Nilson resigns as NIC trustee

COEUR d'ALENE — Ron Nilson announced his resignation Monday night as the vice chair of the North Idaho College Board of Trustees.

Nilson, elected to the board in 2012, made the announcement following a 3-2 board vote approving trustee zones for upcoming elections, which would have placed him in the same zone as Trustee Todd Banducci. According to the guidelines implemented by Idaho House Bill 512, set to become state statute on July, 1, trustees Ken Howard, Judy Meyer and Christie Wood would have been tasked with voting to decide whether Nilson or Banducci would retain the position.

However, Nilson had other plans.

"I always fought for the students first and the taxpayers second," Nilson said during the announcement. "I worked hard to understand this institution and what it stands for. But I am going to go back to serving the community, and I'll leave the politics at NIC."

Following Nilson's announcement, Banducci told those gathered at the special meeting of the board, called to discuss and potentially re-address the creation of the zones, that he questioned the entirety of the process. Banducci said that, during a special meeting of the board in April, a vote was cast creating five population-based zones in Kootenai County without any of the trustees falling into the same zone.

"I've never had the opportunity here as a board member to ever undo anything," he added.

Trustee Christie Wood, who advocated against the zones originally approved by the board due to concerns of incumbent gerrymandering, urged Nilson to reconsider his resignation. The sentiment was echoed by Board Chair Ken Howard, who originally voted in favor of the zones created without trustees falling in the same zone, but cast the deciding vote against that zone Monday.

"I would hope that you would reconsider that," Howard said. "I wish there was some way, quite frankly, that we could undo the statute and I guess we could have done so with the zoning. But I think we would have stepped right back into it with some other group expressing disagreement. It's a decision we're going to have to live with and I would hope both of you could find a way to continue to contribute."

After the meeting, Nilson told The Press he plans on staying on the board through its budgeting process. Nilson said if he left prior to the budget being voted on, he is fearful the board will approve of raises that will ultimately be paid for by students and taxpayers.

"The public has to be aware," Nilson said. "The public and the community does not know what goes on here."

Nilson called into question the process of creating zones, noting the approved zoning, which according to officials was done without any knowledge of trustees’ residences, did not place him in the same zone as Wood. Furthermore, he stated that the board had additional time with which to look at alternative zoning, rather than just the two options presented at the meeting.

"They didn't want to reconsider," Nilson said.

When asked if there was anything he would like to say to the community, Nilson said he was thankful for the support.

"Thank you for your confidence in me that I could make a difference — I think I did," Nilson said. "I will continue to serve the community with all my heart, mind and soul."