Barnes must resign from NIC board

Michael Barnes, a member of the North Idaho College Board of Trustees, of his own admission, is no longer a resident of Zone 5 in the North Idaho College District. Instead of maintaining a stable residence in a fixed structure in Kootenai County, Mr. Barnes has opted for living a vagabond existence in his travel trailer.

It brings me no pleasure in discussing Mr. Barnes’ personal affairs publicly. He is, however, an elected public official, and the taxpayers and residents of Kootenai County deserve to be made aware of the status of his living arrangement since it affects his qualification for continuing to hold office.

Michael Barnes had been my neighbor until he sold his house in June and moved, vacating the legitimacy of his claim to his seat on the NIC Board of Trustees. This move has disqualified him from holding office based on Idaho Statute 59-901, which reads in part:

“Every elective civil office shall be vacant upon (e) the incumbent ceasing to be a resident of the state, district or county...for which he may have been elected.”

Prior to closing on his property, Mr. Barnes had been living in Arizona from January 2021 where it has been discovered he has had a PO Box mailing address since 2016.

Merely summer visitors now to Kootenai County since the sale of their house, the Barneses camped out in their former neighbor’s pasture for a short time. This transient living arrangement defies being a bona fide, tax paying Kootenai County resident.

Not only apparently in violation of Idaho Code by remaining in office lacking a fixed qualifying residence in Kootenai County, and despite disputably claiming his former neighbor’s property as his residence, Barnes’ decision to camp out in a travel trailer parked on the former neighbor’s property this summer without a permanent residence elsewhere is a violation of Kootenai County Code 8.4.401(c) which states:

“An RV shall not be used as a dwelling except as provided in this section. The owner of the RV must have a primary residence other than the RV.”

Based on the definition of “residence” in Idaho statute 34-107, Mr. Barnes’ transient lifestyle does not meet Idaho’s residency requirements for remaining in office.

Yet Barnes is still deceptively registered to vote at the address of the house he sold six months ago. Based on Idaho Statute 34-107, Barnes is not even qualified to vote in Kootenai County and his voter registration should be revoked.

The Barneses’ former neighbor told me in October they were in Branson, Missouri, and would be heading back to Arizona next.

Recently, Mr. Barnes resigned his position on the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, stating he was moving. If Mr. Barnes had a legitimate, legal address in the precinct he once represented, as he wants us to believe, there would be no reason for his resignation from the central committee.

Mr. Barnes is taking advantage of the taxpayers while utilizing the availability of Zoom. Without Zoom, he could not otherwise participate in NIC board meetings given his absence from Kootenai County.

In perpetuating the deception that Mr. Barnes is a current, established resident of Kootenai County, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Banducci and Mr. McKenzie have violated good faith standards and their fiduciary duty, which includes, but is not limited to, honesty and acting lawfully.

Furthermore, the open hostility of these three to reality is essentially opting for self-serving inventions and falsehoods as if they are factual.

Likely in violation of Idaho law by remaining on the NIC Board of Trustees, there is reason to question whether Mr. Barnes' votes have been legal and valid since last June, a time frame during which he voted to terminate Rick MacLennan.

Kootenai County residents deserve representation from a trustee who is an established, taxpaying county resident. NIC deserves a trustee who is fully invested in our community’s well-being and the college’s success. Mr. Barnes meets neither of these essential qualifications.

We all deserve good judgment, respect and sound character from our NIC Trustees. Many do not believe they are receiving these honorable characteristics from Barnes, Banducci and McKenzie.

To end the pattern of deceit, an immediate resignation is in order from Michael Barnes for the same reason he resigned from the KCRCC; he is no longer a resident of the college district or Kootenai County.`

Deborah Rose is a Kootenai County Planning Commissioner who is writing as a private citizen, not as a representative for the county in any manner.

Editor's note: Press reporters have attempted repeatedly to speak with Michael Barnes about his residency. Barnes refuses to return phone calls or respond to Press emails.