Former state Transportation Director Kermit Kiebert of Hope has been appointed by Gov. Jim Risch to the state Board of Environmental Quality, to replace former state Sen. Marguerite McLaughlin of Orofino, who is retiring.

Risch praised McLaughlin, a longtime Democratic state legislator who served in both the House and Senate. “Marguerite epitomizes public service in Idaho,” he said. “As an elected official and then serving on this board, she had the best interest of Idahoans first and foremost in mind. I think her for her many years of dedicated service.”

Kiebert also served in the state Senate, from 1975 to 1987, including six years as minority leader. He headed the state Transportation Department from 1987 to 1993. Risch also announced the reappointment of Don Chisholm of Burley to the board. “I have great confidence in the two people I have selected for the board,” Risch said in a press release. “Don will continue his work on the board and Kermit will join a group of people who take their work safeguarding our state’s environment seriously.”

Interestingly, a cruise back through the S-R clips on Kiebert turns up this little item from a June 26, 1995 “Huckleberries” column by D.F. Oliveria: “Parting shot: Kermit Kiebert, who once oversaw the entire Idaho transportation system, apparently can’t get his own sewer system right. The Idaho Division of Environmental Quality won’t allow more hookups to his system at Hope, Idaho, until Kermit does more work on it - work that should have been done months ago. Bureaucrats sure can be a pain sometimes. Right, Kermit?”

DEQ board members serve four-year terms.

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