ENDORSEMENT: Vote for Havercroft, Durbin, Knudtsen

As we cast our ballots, we urge Kootenai County citizens to vote for NIC Board candidates Durbin, Knudtsen, and Havercroft, and to vote YES on Proposition One. Our position is informed by over 50 years of collective service as NIC professors, and countless hours attending Board of Trustees meetings. We’ve witnessed firsthand the instability caused by the current trustees, Banducci, McKenzie, and Waggoner, who were endorsed by the KCRCC. Their actions have damaged the integrity of the board and the reputation of the college. Now is the time for renewal.

Rick Durbin, Eve Knudtsen, and Mary Havercroft are longstanding, dedicated members of this community, with proven records of public service. They offer a path forward — one marked by accountability, respect, and professionalism. More importantly, they are committed to ensuring NIC’s accreditation, safeguarding the college’s future. A vote for them is a vote to restore decorum, and yes, perhaps even return to the days of productive, if ‘boring,’ meetings — exactly what NIC needs.

We also advocate a YES vote on Proposition One, the Open Primaries Initiative. Idaho’s closed primary system has restricted voter choice and concentrated power within party lines. This initiative would return control to the people by allowing all Idahoans, including 270,000 Independents, to vote freely for candidates who truly represent their communities. Let’s end this era of disenfranchisement and restore power where it belongs — with the voters. Vote YES for an open, transparent, and democratic process.

PAT and MICHELLE LIPPERT

Post Falls