Kuna school board members held a workshop last week to discuss the district’s finances and their potential impact on education.
First of all, let me give a big kudos to the Kuna school district for making a wise decision to save its $1 million in additional funds from the state, announced last week. I have been reading stories about other area school districts immediately deciding to get rid of furlough days and put money back into the 2011-12 budget. Kuna, meanwhile, has rightly moved that money to 2012-13.
Still, according to figures presented by district business manager Bryan Fletcher, even with the extra $1 million in 2012-13, the district anticipates coming up short $900,000, or the equivalent of another 20 teachers, on top of the 10 teachers cut this year. So more kudos to the Kuna school district and superintendent Jay Hummel for starting a process very early in an attempt to engage the public and come up with solutions at a time when it appears school districts all around Idaho can expect ever-decreasing money from the state.
One of the common threads from last week’s workshop was a desire to get the community more involved. Board members divided into groups and to a group, each one said that getting the public involved was vital. So I will offer here ways that the district can do a better job of engaging the public and, as board member Carl Ericson put it, “make this a community organization.”
Get the board packets online.
Explain the budget.
Use what's already available.
Go TO the public.
You can read the details of these suggestions in this week's Editor's Notebook.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Household hazardous waste collection in Kuna is happening Wednesday
A household hazardous waste collection will take place from noon to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, in the parking lot behind the Kuna city park.
This collection, sponsored by J&M Sanitation, the city of Kuna and Ada County, is for Kuna and Ada County residents only.
Materials that will be accepted include automotive products, antifreeze, brake and transmission fluid, latex or oil-based paints, wood stains, paint thinner, pest controls, garden chemicals, automotive batteries, household batteries, household cleaners, pool and spa chemicals, TV’s and computer monitors.
Not accepted: explosives, ammunition, radioactive materials, asbestos, biological waste, tires, appliances or garbage.
This collection, sponsored by J&M Sanitation, the city of Kuna and Ada County, is for Kuna and Ada County residents only.
Materials that will be accepted include automotive products, antifreeze, brake and transmission fluid, latex or oil-based paints, wood stains, paint thinner, pest controls, garden chemicals, automotive batteries, household batteries, household cleaners, pool and spa chemicals, TV’s and computer monitors.
Not accepted: explosives, ammunition, radioactive materials, asbestos, biological waste, tires, appliances or garbage.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Derrick Boles to speak at Kuna Chamber lunch this Thursday, July 21
Former professional basketball player and Idaho Stampede Coach Derrick Boles will be the featured speaker at the July meeting of the Kuna Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber meets from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 21, at Kuna City Hall, 763 W. Avalon St. Lunch is $10 for members, $15 for nonmenbers. Please RSVP by Monday, July 18, to Mary Anne at information@kunachamber.com or call 922-9254.
Boles is founder and president of L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P. 1ST, and is considered one of the best motivational speakers in the Treasure Valley. Coach Boles is a magnet to those looking to change their lives for the better, whether on a personal or professional level.
As a coach, he knows how to build a successful team and incorporate team-building skills within a business, organization, sports team and other facets of life. He uses his own life experiences and educational background to move you toward a more positive attitude and energy level. Boles has degrees in Human Services and Psychology and Human Resources.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Kuna mayor to recommend a five-member urban renewal agency board
Kuna Mayor Scott Dowdy said he expects to propose a five-member urban renewal agency board, on the low end of the range of the three to nine members allowed by state law.
Dowdy said last week that he has a good pool of potential candidates who have expressed interest in the board, including Kuna Chamber of Commerce President Chase Craig, chamber member Sharon Fisher, along with some members of the city’s Design Review Committee.
City planning director Steve Hasson said that the city is considering melding the Design Review Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission and giving back some of the Design Review duties to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
This is for a couple of reasons: The waning economy and lack of development has not kept the Design Review Committee very busy and the addition of an urban renewal board may make it difficult to find more community members committed to filling so many volunteer positions in Kuna.
Dowdy said he expects to present a list of candidates for the urban renewal agency board at the next council meeting on July 19.
Dowdy said last week that he has a good pool of potential candidates who have expressed interest in the board, including Kuna Chamber of Commerce President Chase Craig, chamber member Sharon Fisher, along with some members of the city’s Design Review Committee.
City planning director Steve Hasson said that the city is considering melding the Design Review Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission and giving back some of the Design Review duties to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
This is for a couple of reasons: The waning economy and lack of development has not kept the Design Review Committee very busy and the addition of an urban renewal board may make it difficult to find more community members committed to filling so many volunteer positions in Kuna.
Dowdy said he expects to present a list of candidates for the urban renewal agency board at the next council meeting on July 19.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Free school supplies giveaway happening in Kuna on Aug. 13
New Beginnings Christian Church will again give away free school supplies starting at 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, at the gazebo at the Col. Bernard Fisher Veterans Memorial Park in Kuna.
Bring your family to get free supplies for this upcoming school year, while supplies last.
Please donate supplies at the following locations:
Kuna City Hall, Kuna Lumber, Blooms & Balloons, El Gallo Giro, Freedom Fitness, Paul’s Market, Chevron, Les Schwab and Zamzows.
Kuna City Council members at their last council meeting unanimously agreed to waive the fees at the city park.
