OPINION: Dan Chadwick was a remarkable public servant. We need more like him

When I learned of Dan Chadwick’s handling of a truancy case in Payette County, not long after I took office as Attorney General in 1983, I was greatly impressed. The case produced headlines across the country. Dan was a deputy county prosecutor at the time and he resolved the case by exercising a firm but reasonable approach. I decided he would be just the person to act as legal counsel to Jerry Evans, who was then the State School Superintendent. Dan excelled in that job, which was just part of his record of distinguished public service, right up until he passed away this year on April 23. 

In 1985, I tapped Dan to serve as Chief of my Intergovernmental Affairs Division. For the next five years Dan and his staff provided legal advice to practically every unit of local government throughout the state, as well as a large collection of independent state agencies and commissions. He listened to the concerns of elected and appointed officials of every political persuasion and helped them stay in compliance with the law. His advice likely saved hundreds of thousands of tax dollars over those years. 

His reputation as a highly competent attorney and administrator resulted in his selection in 1991 as Executive Director and General Counsel of the Idaho Association of Counties, a position he held for 27 years until his retirement in 2018. Dan was not a showboat who generated headlines, but he was well known as a go-to problem-solver among officials at all levels of government in Idaho. He was a trusted spokesman for county officials on so many issues, including opposition to unfunded mandates, advocating for state funding of county public defenders and improving county policies and practices for risk management, juvenile corrections, property taxes, substance abuse and mental health. 

It is no easy feat to work effectively with 132 headstrong county commissioners and over 260 other elected county officials for such an extended period of time and still be respected by the great majority of them. Dan pulled it off by actually listening to concerns and then working hard to find a solution. Former IAC President, Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson, was right on point in saying: “Dan’s retirement brings us to the end of an era that cannot be equaled. His contributions have been immeasurable.” 

Dan was also known and respected by his peers in the National Association of Counties. When word of his passing spread, tributes from NACO members and officials came in from across the country. A number attended Dan’s memorial service to show their respect for their friend and former associate. Paul Beddoe, a NACO legislative affairs director was quoted in a Chadwick tribute in NACO’s May publication: “He taught me that in lobbying, you never make a permanent friend, and you never make a permanent enemy. You have to treat people with respect and if you just have a disagreement or a tough conversation, don’t take it personally. You can come back and work together on something with those folks on another issue.” That certainly epitomized Dan’s approach. 

Last year, Dan told me that he was a firm believer in Thomas Jefferson’s saying: “The government closest to the people serves the people best.” Dan said those in local government positions “use common sense to take care of problems,” while state legislators often choose to “micromanage local affairs and impose one-size-fits-all, statewide solutions for every perceived problem.” Amen! 

Although he did not often talk about it, likely because of security concerns, Dan served as a linguist in the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, learning Serbo-Croation and working with the National Security Agency and intelligence community to protect U.S. interests in that volatile region. He was a decorated patriot. 

Following his retirement from IAC, Dan and his lovely wife, Michele, a former County Commissioner for Gem County, operated a government consulting firm. Dan also served as attorney for several cities. I rarely have known a couple so devoted to one another. They demonstrated that there is such a thing as a match made in heaven.  

I was privileged to have known Dan. Like the Boy Scout motto, he left his place on the Earth, the State of Idaho, much better than he found it. We sorely need many more dedicated public servants like Dan Chadwick.  

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Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho Attorney General and 12 years as a justice on the Idaho Supreme Court. He blogs at JJCommonTater.com.

LINK: 

NACO’s May publication: 

https://www.naco.org/news/friends-colleagues-remember-idaho-exec-dan-chadwick