Full Explanation Clearly In Order

It’s time for North Idaho College trustees to come clean with their reasons for forcing Bob Bennett to resign after 10 years as president.

Their continued silence is tearing the college and community apart.

Already, two trustees have quit as a result of the firestorm triggered by the unpopular move. The three remaining trustees face a recall effort by students and the Kootenai County Property Owners Association.

Silence, at this point, fuels speculation that Bennett’s ouster had more to do with trustees’ personal agendas than the former president’s shortcomings. One trustee reportedly has carried a grudge against Bennett over the resignation of former athletic director Rolly Williams during the 1994-95 school year.

The deafening silence also has tarnished Bennett’s reputation and many accomplishments, and calls into question the board’s ability to handle finances.

Only months after increasing student fees $25 per semester, the board agreed to pay Bennett $142,280 to buy out the remaining 13 months of his contract. The buyout and salary for an interim president will consume revenue raised by the fee increase. Dee Lawless, president of the property owners group, makes this good point: “If Mr. Bennett is guilty of an illegal or immoral act, or of malfeasance, he should be fired. Otherwise, for whatever reason, he should be allowed to fulfill the last year of his contract.

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

Until now, Chairwoman Jeanne Givens has hidden behind legal counsel and will say only that Bennett had “communication problems” - a strange accusation because Bennett has worked well with previous boards, the Coeur d’Alene business community and the difficult Idaho Legislature.

In fact, respected former trustee Norm Gissel said he was “thunderstruck” by the board’s action. Under Bennett, Gissel said, the college had hired a good staff, achieved academic and athletic excellence, was fiscally responsible and kept its buildings in good shape.

For a person allegedly lacking in communication skills, Bennett was respected at the statehouse and had no trouble lobbying the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee for equitable funding and a property tax break of $500,000 for Kootenai County.

If there’s a communication problem here, it appears as though the trustees have it - not Bennett.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria/For the editorial board