In
an unanimous vote, the Board of the College of Western has officially supported
the new trustee zone bill, HB 512 . This is a better bill than the one what was
forced on us before. I supported the motion at our CWI board meeting supporting
the new bill which is HB 512.
I
do want to draw your attention to this language:
SECTION 1.
That Chapter 21, Title 33, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby amended by
the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and designated as Section33-2104A,Idaho
Code, and to read as follows: 33-2104A.
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE TRUSTEE ZONES. (1) Each existing
community college district shall be divided into five (5) trustee zones. Each13
trustee position on the board shall be designated to a zone so that each14
trustee zone contains one (1) designated trustee position.
(7)
Notwithstanding the time requirements set forth in this section, on or before
July 1, 2016, the board of trustees of each community college district formed before
the effective date of this acts shall obtain a state board of
education-approved proposal to divide the district into five (5) trustee zones.
Trustee terms due for the 2016 election shall be subject to the zoning and board
position requirements set forth in this section.
This
language basically means Guy Hurbutt and Mark Dunham are NOT eligible to run
again. Our terms are up this year. Emily
Walton will have two years left on her term.
When the new “zones” are complete, because Emily Walton, Guy Hurlbutt,
and I live in the part of town in Boise, there is no way Guy and I could run
because Emily’s term has two years to go in her term. And she's a great trustee!
Guy
already announced several months ago that he would NOT run again. I really thought I would run again for several reasons.
Nevertheless,
HB 512 precludes me from running again. However, I really do support the legislation.
Certainly,
there could be "gerrymandering," however, the CWI board would not consider gerrymandering.
This needs to be fair and population based. This cannot be for the benefit of “Emily
Walton” and “Mark Dunham.”
It is not
about two specific individuals. It should be about well-thought out legislation and
policy.
I would never be party to gerrymandering.
I
am hopeful that legislators who proposed this bill will now come together to
support the students and the economy. This
divisive issue should be behind us for the sake of students, business, and taxpayers.
The
new board should coalesce around the two-campus concept that has been planned
for years. This is not a new concept despite what some media and legislators think.
It
has been disheartening when news media and fellow elected officials state
and/or believe that CWI will move operations out of Nampa to consolidate everything
to the 10 acre parcel near the Boise River.
To
suggest otherwise, is an outright lie.
That
was never the Board’s plan or intent. Rather, a true community college serves
students in accessible ways. The Board
has always committed to build-out the 100# acres in Nampa. The CWI Board has
already programed two buildings in Nampa, and the Micron Technology Building in
Nampa is State-of-Art regional training center which helps students and businesses.
That
goal has NEVER changed.
For
the 8,000 Ada County students, we have leased several buildings for years. This
is NOT new. This is NOT a plan to abandon Canyon County and Nampa. Rather
thousands of CWI students live in Ada County and attend classes in 5 leased buildings
on Overland and Maple Grove.
The
property called the Bob Rice parcel is designed to move the existing leased Ada
County campus to the Bob Rice property which we own.
In
both Ada and Canyon counties, taxpayers pay $2 million A YEAR for leased
buildings.
It
seems that people simply do not understand that there are two counties and CWI
serves students in both counties.
That is what community colleges do.
When
HB 512 passes, it should be fair and equal.
For
example, according to the US Census Bureau:
Ada
County has a population of 426,236.
Canyon County has a population of 203,143.
By state law, every community college
has to have 5 trustees.
Therefore, the two counties have a
total population of 629,379. That means, each Trustee will "serve" about 125,876
people. The five trustees would be
elected “at large” but must live in their “zone.” I actually support the concept fully.
The new law will require zones. Here is
the actual legislative language:
The
boundaries of the several trustee zones in each existing community college
district shall be drawn so that the five (5) zones are as nearly equal in population
as practicable. If a community college district is situated within two (2) or more
counties, and anyone (1)of the counties has sufficient population to warrant at
least one (1)zone, then the boundaries of a trustee zone shall be located wholly within the
boundaries of such county.
It
appears to me, Canyon County will “get” one trustee, Ada County will “get” 3
trustees, and one zone will be split between two counties. To be fair, this should NOT be a King Solomon’s Choice.
Though it seems that I will not be on the Board of the College
of Western Idaho anymore after December, I am so proud what Canyon and Ada
Counties have done. The five original trustees were installed in July of 2007.
We had a building but nothing else. No staff. No plans.
Today, College of Western Idaho (CWI) is a comprehensive community college
providing higher education programs to residents of Western Idaho. We
offer a full range of academic and professional-technical courses leading to an
Associate of Arts or Science degree, Associate of Applied Science degrees,
continuing education, and certificates. CWI also offers Basic Skills Education
to help prepare for a GED, Dual Credit for high school students, and fast-track
career training for working professionals. Choose from classes offered at a
variety of campuses throughout the Treasure Valley or online.
Though the new law precludes me from running again, I am blessed
to have part of the history of College of Western Idaho.
I hope legislators will support CWI and a bond campaign which is needed to build buildings. However, I fear that some people who wanted this legislation will never support CWI and necessary bonds.
I hope legislators will support CWI and a bond campaign which is needed to build buildings. However, I fear that some people who wanted this legislation will never support CWI and necessary bonds.
And finally, the end of my CWI service also will mark the end of
my Idaho legislative career.
I started to lobby the Idaho legislature in 1984.
I was the CEO of the Idaho Association of REALTOR’S for almost 20 years. Then I
was the Government Relations Director of BSU along with the Interim Vice President
of Institutional Advancement at Boise State. I was the Vice President of the Idaho Association
of Commerce and Industry for a year before I was named the Executive Director
of the Associated General Contractors. Then, I retired because of two strokes.
Nevertheless, I never missed a CWI Board meeting because of my strokes. And
then, I was the De facto “lobbyist” for CWI as a Board member.
33 years as an Idaho lobbyist.
I have had a great lobbying career. I always
tried to make a difference with respect for others.
Now, as my CWI term ends,
“Old lobbyists never die, they
just fade away.”
I will focus on other things other than the
Idaho Legislature. It is time for Mark Dunham to leave the Idaho legislative stage....
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