Fair Update

Published on August 31, 2010 at 10:47 pm. 0 Comments

Western Idaho Fair

We had a good ten-day run at the fair this year, although the weather was less than cooperative at times. The kids had fun feeding the animals at the petting zoo and riding the carnival rides, older kids had fun shopping and eating fair food, and young and old alike found something to enjoy among this year’s fair concerts by the Doobie Brothers, Uncle Kracker and Luke Bryan, .38 Special, and Clint Black. Clean-up is underway and planning efforts for next year’s fair are already underway.

Horse Racing

We won’t see horse racing in Ada County this year but attorney Vaughn Fisher, representing a new horsemen’s group, has formally petitioned the Idaho Racing Commission in an effort to have the new group replace the Idaho Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association as the recognized horsemen’s group for the purposes of negotiating an agreement with the operators of Idaho Downs. Attorney Fisher’s stated reason for requesting the change? He says the HBPA has no members. Stay tuned….

RV Park

Twenty years ago, the Board of Ada County Commissioners (then made up of Vern Bisterfeldt, Judy Peavey-Derr and Mike Johnson) signed a twenty year agreement to lease out the property where the On the River RV Park now sits for fifty dollars a year. In exchange for the long-term lease and ridiculously low lease rate, the lessee had to spend some money to clean up and develop the site. Surely, at the time, the Board thought it was the best way to proceed; however, I believe it was wrong to tie the hands of county commissioners for twenty years into the future.

We now, finally, have the opportunity to address the RV Park situation. There has been a lot of media attention focused on the fact that we intend to shut the park down at the end of September for renovations and a good clean-up, before re-opening it as an RV Park. Some confusion stems from the fact that the current operator led people to believe that they could permanently reside at the site. Please keep in mind that this is an RV Park, NOT a mobile home park. Permanent residency has never been contemplated by the county at this location.

As an RV Park, On the River’s operation complements fairgrounds usage. Western Idaho Fair and interim event exhibitors, workers, guests, and even race horse owners from out of town, who are in Ada County on a temporary basis, are able to stay right on the grounds. It is our intention to re-open the site as an RV Park and campground, once again, as soon as renovations are complete.

HORSE RACING REDUX

Published on July 10, 2010 at 2:39 pm. 0 Comments

At the bottom of this piece, I will share with you some of the comments people have posted on my latest blog piece about horse racing at Idaho Downs, which was formerly known as Les Bois Park.

I find these comments interesting, in part because these are the people who want my board and me to help them get horse racing back in Ada County.

To respond to these comments, in general terms, let me again point out the facts:

In 2002, I attended a meeting of the Idaho Racing Commission and was the only person who testified against granting live and simulcast horse racing licenses to Lariat Productions. I based my position on the applicant’s appalling business and criminal records. At that time, the horsemen defended Lariat and accused me of trying to put an end to horse racing at the facility. By now, most people are aware that Lariat’s days at the track turned out to be the dismal disaster I had predicted.

Turning the clock ahead to 2009, Capitol Racing had been leasing the facility for three years, and lost over $1 million a year each year. My colleagues and I agreed to renegotiate the terms of the lease, but Capitol Racing never came to the table.

At that point, if it had been our goal to get rid of horse racing and change the use of the facility, believe me when I say that my colleagues and I are all straightforward, outspoken and pragmatic enough to have simply done so, rather than attempting to find a credible operator through the RFP (Request for Proposals) process and beyond.

We put out an RFP to find a new operator for the $5 million facility and received two proposals. Neither applicant, including the Greene Group, made it through our screening process. We were seeking an operator with a business plan, the financial wherewithal to be able to support the upfront and ongoing investment, and horse racing experience. The Greene Group failed to meet these minimum standards.

After we rejected the first two proposals, we announced that we would entertain proposals from anyone who came forward with one. At that time, I met with representatives of the horsemen and encouraged them to submit their own proposal and cut out the middleman in the situation. The horsemen never did submit a proposal of their own to the county.

We received one new proposal, from the company now doing business as Idaho Entertainment. They had a business plan, the financial backing to run a track, and they passed our background check. We negotiated a deal and a contract was signed between Ada County and Idaho Entertainment in July of 2009.

