Jon Hanian, Gov. Butch Otter's press secretary, says Otter didn't have the option of appointing Jan Vassar to a full six-year term on the Idaho Transportation Board now. "The way it works is we have a vacancy, we have to fill that vacancy," Hanian said. "The term goes with the vacant seat, and the Bruce Sweeney seat happens to expire at the end of January." He added, "He couldn't just go ahead and appoint her for the next term before the first one expires."

Of course, the governor could have announced that he planned to do so. He also could have left the position vacant until the end of January and made the appointment then, Hanian said, but the governor's had lots of inquiries about when he'd fill the vacant seat for the Lewiston region on the board. Vassar will "go through the process of consideration for reappointment just like any other candidate who had been there for the whole term," Hanian said. The appointment also requires Senate confirmation, which  might not occur until after the full-term appointment is made.

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