ENDORSEMENT: Vote Knudtsen, Durbin, Havercroft

We, the NIC board minority, would like to respond to Mike Waggoner’s Kootenai Journal article regarding the status of NIC. Mr. Waggoner states that NIC is in great condition and he gives the board majority the credit for this.

What he does not mention is that NIC is still under Show Cause entirely because of consistently bad board behavior, solely due to the actions of the board majority, Banducci, McKenzie and Waggoner. He also fails to mention that the trio unlawfully placed President Swayne on administrative leave to essentially fire him.

President Swayne fought his way through the legal system for three months after which the judge ordered him to be reinstated to his job and for the college to pay his legal expenses, $155,000 (paid by the taxpayers). During this period the board majority hired another president at a wage in excess of $300,000 which they continued to pay even after President Swayne was reinstated. Imagine what might have been accomplished if President Swayne had not had to spend three months fighting for what was lawfully his.

After tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars have been squandered, NIC is in good shape as a direct result of the outstanding leadership of President Swayne and IN SPITE OF THE BOARD MAJORITY.

NIC continues to be under the very real threat of accreditation loss. The reality is this: if the voters continue to elect the likes of Banducci, Waggoner and McKenzie the college will most likely be lost.

Choose wisely, vote KNUDTSEN, DURBIN and HAVERCROFT.

BRAD CORKILL and TARIE ZIMMERMAN