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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Graves: Didn’t Know About Grandkids

In light of the recent press release issued by incumbent Ron Edinger, I feel it is only appropriate and fair for the news to fairly report the actual events. After reviewing a report Dan Gookin created and posted on his web site, which showed pay increase percentages for each city employee, I emailed the document to Troy Tymeson to confirm the numbers shown were accurate. My subsequent verbal question specifically to Mr. Tymeson was if Mr. Edinger had to recuse himself from voting on this portion of the budget, as it appeared to me a clear conflict of interest to vote on a wage increase to your own daughter. The answer I was told was no, he can and does per Idaho law. That was the end of it, or so I thought. What transpired beyond that initial inquiry, I was not aware of until reading the press release posted on newspaper websites yesterday. Let me be clear, the subsequent actions taken by the city happened without my involvement or knowledge.  As I stated above, I did not inquire about the law because I, like everyone else involved, did not know about it. I also had no idea Mr. Edinger’s grandchildren worked for the city/Adam Graves, Coeur d'Alene City Council candidate.   More here.

Question: Is this controversy hurting incumbent Ron Edinger or challenger Adam Graves? And/or: Will it affect other races?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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