THE GUARDIAN attended the candidate forum at the Nampa City Council Chambers last night. It was very well moderated by Vickie Holbrook and everyone was for the most part very polite to one another.
Key question was asked by MS. Holbrook. Going forward should there be a bond election on any further money spent on the jail project. Every candidate except for Steve Rule and Dave Young agreed, there should be a vote of the public before any further money is spent on this project.
The next issue that THE GUARDIAN keyed on was the 287(g) training opportunity not taken by Sheriff Smith. George Nourse wants the training for all field and jail deputy staff so they can detain and turn illegals over to the ICE people when they are stopped in the field. This can't happen now when a car load of illegals are pulled over in the field. If they pull up a foreign ID or voter registration card nothing can happen due to the lack of training.
Sheriff Smith is content to have ICE agents in his jail Monday-Friday during regular daylight hours (and not there on holidays and weekends). The opportunity missed here is to hold and deport those that are brought into the jail after normal working hours or who are pulled over in the daily rountine of a field stop after hours. If these people bond out they are effectively out of the reach of the ICE people. Training under the 287(g) program would allow holding and deporting of these people. This is a huge difference in thinking between the two sheriff candidates.
It was pretty much a polite "pillow fight" and well moderated by Vickie Holbrook who asked the question about bonding any further expenses on the jail project.
THE GUARDIAN would suggest that the candidates running for Prosecutor take the time for a quick read of Article 8 sec. 3 of the Idaho Constitution and rethink if the county is in violation of that as well as Idaho Judicial Confirmation laws.
This question will be put to a judge when the citizen lawsuit is filed. Have they created a long term debt or obligation beyond one budget cycle on the jail project. History of expenditures to date and what they are headed for by not completing the project this year suggest that they are in violation of these laws.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Manpower for jail to cost $1,721,653.00
THE GUARDIAN has obtained a copy of the manpower request turned in by Sheriff Smith. The request is for thirty-seven new positions if the jail opens. The positions requested are as follows:
INMATE CONTROL,
(6) Customer Service Specialists
(25) Deputy Sheriff's
COURTS AND TRANSPORTS,
(5 Deputy Sheriff's
MEDICAL SERVICES,
(1) Registered Nurse
TOTAL COSTS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE NEW HIRES $1,721,653.00
Seems odd that they do not have any positions for Kitchen help, Laundry/Supply people, LPN's to cover two shifts/day seven days a week. The information obtained that has the heading "BUDGET"NEW POSITION REQUEST AND UPGRADES for the FISCAL YEAR 2008 is the county document where this information came from. Bottom line is that the manpower requests look low in actual numbers that will be needed to operate this new jail once it comes on line.
It will be interesting to hear what Sheriff Smith has to say at the candidate forums about this.
INMATE CONTROL,
(6) Customer Service Specialists
(25) Deputy Sheriff's
COURTS AND TRANSPORTS,
(5 Deputy Sheriff's
MEDICAL SERVICES,
(1) Registered Nurse
TOTAL COSTS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE NEW HIRES $1,721,653.00
Seems odd that they do not have any positions for Kitchen help, Laundry/Supply people, LPN's to cover two shifts/day seven days a week. The information obtained that has the heading "BUDGET"NEW POSITION REQUEST AND UPGRADES for the FISCAL YEAR 2008 is the county document where this information came from. Bottom line is that the manpower requests look low in actual numbers that will be needed to operate this new jail once it comes on line.
It will be interesting to hear what Sheriff Smith has to say at the candidate forums about this.
Deciders post cost at $7.8MM for "temporary jail" on county website
THE GUARDIAN has noted a new informational posting on the Canyon County website. Word is that the Chief Civil Deputy Chuck Sari got this information posted as a move to head off the citizen lawsuit against the county that will be filed today.
You too can view the elevations, site plan and floor plan on the county website. I have included the floor plan for your information. Please take note that virtually every function that is carried out at the current jail will be duplicated at this temproray jail project. Laundry, kitchen, medical exam room, admin offices etc.
