Nic Students Pondering Recall Of Trustees Action, Spurred By Firing Of President, Needs 15,000 Signatures To Make Ballot

Upset by the ouster of President Robert Bennett, North Idaho College students are planning a campaign to recall the school’s board of trustees.

“We have a lot of support from the community and from students who aren’t happy with actions of the board lately,” said Renee Scott, president of Associated Students of NIC.

Besides Bennett’s forced resignation this month, the students don’t like the $25 student fee increase approved by the board in May.

The fee, which Bennett advised against, will raise about $102,000 per semester when it takes effect next spring.

Trustees haven’t said where that money will be spent. Scott fears it will go toward paying Bennett $142,000 to buy out the remaining 13 months of his contract. Bennett accepted that amount in return for agreeing not to sue the college over his dismissal.

Board chairman Jeanne Givens had no comment on the recall effort Tuesday. Other trustees are Bob Ely, Barb Chamberlain, Steve Widmeyer and Sue Thilo.

Thilo is apparently the only board member to oppose the closed-door and publicly unexplained decision to replace Bennett.

“There was a lot of discussion about who we should and who we shouldn’t try to recall,” said Scott.

Ultimately, the students decided to ask Kootenai County voters to recall all five trustees. That’s because the votes to raise fees and accept Bennett’s resignation were unanimous.

In order to get the recall on the ballot, students must collect 15,000 valid signatures. That represents half the number of votes cast in the last trustee election, which had a high turnout because it was paired with last fall’s general election.

“Five students will dedicate all their time to this,” Scott said.

After getting the petition’s wording approved, they’ll have 60 days to collect the signatures. They expect help from the Kootenai County Property Owners Association. The influential taxpayers’ watchdog group has endorsed the recall effort.

NIC is funded with county tax dollars as well as state and student money.

“If Mr. Bennett is guilty of an illegal or immoral act, or of malfeasance, he should be fired,” said Dee Lawless, president of the property owners group.

“Otherwise, for whatever reason, he should be allowed to fulfill the last year of his contract,” Lawless said.

“In any case, the taxpayers should not be forced to pay for services not rendered, as well as paying the salary for his replacement.”

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