SHOSHONE: Dispute is hurting citizens

In past years I have attended any number of annual budget hearings because I am concerned that our local tax districts (county, city, schools, water, sewer, etc.) are providing quality goods and services for the tax dollars that we, the citizens and taxpayers of this great republic, provide. I do this because I have always believed that, at least on a local level, I can effect change. I must now admit that I was naive to believe that, even at a local level, our elected officials care about any public input on any matter.

Over the past several weeks, one county commissioner has repeatedly requested the ability to review the detailed financial records of Shoshone County. Most of us that attend the meetings of the Board of County Commissioners regarding this matter consider this to be a simple request for financial information necessary to the function of the commissioner’s office. Based on Idaho Code, the county commissioner’s office has the legislated responsibility to adopt the county budget and approve payment of all bills. It would seem to me that any commissioner not requiring this information necessary to make these key decisions would be derelict in the function of their office.

As of this date, this request from the county commissioner of District 3 has not been granted because the county commissioners from District 1 and 2 have stated that they see no reason to have access to the financial records of the county. Furthermore, the county clerk who maintains these financial records believes that the distribution of this information is an infringement of her responsibilities as the bookkeeper for the county.

We submit that the real reason that this request has not been granted could be far more sinister than it may appear. Initially we believed that this was simply a power struggle between the county clerk and a commissioner that was a former employee of the county clerk, and that the other two county commissioners were just going along because they don’t have a clue about anything, anyway, and are completely controlled by the county clerk (the county’s bookkeeper). However, the senseless impediments to this decision being brought forward now suggest that there may be items in the financial records that will not withstand the scrutiny of any review.

I would suggest that if it looks like baloney, and smells like baloney, it is probably baloney. This is all public information, and a quick review of the Kootenai County website (kcgov.us) under the county clerk tab provides anyone with access to the Internet the ability to review, in detail, the adopted budget, revisions to same, and a history of payments made to vendors providing goods and services to the county. This would suggest to us unwashed masses that if a county the size of Kootenai County has determined that this is PUBLIC information and they are governed by the same laws as Shoshone County then the commissioners from District 1 and 2 look and smell like BALONEY!

ROBERT E. STEPHENS

Pinehurst