Mini-Jail you complete us, for only $7.8 million bucks! The county website indicates this will be the total cost but we are unsure of the accounting used here. The numbers have been all over the place and no agreement between Mr. Beebe, the Sheriff and Commissioner Rule on if this is a permenent jail or temproary given what has been stated on the record at candidate forums and the state of the county address last month.
Sheriff Smith has stated publicly that it will only take four people to run this facility! It would seem prudent that we get a clear fix on the operational costs as well as the manpower/manning table to help us all understand the true costs of running this facility. Again, we get the "CONE OF SILENCE" on figures relating to these costs.
The lawsuit gets filed today if all goes according to plan and at the very latest sometime this week. You have to ask youself if this is an "ordinary and necessary" expense for the taxpayers of Canyon County or should this have been put to a vote of the folks that get to pay the bills. Forget all the blather about a citizens committe...they left out the all important step of taxpayer confirmation for this expense. It is called a BOND ELECTION something the Commishes seem to forget about on a regular basis on just about everything they have purchased or built over the past several years.
The County Deciders are shoving this down our throats without any ballot box confirmation on the project. A clean sweep of the first floor elected officials needs to happen this election cycle.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
New Caldwell Schools Will Meet LEEDS Silver Certificaton
THE GUARDIAN is pleased to report that the new Vanburen and Washington schools that will be built will meet LEEDS Silver Certification requirements. What does this mean? Quite simply that the notion of "sustainable" in the application of building construction will be applied when these new schools are designed and built. The operational costs will not be a low ball deal. Heating, cooling and ventilation issues as well as other factors will be built into these facilities with a quantifiable net savings over the usual "quick and dirty" on operational costs over the life of the buildings.
The Caldwell School District has really done their homework on this effort and are to be commended. The schools will be located on the east end of Marble Front Road for the Vanburen project and the Washington School replacement will be at the intersection of Alder and Montana.
Now all we have to do is get the same level of planning and commitment from the City of Caldwell and the Canyon County Deciders in their efforts for new construction projects in the city and county. LEEDS certification has and continues to enjoy a very low priority with city and county deciders based on performance to date.
The Caldwell School District has really done their homework on this effort and are to be commended. The schools will be located on the east end of Marble Front Road for the Vanburen project and the Washington School replacement will be at the intersection of Alder and Montana.
Now all we have to do is get the same level of planning and commitment from the City of Caldwell and the Canyon County Deciders in their efforts for new construction projects in the city and county. LEEDS certification has and continues to enjoy a very low priority with city and county deciders based on performance to date.
Jail or Warehouse? Beebe and Rule Can't Agree ..Where's the Plan?
THE GUARDIAN has been following the pablum getting spoon fed to the public on the Hwy. 20/26 jail/warehouse project. On the 29th of April at the state of the county program Commissioner Matt Beebe called it a temporary jail and will be a warehouse just as soon as they can muster the votes to pass a bond for $80,000,000.00 to build a mega jail facility. Also no mention of the operational costs and manpower costs for this facility has been made by any of the deciders that get to spend our money.
Now comes the County Commissioner Forums and Commissioner Steve Rule who is running for another term of office against Jim Rice and he says it will be a permanent jail.
Costs for this project in defined terms that the taxpayers can understand have never been consistent. The numbers are all over the place from a low of $3 million dollars to a high of $15 million depending on who is speaking at the podium or chairing the meeting.
It is time for the County Deciders to level with the public set a budget and stick to the numbers they budget. An answer to the costs for this project have not been defined and where the money to date has been spent a mystery. Canyon County has no line item for capital projects in their budget. They pull money out of the mattress after they decide how much to spend while in EXECUTIVE SESSION. No minutes, no record and no input or oversight from the taxpayers.
An audit of this project and the defined/budgeted costs are owed to the public. Transparency is sorely lacking on this project.
Word on the street is that the Citizen Lawsuit over incurring long term debt with this project with no vote of the taxpayers will hit the courthouse on Monday May 12th. It will be interesting to see how this moves through the Canyon County Courts and if the local judges disqualify themselves.
We continue with NO PLAN, no information, no oversight, and no agreement on just what the end product will really be in the final analysis. The only thing for sure is we are all going to get stuck paying the bills for the decisions that are made in the room we never get to see.
