LCDC helped build with your property taxes! And, by the way, when you come to Coeur d’Alene, be sure to stop by the Education Corridor to buy a cup of a coffee and try on a pair of slacks!”
Comment by Dan — January 17, 2010 @ 6:04 pm
When did they meet in public to agree to that decision? Or did they just phone each other to come to a consensus, in clear violation of the Idaho Open Meeting law?
Comment by Dan — January 17, 2010 @ 6:08 pm
Yes, Dan, it must have been an illegal phone meeting. And you & Citizen are right on: Buy the loyalty of local groups by using taxpayer money! LCDC has been doing it here in CdA for years.
Comment by mary — January 17, 2010 @ 7:14 pm
My advice to anyone concerned about a possible violation of the Open Meeting Law:
Do the research, get the facts.
File a complaint as the law allows.
What not to do about Possible violations of the Open Meeting Law:
Make offhand statements that it has been violated.
Gary Ingram
Comment by Gary Ingram — January 17, 2010 @ 9:31 pm
That the repeated violation of open meeting laws continues makes me disgusted. Where is our justice system? Where are the requests for investigations from our local law enforcement? Throw the bums out!
Comment by citizen — January 17, 2010 @ 10:04 pm
Citizen, please read the part of my post above that says, “What not to do about possible violations of the Open Meeting Law.”
Comment by Gary Ingram — January 17, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
Several readers have emailed to say they were at the Post Falls Chamber dinner but were very surprised to hear that Priscilla Bell was donating NIC money. They all assumed it was her own money. From their descriptions, it’s apparent that President Bell did not make it clear that NIC was giving, and thereby Priscilla looked like a very generous individual.
Somehow this makes the situation seem even worse.
Comment by mary — January 18, 2010 @ 12:43 am
The amount of the donation may have been below a discretionary spending threshold. Bell may be authorized to write a check for any amount below that threshold without pre-approval from the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting.
Comment by Bill — January 18, 2010 @ 6:12 am
Gary you are right about getting the facts. Hopefully NIC is more forthcoming with information than LCDC. Is it easier to get information from NIC than LCDC?
My level of frustration about “respect for the citizens” may be a little more broad than those living in town. In the Kootenai County we have the issue of the Commissioners dragging their feet on the new comprehensive plan. Meanwhile they approve a special use permit for a wedding events site in the stateline rural area.
Sixty surrounding neighbors objected due to the noise the property owners have created while operating illegally. Can you imagine the drunks on the back county roads that this will create?
Then we have the issue of the elimination of our dumpsters in the rural community to save money. This is about the only service many of us care about. Now the trash will surely show up on our rural property and we residents will bear the burden of having to personally clean it up or hire others.
I would love to have this blog expand its issues to the surrounding community. You nicely cover Post Falls issues. You might expand readership by addressing some rural issues.
Comment by citizen — January 18, 2010 @ 8:16 am
I seriously cannot decide whether they just don’t get it or just don’t care. Don’t care is most likely. After all, just what can a homeowner do? We have to pay our taxes and “they” do as they please with the money. It all comes down to the public apathy that we all must live with. The public mentality here, sadly, runs to either total oblivion of what goes on around them, or who cares. Not that I find any of this the least bit funny, still, there is a certain sick humor to their behavior. Never mind public opinion, never mind editorials, “we” live on Mt. Olympus, we are Gods and nothing else matters. And the local “peasantry” just passively allow the illegalities (open meeting laws) and the misuse of public monies to continue. Tiny little miniscule frogs in an even tinier little pond. Anywhere else they would be laughed at and driven out. Here they croak away with impunity. Don’t bother to kiss any of them (uck) you won’t find a prince in the bunch.
Comment by rochereau — January 18, 2010 @ 9:32 am
Rochereau,
“Tiny little miniscule frogs in an even tinier little pond.”
Great line!
Comment by Bill — January 18, 2010 @ 10:22 am
I prefer to use the word “toads” over “frogs.”
Comment by Dan — January 18, 2010 @ 11:33 am
Bill…thank you kind sir.
Dan…I thought toads were fairly large. Frogs are small and warty!
On a more joyful note, hasn’t today been absolute glorious!!! Puts a smile on ones face.
Comment by rochereau — January 18, 2010 @ 2:06 pm
My home thermometer got up to 54 today! Woot!
Comment by Dan — January 18, 2010 @ 6:16 pm
I took my ‘Little Fella’ (’28 Chrysler) out for a spin today, the chrome flashing in the sun. An usually straight faced armored truck driver gave me an unusual high five through his bullet proof glass window.
Comment by Gary Ingram — January 18, 2010 @ 10:15 pm