Gov. Batt Is Kennedque? Both Could Justifiably Cringe

Phil Batt? The “Ted Kennedy of the West”? C’mon. I can see the governor as a reincarnation of taciturn Calvin Coolidge. But to compare him to the Chappaquidick Kid is stretching things a lot.

Yet, Wall Street Journal reporter Dana Milbank introduced Batt in a Monday article about kinder, gentler Republicans with the line: “So who is this Teddy Kennedy of the West?” Seems Milbank got carried away by Batt’s nonconservative acts in championing worker’s compensation for migrant farmhands and in killing an environmental law favored by business. Writes Milbank: “Gov. Batt’s surprisingly progressive agenda, mixed with budget-cutting and otherwise pro-business stance, has proven hugely popular here in Idaho.”

The Kennedy line overshadowed an otherwise informative, must-read piece about our highest-ranking onion farmer. Then, what’s editorial license good for if a reporter can’t make an occasional wild statement?

Waterways chief wears too many hats

Hmmm. Greg Delavan needs to decide which of his jobs takes precedence: county Waterways Department supervisor or private marina owner. He’s mixing the two with unpleasant results at crowded Boothes Landing. As a private entrepreneur, Delavan leases moorage space to the Spokane Riverboat Queen and then doesn’t seem to mind when Capt. Dennis Walton putters his boat to the nearby Boothes Landing dock to load and unload passengers. As the waterways supervisor, Delevan should be concerned that sunbathers, fishermen and boaters are screaming that Walton’s boat is hogging public space for a commercial use.

There is nothing in the county code to prevent Walton from doing so. But there ought to be. Said Sandy Emerson, county waterways board chairman: “Public use is first. Our intent is that there’s no commercial use of public docks.” Delavan probably would agree - if his moorage fee from Walton hadn’t blinded him to his public duty.

If Coeur d’Alene builds it …

Walton, on the other hand, has a legitimate beef that he’s blocked from using Independence Point dock in Coeur d’Alene by Hagadone Hospitality cruise boats and other vendors. The four spaces on that dock are tied up in four-year, renewable leases. The city of Coeur d’Alene has a permit to build another dock at Harborview Center on the Spokane River. But it isn’t willing to commit the money to do so.

That’s too bad. A second dock would expand the vendor mix on the north shore and provide another source of revenue for the city parks system

, 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.