Yes. Here's the backstory of how life imitates art...
Like the old saying, "Two Peas in a Pod." We know the first little Pea is my opponent (on the left). So let's look at the other little Pea, his partner and treasurer (until 3/31/22) Dave Botting.
This is the person who was installed by my opponent to the Optional Forms of Government Study Commission and became the Chairman. This person embodies everything that is wrong with county government. Let me explain...
Monday, Dave Botting was given notice that one of the Members on the Study Commission no longer resides in the state. She and her husband now live in South Dakota. This out-of-state-resident also wants to change your form of government.
Any reasonable person would say this Member should no longer be on the Study Commission. Not Dave Botting.
He's happy to keep this person on the Study Commission to carry out the wishes of my opponent, which are to recommend changing our form of government so this gets on the ballot in November.
In fact, Botting was so confident he was right during that Monday meeting, he allowed this out-of-state resident to cast a vote to keep herself on the Study Commission. Yes. You read that right.
He also falsely claimed to have received a legal opinion from the Prosecuting Attorney, which after being pressed, turned out to be nothing more than a verbal statement pointing to Idaho statute. There was never a legal opinion provided.
Screw the County Citizen
That's what it feels like when out-of-state residents are allowed to remain on Boards and Commissions. But the real culprit is my opponent...the one who installed this Chairman to execute my opponent's agenda.
Fortunately, this out-of-state Member resigned yesterday, most likely because the Prosecuting Attorney made it clear that this issue needed to be resolved. Otherwise, an investigation would be initiated.
If there's ever a SHINING EXAMPLE of why I'm seeking to boot my opponent out of office, this is it.
But I need your support to make that happen. Please tell your friends and family to vote Bruce Mattare on May 17 for County Commissioner. The election is open to every Republican in the county so they can vote to excise my opponent and his type of corruption for good!
My signs are in so send my Campaign Manager an email to get one for your yard. It's time for change.
David@BruceforCommissioner.com
Here's my letter to Dave Botting attempting to right the wrong my opponent and his treasurer buddy have perpetrated on the community:
April 4, 2022
Dave,
As a member of the public, please consider this email nothing more than a submitted public comment to the Members of the Optional Forms of Government Study Commission and notice of a pending investigation against a Member of this Commission.
If this Monday’s meeting was called because of an open meeting law violation, then you should step down as the Chairman. You were given fair notice during the March 9 meeting about this illegality, and – more important – a way to cure it. You chose to ignore two attorneys qualified to provide such advice.
This has been a pattern of yours since this Commission’s inception to withhold relevant information (i.e., being Fillios’ Treasurer, identifying the County Manager’s responsibilities, etc.), downplay other Members’ concerns about this process, and ignore competent advice to the detriment of the Commission and its work. It is clear that you have an agenda that takes precedence over your obligation to faithfully execute your duties as Chairman of this Commission.
I also filed a Voter Registration challenge with the Clerk’s Office to initiate an investigation on a sitting Member of the Study Commission and provided that challenge to the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney. It has come to my attention that a Member of the Commission sold their house last December and it is widely known that this person is no longer a county resident. Idaho’s Secretary of State received notice from South Dakota that the spouse has already registered to vote there. This occurred months ago.
I cannot believe that this Member would intentionally conceal this relevant information from you. As you know, this Member is bound by the Honor System to notify the Commission of one’s intention to leave the county permanently when known. All participation, including casting votes, should have ceased at that point in time.
Unless you are willing to swear under penalty before the Commission you had no knowledge of this and call out this Member for concealing such information from you and the Commission, then I’m confident this person would have acted honorably and notified you that they intended to leave the county upon selling their home. Otherwise, this Member has accepted liability that I cannot imagine one would want for a Commission recommendation that will have zero effect on this person’s life.
I don’t see how you could allow anybody to continue to participate on this Commission who no longer resides in the county. If true, it is a form of corruption beyond imagination and, again, breaches your duty as Chairman.
May I remind you that it is often the cover up that is greater than the scandal itself. All of this will eventually enter into the public domain prior to the May conclusion of this Commission. You have the ability to mitigate this wrong and protect the good names and work of the other Study Commission Members. I trust you will do the right thing.
Respectfully,
Bruce E Mattare