The news today is that Christie Wood has resigned from the CdA School Board. Christie is an employee of the City of CdA . Here’s a brief listing of her involvement:
- Sergeant & Public Information Officer for CdA Police Dept.
- Board of Trustees, CdA School District 271 (elected position)–Now stepping down.
- Board of Trustees, North Idaho College (elected position)
- Author of two published children’s books, the latest in 2007.
Any comments, questions or ideas on this or any other topic?
There is a Republican Central Committee meeting this evening. I wonder if it will be less controversial than the last one.
Comment by doubleseetripleeye — June 24, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
I wondered how Ms. Wood kept up with all her public obligations. I’m happy to see that she’s willing to spend more time with her family.
Comment by Dan — June 24, 2008 @ 4:49 pm
I wish Ms. Wood well. I wish she had chosen to resign before the election so that the public could have had a chance to vote on a replacement. It will be very interesting to see who is appointed to her position. I hope it is an independent thinker and not a rubber stamper. I hope that the board advertises for volunteers and encourages public input before the decision.
Comment by Mama Bear — June 24, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
I agree, Mama Bear. The person chosen, and the way they are chosen, to fill the position will show us all how sincere the school district is about change, transparency and independent thinking.
Comment by mary — June 24, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
I know I am gonna get blasted for this BUT,
resign JUST after the election period! Could this have been the plan all along, so the PEOPLE would NOT have a choice of replacement? Could this be the “loop hole” in the system that keeps the “good ole boys/girls” in play? Is THIS the way the local government has been making sure it keeps all heads nodding in the same direction? Take a close look. This IS how they have kept control for years. Of course there is no proof of their intentions and because of no proof, it would be a way to discredit those that see this blatant scam and say something about it? If it isn’t, this should be a crime! Where are the REAL reporters for the Press that ask REAL questions?
Comment by concerned citizen — June 25, 2008 @ 6:15 am
Someone more familiar with this than I am please correct me, but even if she had resigned before the most recent school board election, I believe someone would still have been appointed to complete her unexpired term.
cc, what you’re talking about is called a “legacy system.” It’s very common among county sheriffs. The incumbent sheriff knows s/he is going to retire before the completion of the next term, but s/he runs for re-election and wins. Then, after winning re-election, the sheriff retires and names his (or her) legacy appointment to complete the unexpired term. The county commissioners, being political hacks themselves, dutifully nod their heads in assent to the sheriff’s wishes and appoints the nominee. This allows the legacy to run as the incumbent.
Usually the legacy system works exactly as planned, but not always. It fell apart in Spokane County last time around. Then-sheriff Mark Sterk decided to retire and nominate politically faithful but professionally weak instant-Captain “Clueless” Cal Walker. But a funny thing happened on the way to the legacy coronation — the Spokane County deputies decided they were fed up with political hacks and incompetent commanders ruining their department and making their lives miserable. The deputies unified and told the Spokane County commissioners that they wanted a competent sheriff, not some political clown. The commissioners got the message and appointed a lowly sheriff’s sergeant named Ozzie Knezovich who had more professionalism, leadership skills, and character in his fingernail clippings that Sterk and Walker had in their combined bodies. The precinct committee hacks gasped in horror. How could the commissioners betray their political loyalty in favor of competence? Didn’t the commissioners know that a sheriff’s political loyalty was far more important than his (or her) ability to lead and manage a multi-million dollar law enforcement agency? Evidently not. Evidently, neither did the voters. Knezovich won. So did the deputies who wanted to see the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department grow into a first-rate law enforcement agency. And so did the citizens who voted against the legacy hack in favor of a very professional chief executive law enforcement officer. And people wonder why deputies are leaving the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department for Spokane. Pay is only part of the story. The political hack legacy system for sheriff’s succession is alive and well in Idaho.
Comment by Bill — June 25, 2008 @ 7:05 am
Mary and I agrees. Let us all hope the CdA Schools and the board have the courage to appoint a person that may have countering views on public relations, moral issues, and transparency, and is a person who has the time to study issues. We need a voice that will talk directly to the people instesd of just circling the wagons with the other board members. I am very hopeful this may happen. It would be a huge boost to public relations.
Comment by Mama Bear — June 25, 2008 @ 8:20 am
Yes, Mama Bear, this is the direction the school district should choose. As you can see, the timing of this resignation is already suspect, and with good reason. History bears out the concerns of the community on this issue. It looks to some like the board just wants the chance to appoint someone of their own thinking, which would give them the advantage in the next election.
One of my newsletter readers also theorized that Christie may be resigning so she’ll be available for appointment to the city council if/when Deanna Goodlander resigns her seat. Deanna is constantly coughing at every meeting of the council, LCDC, etc, and does not appear well. She is up for re-election in 2009. Maybe the thought is similar—have Deanna retire a year before her election, then appoint someone like Christie, so in ’09 she’ll have a better chance of holding that seat. Interesting thought.
Comment by mary — June 25, 2008 @ 8:36 am
Mary,
If Christie Wood were to be appointed to fill the unexpired term of a city council member, she would be obligated to resign from the police department. The obligation might be more moral than legal. It would be absolutely untenable for a police sergeant to have the influence afforded by that appointment over her supervisors in the police department. Only Mayor Bloem would be stupid enough to offer that appointment, and only someone equally stupid would accept it.
Comment by Bill — June 25, 2008 @ 9:19 am
Stupid In, Stupid Out…Mama Bear always says.
Comment by Mama Bear — June 25, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
In response to concerned citizen, response #5;
Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.
Theodore Roosevelt
Comment by Will Penny — June 25, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
did christie woods get elected this year? no? then why would it matter if she resigned before or after the election? mary why is the timing suspect?
Comment by reagan — June 25, 2008 @ 10:16 pm
Reagan, the appointed person has an advantage in the next election. They have name recognition and can say that they have experience in the job. The board is more able to position the new candidate to win.
Comment by Mama Bear — June 26, 2008 @ 12:34 am
thank you mama bear. but still the timing of christie woods resignation is unrelated to this years election because the district 3 (?) seat was not on the ballot. are you saying that she should serve out the remainder of her term and then have an open seat to contest next year? or the year after? how long are school board terms?
Comment by reagan — June 27, 2008 @ 7:34 am
SD 271 board members are elected for three-year terms. There is an established policy for filling a vacancy.
Comment by Bill — June 27, 2008 @ 9:24 am
Thanks for the research and link on this, Bill. If I’m reading it correctly, it looks like Christie could have resigned a few months ago—she stated she’s been thinking about it for quite awhile— then her seat would have been on last month’s election ballot, albeit for a temporary fill until her term officially ran out.
Here’s the quote from the policy your link provided: “At the annual election a trustee will be elected to complete the unexpired term of the office which was declared vacant and filled by appointment.”
The bottom line is that the voters could have chosen a replacement. Now the board will choose instead.
Comment by mary — June 27, 2008 @ 9:40 am
Responsibility. Accountability. Obligation. Big words for adults.
Comment by Dan — June 27, 2008 @ 10:58 am