Now comes the County Commissioner Forums and Commissioner Steve Rule who is running for another term of office against Jim Rice and he says it will be a permanent jail.
Costs for this project in defined terms that the taxpayers can understand have never been consistent. The numbers are all over the place from a low of $3 million dollars to a high of $15 million depending on who is speaking at the podium or chairing the meeting.
It is time for the County Deciders to level with the public set a budget and stick to the numbers they budget. An answer to the costs for this project have not been defined and where the money to date has been spent a mystery. Canyon County has no line item for capital projects in their budget. They pull money out of the mattress after they decide how much to spend while in EXECUTIVE SESSION. No minutes, no record and no input or oversight from the taxpayers.
An audit of this project and the defined/budgeted costs are owed to the public. Transparency is sorely lacking on this project.
Word on the street is that the Citizen Lawsuit over incurring long term debt with this project with no vote of the taxpayers will hit the courthouse on Monday May 12th. It will be interesting to see how this moves through the Canyon County Courts and if the local judges disqualify themselves.
We continue with NO PLAN, no information, no oversight, and no agreement on just what the end product will really be in the final analysis. The only thing for sure is we are all going to get stuck paying the bills for the decisions that are made in the room we never get to see.
Friday, May 9, 2008
More Pretty Pictures Scheduled for Caldwell Downtown Meeting
THE GUARDIAN has learned the city deciders have paid out yet another $50,000.00 to the Oppenheimer Development Group to put a "Plan" together for downtown Caldwell. Given all the constraints Mr. Oppenheimer has encountered like no political will ( andvery little cash), no vision, coupled with recalcitrant property owners, downtown Caldwell and the creek project may end up as a nice five block addition to the city park system. And the very nice people from Oppenheimer etal pack up because they can't get anything started in Caldwell.
The $50K given to the Oppenheimer Group will be simply a pretty picture presentation of the possibilities of what could potentially happen and nothing to do with reality. THE GUARDIAN has distilled it down to the City Deciders having one and only one location for the new city hall project with no other sites really in consideration. Add to the mix the fact actual willing sellers of downtown grid property are pretty much ignored by the city for development projects. Let's not forget about those people really interested in downtown virtually marginalized by city deciders for their "out of the box" thinking.
Add to all of the aforementioned the use of imminent domain off the table for property acquisition. And a healthy mix of property owners wanting to retire to the Bahamas or Florida on the sale of derelict buildings. We have the "perfect storm" for nothing ever going to happen in terms of economic development in downtown Caldwell.
What do we have? Quite simply, we will get another pretty set of photos and a report that we can add to the Leland report that cost $140,000 and this one that cost $50,000.00 and a five block extension of the city park system.
THE GUARDIAN has arrived at the conclusion the city decider folks are more or less like stopped clocks, they do absolutely nothing and can be right at least twice a day. There is currently budgeted $3MM in urban renewal monies for downtown Caldwell over the next two years. (Supported in the budget of the Caldwell East Urban Renewal Agency, obtained via a public records request.) It would seem reasonable that if you want to start down the "yellow brick road" blight has to be removed first. To that end it would seem prudent, as property comes up for sale, the urban renewal monies go to buy this property and it get flattened and cleared, no matter where the location in the downtown grid. Then, if someone comes in, a clean palette exists in a lot of different areas of the downtown grid. The possibilities dramatically open up for economic development in a wide variety of locations. All the eggs are not in one basket.
Additionally, people wanting to sell can take advantage of the City bids for their property (or not) but removal and clearance of blight marches forward clearing the way for progress and a revitalized downtown Caldwell. However, this does not mitigate the need for a "plan" and developers held to the parameters of the "plan".
A meeting is scheduled for the 29th of May at the Caldwell Center for the Arts (the old Catholic Church for most of us). The Oppenheimer Group will give us the update on their progress or lack thereof along with some more pretty pictures of the possibilities.
