Chilco Park Decision Zig Calls For A Remedial Zag
I don’t know which is worse: Kootenai County’s decision to give developers 12.7 acres of Chilco park land, including Chilco Falls, or Commissioner Dick Compton’s excuse for doing so.
Said he: “We were operating on behalf of the taxpayers.”
Hmmm.
Basically, the commissioners gave away the falls to settle an unrelated, messy land use dispute caused by a previous board’s poor planning. The current trio wasn’t interested in maintaining the Chilco property. So, they junked it - without contacting neighbors. (Apparently, the commission wasn’t operating on behalf of those particular taxpayers.)
Chilco residents are upset, as are climbers. Chilco is one of two local falls that are good for ice climbing.
So, here we have a park that requires low to no maintenance, is popular locally and offers an unusual recreation experience.
The commissioners need to undo this booboo. Or be booed.
Indeed, Bonner County has an encore
In the last Hot Potatoes, I wondered what Bonner County commissioners would do in 1998 as an encore to last year’s building department fiasco. Well, the answer was on Page 1 of that day’s paper: “Suit challenges amnesty for illegal Bonner County lots.”
(Yeah, yeah, I know. The right hand sometimes doesn’t know what the left one is doing around here.)
Anyway, the commissioners granted amnesty to hundreds of residents with illegal and unbuildable lots. Among those were a dozen or so who illegally split lots and recorded deeds in anticipation of the amnesty, including John Topp, the county civil attorney who wrote the ordinance. Plaintiff Jim Watkins, a real estate agent, claims the commissioners acted quietly and quickly at an illegal meeting. (Hmmm. That’s a familiar Bonner County theme.) Looks like the county insurance rates are going to take another beating.
Itinerary matches political destination
So, what’s the difference between a retiring U.S. senator and one who plans to continue on, when he’s not pretending to be an Oak Ridge Boy? Junkets. On his way to becoming Idaho governor, U.S. Sen. Dirk Kempthorne stopped in Hawaii in December, to remember the Idahoans who fell at Pearl Harbor. But all U.S. Sen. Larry Craig can line up is a trip to the South Pole this week, to check out U.S. research facilities. Of course, Liltin’ Larry also planned stops in New Zealand and Australia. But who’s going to begrudge him a few rays after a junket … er, trip to Antarctica?
, 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, or by sending e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.