Let’s Hear It For Volunteers, Even If They’re Not In Uniform

I once poked fun at Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce manager Pat McGaughey for suggesting that “Volunteers” be the mascot for the new high school. He wasn’t talking about the rugged fighters for which the University of Tennessee sports teams are named. Nope. Pat wanted to honor this community’s volunteerism. At that point, volunteers and fundraisers had given us a new senior center, library and cancer center. Now, you can add the Walden House, Rotary Bandshell and the Cultural Center. Thank goodness those who dared dream of a Cultural Center didn’t know that it’d take seven years and $250,000 to make the project a reality. But it’s done now, and another group of Lake City volunteers deserve a Sweet Potato. Still, Volunteers doesn’t sound as good as Lake City Timberwolves. Or Vikings. Or Minimum Wage Earners, for that matter.

Quit county government beauty contests

The county clerk’s office is one of several key positions that should be an appointed position rather than an elected one. Others include the offices of treasurer, assessor, coroner and possibly prosecutor. Too often those key spots are decided by a popularity contest. Kootenai County Assessor Tom Moore, for example, almost was beaten by a little-known Republican in last year’s Republican landslide - despite the quality job he’s done for nearly a decade. Now, Democratic Clerk Tom Taggart is moving over to become the county’s first administrator, after getting his department in tiptop shape. Five Democrats are vying to replace him. Let’s hope the three candidates forwarded to county commissioners by local Democrats are qualified and not merely political hacks. Then, let’s consider a change in county government that will guarantee us quality clerks, assessors, coroners and treasurers at all times.

Golden rule applies at Stateline

Kootenai County commissioners won’t have a difficult time deciding what to do with the Stateline Speedway if they ask themselves a simple question: How would I like living next to a motorcycle track? Owner Joe Doellefeld wants an exemption from the county zoning ordinance, which limits the decibel level to 55 at the property line. He wants the volume raised to 75. That’d be like staging a concert with Nine Inch Nails next door, five or six nights a week. Of course, the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce is backing Doellefeld, its ex-president and an influential member of the community. But he shouldn’t be allowed to destroy his neighbors’ quality of life and property value.

, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125.