Mr. Oppenheimer and his people have to be very frustrated with what is going on and the lack of progress along with those of us that would like to see an actual plan that sets the agenda for downtown Caldwell. Not many cities get the opportunity to reinvent themselves and the City Deciders have simply not seized this opportunity to redefine Caldwell as a unique city in the Northwest as a model of what can happen with a New Urbanist Planning and LEEDS standards for redevelopment.
The city deciders appear to be content to let things unfold as they may in the absence of a much needed plan.
The $50K given to the Oppenheimer Group will be simply a pretty picture presentation of the possibilities of what could potentially happen and nothing to do with reality. THE GUARDIAN has distilled it down to the City Deciders having one and only one location for the new city hall project with no other sites really in consideration. Add to the mix the fact actual willing sellers of downtown grid property are pretty much ignored by the city for development projects. Let's not forget about those people really interested in downtown virtually marginalized by city deciders for their "out of the box" thinking.
Add to all of the aforementioned the use of imminent domain off the table for property acquisition. And a healthy mix of property owners wanting to retire to the Bahamas or Florida on the sale of derelict buildings. We have the "perfect storm" for nothing ever going to happen in terms of economic development in downtown Caldwell.
What do we have? Quite simply, we will get another pretty set of photos and a report that we can add to the Leland report that cost $140,000 and this one that cost $50,000.00 and a five block extension of the city park system.
THE GUARDIAN has arrived at the conclusion the city decider folks are more or less like stopped clocks, they do absolutely nothing and can be right at least twice a day. There is currently budgeted $3MM in urban renewal monies for downtown Caldwell over the next two years. (Supported in the budget of the Caldwell East Urban Renewal Agency, obtained via a public records request.) It would seem reasonable that if you want to start down the "yellow brick road" blight has to be removed first. To that end it would seem prudent, as property comes up for sale, the urban renewal monies go to buy this property and it get flattened and cleared, no matter where the location in the downtown grid. Then, if someone comes in, a clean palette exists in a lot of different areas of the downtown grid. The possibilities dramatically open up for economic development in a wide variety of locations. All the eggs are not in one basket.
Additionally, people wanting to sell can take advantage of the City bids for their property (or not) but removal and clearance of blight marches forward clearing the way for progress and a revitalized downtown Caldwell. However, this does not mitigate the need for a "plan" and developers held to the parameters of the "plan".
A meeting is scheduled for the 29th of May at the Caldwell Center for the Arts (the old Catholic Church for most of us). The Oppenheimer Group will give us the update on their progress or lack thereof along with some more pretty pictures of the possibilities.
Mr. Oppenheimer and his people have to be very frustrated with what is going on and the lack of progress along with those of us that would like to see an actual plan that sets the agenda for downtown Caldwell. Not many cities get the opportunity to reinvent themselves and the City Deciders have simply not seized this opportunity to redefine Caldwell as a unique city in the Northwest as a model of what can happen with a New Urbanist Planning and LEEDS standards for redevelopment.
The city deciders appear to be content to let things unfold as they may in the absence of a much needed plan.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
What this election cycle is all about at the county level
THE GUARDIAN along with some other folks has come to appreciate that this election for people that will hold positions on the first floor of the Canyon County Courthouse is all about two issues for the most part.
1. A vote for Steve Rule and Chris Smith is an endorsement of the new jail project three miles out of town and the consolidation of the car and drivers license offices in the old Job Service building. Reads...we like the direction these folks are taking things and want more of it. This side offers the most expensive option for more jail space.
2. The other side of the issues is Former Sheriff George Nourse and Jim Rice as well as those that oppose the jail project and license office consolidation that are running to fill the open seat created by the departure of Matt Beebe. These people feel this is wrongheaded and want to build a jail project next to the exisiting jail, and have license offices in downtown Caldwell and Nampa. This side offers a less expensive option for more jail space.
The Hwy. 20/26 jail project is about to hit the courts as a violation of Judicial Confirmation Law. The short version is that the county deciders went beyond one years budget cycle on this deal and have created a long term debt or obligation without a bond election or a judges approval.
The jail project was shot down by voters once in 2006. So the commishes pulled an end run around the voters with this "temporary jail" project. Nice try but the financing could not be done in one years budget cycle. So here we go off to the courts to get this resolved.
