Timing troubling on replacements

John Martin's planning on a pretty special New Year's Eve.

Officially, that's his last day on the job as North Idaho College's vice president for community relations and marketing.

His will be a richly deserved retirement. And it will open up one of the college's most important positions.

Martin has managed capably during his three-year tenure at NIC after a long career that includes 24 years in the Air Force, manager of a program serving disabled veterans and a stint as regional director for U.S. Sen. Larry Craig. He left retirement to help the community college - a six-figure salary didn't hurt, he readily admits - and he's prepared to leave the job to a competent successor.

But just as we're mystified by the college trustees' decision to spend $65,000 in a formal, drawn-out quest to find President Priscilla Bell's replacement without giving strong consideration to local candidates first, so we're engaged in some serious head-scratching about the college's intention to replace Martin mere months before a new president takes the reigns at NIC.

What his title doesn't clearly explain is that one of the biggest "marketing" responsibilities for the VP is working with legislators. While the president might be the face of the community college in Boise, he or she who holds Martin's position is the one who does most of the heavy lifting - as does the college's paid lobbyist. And even though NIC generates some of its funding through county property taxes, it still relies on more than $8 million from the Legislature. The relationship between its marketing and community relations VP and legislators is therefore one of the college's most significant investments.

That does not diminish the more localized role, either. NIC, like virtually every other place of higher learning these days, is experiencing growth, in part due to horrific economic and employment conditions. Because it derives part of its funding through property owners in Kootenai County, the college's relationship with area citizens can be tenuous, if not downright adversarial at times. An expert conduit between the two can be the difference between sunny skies and stormy weather.

We can't help but wonder what the next president, due to take over next July 1, will think about the decision to fill this position without her or his input. Why not appoint someone as an interim to handle the 2012 legislative session and hold down the fort until midsummer?

Just as the collegiate wheels seem to be rolling too slowly in finding the presidential replacement, so too do they seem inexplicably greased to put someone in John Martin's place. As any math teacher might suggest, that does not compute.