Nic Election Action Applauded
North Idaho College trustees - three of them, that is - deserve Sweet Potatoes for making their election process more convenient - finally. In 1994, I climbed all over Chairman Norm Gissell and the board for not combining their trustee elections with the general election. It would save money and ensure a bigger turnout, argued I. But trustees feared that the NIC election would be lost in the shadows of higher-profile races. Recently, Gissell joined Betty McLain and Sue Thilo in voting to consolidate the elections. Now, we need to work on those school districts, including Coeur d’Alene’s, that refuse to combine trustee, levy and bond elections. Incredibly, the Coeur d’Alene School District is considering running elections for trustees and a supplemental levy a week or two apart this May - and at least one week ahead of the spring primary. Such tricks ensure lower turnouts and enable factions to control elections. And you wonder why voters become cynical?
Competence not enough in Sandpoint
Sandpoint High School Principal A.C. Woolnough and I aren’t the best of friends. But that doesn’t mean I don’t respect the job he’s done cleaning up problems at Sandpoint High. My sources say he’s a tough administrator who is respected by students. For some reason, though, he’ll be out of a principal’s job at the end of the school year. Trustees cite “philosophical differences” in not renewing Woolnough’s contract and little else, fearing legal reprisals. Some suspect Woolnough is the victim of a vendetta. Others figure the new superintendent wants his own lieutenants running the schools. Who knows? But the action certainly doesn’t make the school board or district look good.
Manure spreaders bring back memories
One of my first jobs as a young hand on my uncle’s cattle ranch involved scraping out the corrals on Saturdays. I’m very aware of the smells and feel of fresh cow manure. So I applaud what Bonners Ferry Councilman Russ “Doc” Docherty describes as “a crackdown on crap.” Apparently, Canadian cattle haulers routinely open the drains in their trailers while trudging around steep hills near Bonners Ferry, pouring an unsightly, smelly and often slick stream of cow manure onto U.S. Highway 95. It poses a traffic hazard. Maybe - besides the $97 tickets they occasionally get - culprits should have their noses rubbed in the mess they leave on the road. That method works in housebreaking puppies. , 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.