You can vote early at the elections and passports office at 11th and Chicago Street near the courthouse. Waiting until the 27th of May is not a requirement if you want to vote early.
1. A vote for Steve Rule and Chris Smith is an endorsement of the new jail project three miles out of town and the consolidation of the car and drivers license offices in the old Job Service building. Reads...we like the direction these folks are taking things and want more of it. This side offers the most expensive option for more jail space.
2. The other side of the issues is Former Sheriff George Nourse and Jim Rice as well as those that oppose the jail project and license office consolidation that are running to fill the open seat created by the departure of Matt Beebe. These people feel this is wrongheaded and want to build a jail project next to the exisiting jail, and have license offices in downtown Caldwell and Nampa. This side offers a less expensive option for more jail space.
The Hwy. 20/26 jail project is about to hit the courts as a violation of Judicial Confirmation Law. The short version is that the county deciders went beyond one years budget cycle on this deal and have created a long term debt or obligation without a bond election or a judges approval.
The jail project was shot down by voters once in 2006. So the commishes pulled an end run around the voters with this "temporary jail" project. Nice try but the financing could not be done in one years budget cycle. So here we go off to the courts to get this resolved.
You can vote early at the elections and passports office at 11th and Chicago Street near the courthouse. Waiting until the 27th of May is not a requirement if you want to vote early.
Marc Young Prosecution to Cost County $$$
THE GUARDIAN has found out via public records the prosecution of Marc Young in the Kiddie Porn matter will cost Canyon County taxpayers a lot of money. We find out now the money paid to Mr. Young for staying home on administrative leave and collecting vacation pay while not working may be the tip of the iceberg before all of this is over.
Canyon County Prosecutor, Dave Young,conflicted out of the case against his son Marc to the Idaho Attorney Generals Office. The AG is charging Canyon County for all expenses and costs related to the prosecution. This past week a Canyon County check in the amount of $13,156.00 was sent to the AG's office for expenses to date. They have not yet even gone to trial and we are down this amount of money! The amount that will eventually be paid to prosecute Mr. Young will make the administrative leave costs look like chump change before all of this is said and done.
The Attorney General prosecutorial efforts will really get expensive if the change of venue to Lewiston is granted by the judge. Hotels, meals, travel, and other assorted expenses will be added to the costs that are already mounting in this case each day it drags toward the final verdict.
The County Info person Angie Sollonis has put the spin on this cost as pretty much a push. If the AG didn't do it, then the county would have incurred the same resource costs. You can be the judge of this logic. Bottom line is that the costs for this will be added to the county expenses, the in house prosecution would have been a null event.
There was not a lot of choice regarding conflicting the case out of the county prosecutors office due to the relationship of the defendant to his father, the Canyon County Prosecutor.
Canyon County Prosecutor, Dave Young,conflicted out of the case against his son Marc to the Idaho Attorney Generals Office. The AG is charging Canyon County for all expenses and costs related to the prosecution. This past week a Canyon County check in the amount of $13,156.00 was sent to the AG's office for expenses to date. They have not yet even gone to trial and we are down this amount of money! The amount that will eventually be paid to prosecute Mr. Young will make the administrative leave costs look like chump change before all of this is said and done.
The Attorney General prosecutorial efforts will really get expensive if the change of venue to Lewiston is granted by the judge. Hotels, meals, travel, and other assorted expenses will be added to the costs that are already mounting in this case each day it drags toward the final verdict.
The County Info person Angie Sollonis has put the spin on this cost as pretty much a push. If the AG didn't do it, then the county would have incurred the same resource costs. You can be the judge of this logic. Bottom line is that the costs for this will be added to the county expenses, the in house prosecution would have been a null event.
There was not a lot of choice regarding conflicting the case out of the county prosecutors office due to the relationship of the defendant to his father, the Canyon County Prosecutor.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Canyon County "Expertology"
THE GUARDIAN has followed the reasoning why the city of Caldwell wants a new city hall and why Canyon County wants to decentralize and consolidate offices. It all pretty much boils down to NO PLAN.
