HIRING: Cd'A needs some help

I won't defend Councilman Edinger, he probably should have known about the nepotism law.

However, I would like to know how his relatives were hired in the first place?

Did Councilman Edinger's relatives lie on their employment forms? If so, prosecute them. Or is there nothing on the hiring forms that questions nepotism? If this is the case, then it's time to update Coeur d'Alene's Employment Department. This problem should have ended during the hiring process. The nepotism law has been in effect long enough for even a government employee to have had time to upgrade the employment forms.

I think this came to light to embarrass the one elected official who has enough sense to vote against spending "$39 million to turn a park into a park," to quote Kathy Sims.

If you want to talk about nepotism in Coeur d'Alene how about the City Administrator and the Fire Chief, Mrs. and Mr. Gabriel? I know they married after they had their jobs, so they're exempt.

Should they be? I don't think so. The City Administrator is certainly in the position to influence city salaries, and since our Fire Chief makes $112,005, the Fire Chief in Boise makes $116,087. Boise is 4.5 times the size of Coeur d'Alene.

I think to alleviate any doubt of improprieties the city should be required to hire an independent negotiator to determine city salaries. Instead Coeur d'Alene uses city employees to negotiate salaries of other city employees. Does that make sense to you?

GEORGE CARTER

Coeur d'Alene