Since that time, we have all been waiting for an agreement to be reached between Idaho Entertainment and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, the only horsemen’s group authorized by the Racing Commission to speak on behalf of all of the race horse owners.

A couple of months ago, the Idaho Racing Commission took a vote at one of their meetings, and by a narrow margin (21 – 18, I believe) the horsemen themselves voted in favor of the Racing Commission changing the rule and allowing other horsemen’s groups to be able to negotiate an acceptable agreement.

It is my understanding that the Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred folks have been ready and willing to enter into an agreement with Idaho Entertainment for some time now, but the HBPA Board has been standing in the way of us getting horse racing back at the county’s track.

Here are the comments posted on my last piece about horse racing:

Craig
craig224@hotmail.com
How’s this for a new idea that will get racing back? It’s sort of like “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” It’s “when the shoe is on the other foot.”

Ullman is so hot on a rule change, so why doesn’t she make a “simple rule change” to allow different operators to negotiate with the HBPA?

Why should Idaho Entertainment have a “monopoly on the right to negotiate an agreement,” anyway?

Oh? What’s that you say? Rules that prevent that?

And BTW, thanks for bringing up Lariat. Do you really think the horsemen would have chosen Lariat? Don’t you know that some of the rules that you want to change are in place because the lessons learned from Lariat?

It is not the HBPA that is holding up racing in Ada County, it is the very poor choice that Ullman made in operators.
There would have been racing last year and this year if either one of two things had happened:

1) The horsemen had chosen an operator.
2) Idaho Entertainment was willing to negotiate. If they were willing to negotiate, we would have racing. Instead, they are only willing to threaten to close it down unless he horsemen give in and give up. They have not proven that they even want racing. In fact, if you look at Wyoming (19 days in 2006 down to 16 days in 2008 down to 8 days last year down to ZERO days this year), you just might get the impression that they do NOT want racing. All they want is to break down the rules and laws that are in place in Idaho. Where does it end?

And who wrote that letter from Dr. Hoffman, anyway? Was it you or was it Eric Spector?

Jodi
jodi_perkins84@hotmail.com
No Sharon,
It seems more likely you did all of those things to make it look like you made an effort to keep horse racing in Boise. Tom is right, anyone who had any knowledge of Spector’s history would know the outcome of this situation. The various horsemen’s groups have been backed into a corner due to the desperate situation the commissioners’ decisions have put them in. All of the fighting amongst them is the effect of the problems the commissioners have caused. So either you did no reserch at all or you did and knew what woud happen. Maybe, you just don’t care. Either way you’re covered, right? After all you did put out an RFP and sign a contract.

Peter Bianconi
Pb234@gmail.com
You keep playing the Lariat Productions card over and over. Comparing Lariat to the Green Group, who the horsemen wanted the track to go to this time, is completely rediculous. Green Group was without a doubt the best qualified applicant but you blew a few minor discrepancies with their Coeur d’Alene Bingo operation way out of proportion to put a negative light on them. Also, you never did a second RFP so Idaho Entertainment basically got the lease without it properly being re-bid. Then on top of that you let the last group take many, many items that did not belong to them after they left. The entire Ada County Commissioners Board screwed this up. Not the HBPA and not the ISRC. Take the responsibility you so much deserve and face the fact that horse racing in the Treasuure Valley will NEVER return. If you were not trying to save face you would not be showing up at all the ISRC meetings trying to tell them how to do their jobs. I would be interested to know how many ISRC meetings you attended prior to Idaho Entertainment being awarded the lease. My guess would be it is about the same as the economic impact Les Bois Park is having on the community right now. ZERO!!

Severe Mosquito Problem in Eagle area

Published on July 10, 2010 at 12:44 pm. 0 Comments

Yesterday, Brian WIlbur, the Director of the County’s Weed, Pest and Mosquito abatement districts brought a severe mosquito problem to our attention. The area hardest hit is bordered, approximately, by State Street on the north, about a mile west of Linder Road on the west, Chinden on the south, and about a mile east of Eagle Road on the east. (These boundaries are from memory and I might be off a little but I’m at least close.)