Caldwell wants a new city hall as a catalyst project for downtown to kick start economic development. Nobody has explained how a new city hall will actually do anything but cost $15 million in urban renewal money. City functions are now in three buildings about a block apart. Administrative, Community development/Engineering, and Police in three separate structures. Seems like a pretty decent set of offices to THE GUARDIAN for a town the size of Caldwell. The city wants everything under one roof to "save money and create efficiency".
Next, we have the County and their efforts to decentralize offices and use tele-conferencing to "save money and create efficiency". The Deciders bought the Job Service building and a lot of other real estate to scatter their efforts "too keep costs down" for the taxpayers. In the case of the county they need more court space and have applied yet another band aid to the problem.
In both instances THE GUARDIAN has to ask ...WHERE'S THE PLAN? (reads where's the beef?). The "experts" at the city and county departments of "EXPERTOLOGY" really do need to do some good old urban planning or we are all in for some very expensive lessons that will be paid for by the taxpayers. Does anyone really belive a new city hall will create economic development in downtown Caldwell. Or does anyone really belive that moving county functions out of the courthouse area will save the taxpayers any money when Developmental Services and the Licensing offices are moved yet again. (reads NO PLAN)
The real opportunities to save the taxpayers some money were eliminated when the county turned down the $11MM offer from the Caldwell Urban Renewal Board, the offer of the Vanburen School property for county office expansion, bought the job service building and the Vallivue School District now has to build a school building.
Caldwell wants a new city hall as a catalyst project for downtown to kick start economic development. Nobody has explained how a new city hall will actually do anything but cost $15 million in urban renewal money. City functions are now in three buildings about a block apart. Administrative, Community development/Engineering, and Police in three separate structures. Seems like a pretty decent set of offices to THE GUARDIAN for a town the size of Caldwell. The city wants everything under one roof to "save money and create efficiency".
Next, we have the County and their efforts to decentralize offices and use tele-conferencing to "save money and create efficiency". The Deciders bought the Job Service building and a lot of other real estate to scatter their efforts "too keep costs down" for the taxpayers. In the case of the county they need more court space and have applied yet another band aid to the problem.
In both instances THE GUARDIAN has to ask ...WHERE'S THE PLAN? (reads where's the beef?). The "experts" at the city and county departments of "EXPERTOLOGY" really do need to do some good old urban planning or we are all in for some very expensive lessons that will be paid for by the taxpayers. Does anyone really belive a new city hall will create economic development in downtown Caldwell. Or does anyone really belive that moving county functions out of the courthouse area will save the taxpayers any money when Developmental Services and the Licensing offices are moved yet again. (reads NO PLAN)
The real opportunities to save the taxpayers some money were eliminated when the county turned down the $11MM offer from the Caldwell Urban Renewal Board, the offer of the Vanburen School property for county office expansion, bought the job service building and the Vallivue School District now has to build a school building.
Jail Project May be in Violation of Idaho Constitution
THE GUARDIAN learned yesterday that the Commishes may be in violation of Article 8 section 3 of the Idaho Constitution with regard to the financing of the TEMPORARY WAREHOUSE JAIL.
In the budgeting process they failed to budget and pay for the jail project in one budget year. The information received indicates the Commishes budgeted $8 million this year and $4million next year. This is not permitted under the Idaho Consitution. They simply can't go out beyond one budget cycle for projects without a super majority voter approval of the project in question.
A citizens group has already put together a warchest of funding to take the project on in court. This new information will surely strengthen the case against the Commishes. Dick Harris, attorney for the citizens group, will be handling the case for this group of folks who want to put a stop to the jail project which has no voter approval for the millions the Commishes are about to be spend on the project.
In the budgeting process they failed to budget and pay for the jail project in one budget year. The information received indicates the Commishes budgeted $8 million this year and $4million next year. This is not permitted under the Idaho Consitution. They simply can't go out beyond one budget cycle for projects without a super majority voter approval of the project in question.
A citizens group has already put together a warchest of funding to take the project on in court. This new information will surely strengthen the case against the Commishes. Dick Harris, attorney for the citizens group, will be handling the case for this group of folks who want to put a stop to the jail project which has no voter approval for the millions the Commishes are about to be spend on the project.
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