The Mosquito Abatement District is taking strong measures to eradicate the problem, but we need your help. If you live in a gated community, please contact your HOA to make sure the county has an access code for the gate(s). If the County’s workers cannot get in, the area cannot be treated and the situation will continue.

We will be trying to treat the entire affected area Monday night but then need feedback from those of you who live in the area on Tuesday. We need to know if the mosquitoes are controlled in your area. The goal is to identify the exact sources (standing water) and treat or eliminate them. The County should have a special web page set up by Tuesday through which you should be able to report what is happening at your location. For additional information, you can also reach the Mosquito abatement folks at 577-4646.

Thank you for any assistance you are able to provide!

Horse Racing In Brief

Published on July 1, 2010 at 6:37 am. 2 Comments

There was a lengthy Idaho Racing Commission meeting yesterday afternoon. This group has been stalled and has failed to take appropriate action for almost a year now to get horse racing back on track at Idaho Downs (formerly known as Les Bois Park). All it would take is a simple rule change that would allow groups other than the Idaho Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association to enter into an agreement with the operator of the racing facility. Yes, it really is just that simple. At this time, the HBPA has a monopoly on the right to negotiate an agreement, which has effectively shut down racing in Ada County.

Near the beginning of yesterday’s meeting, the current Chair read a letter into the record from a fellow Commissioner, Dr. Ted Hoffman. In his letter, Dr. Hoffman detailed his concerns about Chair Mike Bosen’s leadership – or lack thereof. I thought Mr. Bosen would have the foresight and decency to resign then and there, but instead, he acted hostile and defensive.

I would add my endorsement to Dr. Hoffman’s thoughts. The group of teenagers I recently had the pleasure of working with at Girls’ State conducted themselves far more professionally and, frankly, made far better decisions than this group has managed to muster in recent years. Like Dr. Hoffman, I believe Mr. Bosen has acted with prejudice and has disrespected various members of his audience, myself included, and the audience as a whole.

At this time, I would call upon Governor Otter to review Dr. Hoffman’s letter and the recording of yesterday’s meeting, and begin the proceedings to remove Mr. Bosen from the Idaho Racing Commission. I believe removal of Mr. Bosen would lead to far greater professionalism and, hopefully, would allow for the necessary leadership to get the group – and horse racing in Ada County – moving forward again.

Sneak Previews

Published on June 28, 2010 at 11:21 pm. 0 Comments

Today, we finalized the name for the county’s new waste-to-energy project: Ada Renewable Technology Industrial Complex or ARTIC. I’ve proposed we use a Mobius strip for the logo. It was not our intent for the acronym to be “arctic” with another “c” in it.

We will likely revise the ordinance dealing with emissions testing so that the DEQ contractor will be able to operate in unincorporated Ada County. Our goal is to reduce the cost to vehicle owners. We will also make information available on our website to let vehicle owners know where they can get their emissions test done the cheapest.

There is an Idaho Racing Commission meeting scheduled this Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. The Commission will, once again, be considering making a rule change to get horse racing back on track in Ada County. I expect a different outcome than the last time this course of action was considered.

Property Value Appeal Deadline Approaching Rapidly

Published on June 22, 2010 at 7:21 pm. 0 Comments

You have until next Monday, June 28, at 5:00 p.m. if you would like to appeal the assessed value placed on your property in Ada County. For more information, and a link to the appeal page, please see Appeal Information

I would encourage you to file an appeal before the deadline if you have any questions about the appropriateness of your assessed value. You can always withdraw your appeal but once 5:00 p.m. passes on Monday, it will be too late.

RSVP RESPECT

Published on June 22, 2010 at 7:07 pm. 0 Comments

On May 13, I had the pleasure of attending the Ada/Elmore RSVP – Retired Senior Volunteer Program – recognition luncheon at the Doubletree Riverside Hotel in Boise. Hundreds of seniors, and many of us more junior admirers, gathered to honor this group of energetic folks who give so much to our community yet ask so little in return.

According to the group’s statistics, over the past year 606 volunteers donated over 115,000 hours, or the equivalent of $2.3 million in labor, to 150 different agencies.

In addition to hearing of the numerous hours of volunteer work from the honorees, we had the pleasure of hearing from the 2009 Miss Idaho, Kara Jackson, who not only gave a touching speech but entertained the crowd with her capable viola performance as well.

Thanks to one and all who volunteer their time to make our community a better place to live and raise our families!

Fireworks Facts

Published on June 22, 2010 at 6:57 pm. 0 Comments

The Board of Ada County Commissioners recently passed a fireworks ban for those areas of the county outside of city limits AND outside of unincorporated Ada County. The news media is reporting that the ban affects all of unincorporated Ada County without clarifying that areas within rural fire districts are exempt from the ban.

For more information about the ban, and a link to a map of the county that clarifies the areas in which fireworks are banned, please see News Release .

How to Cut Government 101

Published on May 25, 2010 at 10:02 am. 0 Comments

April revenues for the State of Idaho came in $55 Million lower than anticipated. How do we make ends meet in the state budget, without raising taxes, when revenues are drying up?

On February 1, 2009, the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Wayne Hoffman wrote, “An audit of the Idaho Transportation Department shows as much as $37 million could be saved by changing procedures and operations within the agency. That alone should be cause for pause. Each penny increase in the gas tax raises $9 million, according to the state Transportation Department. That means four cents of the 10-cent fuel tax increase won’t even cover the cost of inefficiency.”

On March 31, 2010, the Idaho Statesman Editorial Board opined,

“From January 2007 to September 2009, Idaho spent $6.8 million holding prisoners past their tentative parole dates. When dollars are tight everywhere in state government – including the prisons system – this estimate from state auditors should pique the curiosity of Gov. Butch Otter.

Yet Otter largely dismissed the audit scrutinizing Idaho’s Commission of Pardons and Parole – and criticizing Olivia Craven, the commissions longtime and politically connected executive director.

An audit of the Idaho Transportation Department shows as much as $37 million could be saved by changing procedures and operations within the agency. That alone should be cause for pause. Each penny increase in the gas tax raises $9 million, according to the state Transportation Department. That means four cents of the 10-cent fuel tax increase won’t even cover the cost of inefficiency.”

Clearly, there are savings to be had by running state government more efficiently. In less than a year, my two Ada County Commission colleagues and I cut the county’s budget by more than 11 percent – $22 Million – by eliminating or consolidating departments and finding wasteful, unnecessary spending and eliminating that, as well. All this was done without appreciably cutting services.

In addition to cutting unnecessary spending, revenue can be increased without a tax increase, if the state’s administration were to vigorously pursue the collection of unpaid taxes and other payables already due the state.

Here are suggestions of some other places where attention should be focused and savings methodically pursued:

  • Consolidate school district administration. Currently, less than half of the public education employees in Idaho are classroom teachers.
  • Reclaim durable medical equipment that has been purchased with state funds. For example, once the need is no longer there, we can reclaim and reuse $8000 scooters, provided to people who are disabled.
  • Realize greater economies of scale with a consolidated purchasing department for school districts and other government agencies.
  • Parole inmates on time to save money. According to a Legislative audit, it cost an estimated $6.8 Million to keep parole-eligible inmates in prison from January 2007 through September 2009.
  • Increase use of alternative sentencing. Twenty-five percent of inmates are in prison for drug and alcohol offenses.
  • Put the state’s checkbook online and let taxpayers help find wasteful spending.
  • Use performance auditors to find wasteful spending and assure that dollars are spent wisely.
  • Implement a “workfare” program to replace the current welfare system.
  • Reduce duplication of effort by consolidating commissions, boards, departments, agencies and districts.

Ultimately, we need to look at the proper role of government and set priorities.

Air Quality Board Update

Published on May 24, 2010 at 1:08 pm. 0 Comments

At today’s Ada County Air Quality Board meeting, it was announced that the average per test price for a vehicle emissions test in Ada County is $18.50 and six cents of that amount goes to education and outreach. If we were to contract with DEQ (and use their contractor, SysTech) for the provision of vehicles emissions testing services, the fixed cost would be $11 per test and about 96 cents of that amount – 16 times as much – would go to education and outreach.