Bring your family to get free supplies for this upcoming school year, while supplies last.
Please donate supplies at the following locations:
Kuna City Hall, Kuna Lumber, Blooms & Balloons, El Gallo Giro, Freedom Fitness, Paul’s Market, Chevron, Les Schwab and Zamzows.
Kuna City Council members at their last council meeting unanimously agreed to waive the fees at the city park.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Kuna MISSfits youth softball team wins state tournament, holds fundraiser Saturday
The Kuna MISSfits youth softball team will have a car wash, bake sale and raffle this Saturday, July 16, in the Paul’s parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to raise funds to help get them to Ellensberg, Wash., for the Pacific Northwest Regional Babe Ruth Tournament. The MISSfits won the State Babe Ruth Tournament last weekend, securing a trip to the regional tournament.
MISSfits thank sponsors Colton Construction, Idaho Independent Bank, Indian Creek Winery, Anderson Global Technologies, Blue and Sherlyn Jenkins, Words of Wisdom Vinyl, KHS Softball, Morgan and Sharon Williams, and Dealers Auto Auction of Idaho. For information about sponsoring, contact Ryan Field, 871-2243, Shawn Patterson, 724-9428, or Debi Kleffner, 571-3898.
MISSfits thank sponsors Colton Construction, Idaho Independent Bank, Indian Creek Winery, Anderson Global Technologies, Blue and Sherlyn Jenkins, Words of Wisdom Vinyl, KHS Softball, Morgan and Sharon Williams, and Dealers Auto Auction of Idaho. For information about sponsoring, contact Ryan Field, 871-2243, Shawn Patterson, 724-9428, or Debi Kleffner, 571-3898.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
MacKayla Hunter performs Saturday
Local singer/songwriter MacKayla Hunter will open for Steve Holy on July 16 in front of thousands of fans during the Snake River Stampede, “Stampede for the Cure” event, where she will introduce her radio single “Forever Is Just A Day.”
In addition, MacKayla is spearheading the “No Bully Tour,” a nationwide PSA mall tour for anti bullying which features Radio Disney’s Pop music artists as its first installment. MacKayla’s idea was to participate in the tour as a supporter of the campaign during the country music edition.
On Aug. 12 through 18, the No Bully Tour Country edition will visit major malls, Boys & Girls clubs and YMCAs beginning from South Carolina and ending in Austin, Texas.
Detailed tour dates, radio supporters and the chosen touring artists can be found on www.mackaylahunter.com. For additional information, contact publicity at media@jnfecorp.com or (305) 894-6073.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Kuna City Council needs better dialogue
Last week’s confusion over a development agreement for an unnamed national chain to move to Kuna, I think, raises a number of troubling questions about how the Kuna City Council conducts business.
But let me say upfront that I think the discussion is an important one and that both sides have valid points that should be considered. In no way is this indicative of “good ’ol boy politics” or anti-business sentiment. Before council is a legitimate, important issue that needs debate.
Unfortunately, though, the City Council, kind of like Congress, appears to be dysfunctional and unable to have a healthy debate.
The good news, in my book, is that the problems are imminently fixable, but council members need to change their attitudes and their practices. I will attempt here to offer some solutions.
First, as a little bit of background, before council members is a development agreement that would allow development of a 1.3-acre parcel of land on the northeast corner of Orchard and Avalon streets. The developer intends to sell the land to a national chain. The sticking point is about 900 feet of distance between the lot and the nearest pressurized irrigation line at Kay Avenue. Council member Rich Cardoza wants the developer to pay the approximately $54,000 to extend the pressurized irrigation line to the site. He argues that other national chains, such as Les Schwab and Walgreens, paid to have pressurized irrigation, water and sewer lines extended to their sites. In addition, Cardoza has a legitimate concern that if the city pays to extend the pressurized irrigation line in this instance, it opens a Pandora’s box of every other developer down the line wanting the city to pay for extension of sewer and water and pressurized irrigation lines.
The other side of the argument, which includes Mayor Scott Dowdy, council members Doug Hoiland and Jeff Lang and city planning director Steve Hasson, holds that the city needs to be business-friendly, the $54,000 cost might chase away the national chain and that this piece of land presents a unique situation in that other commercial developments that have come before, including the Fiesta Guadalajara building, Arctic Circle, Paul’s gas station and the Kuna Lube N Go, were not required to put in pressurized irrigation, leaving a gap of service along that stretch of Avalon.
So, as Dowdy argues, the city made a mistake before by not requiring those developments to at least put in dry lines, but the city shouldn’t make this developer pay for the city’s earlier mistake.
For the moment, let’s delay deciding who’s right and who’s wrong. What I’d like to address here is the dysfunctional process by which City Council is making decisions. My hope is that I can make some suggestions that the mayor and council members will accept and perhaps improve the discussion and the end result.
You can read all of my suggestions in this week's Editor's Notebook.
But let me say upfront that I think the discussion is an important one and that both sides have valid points that should be considered. In no way is this indicative of “good ’ol boy politics” or anti-business sentiment. Before council is a legitimate, important issue that needs debate.
Unfortunately, though, the City Council, kind of like Congress, appears to be dysfunctional and unable to have a healthy debate.
The good news, in my book, is that the problems are imminently fixable, but council members need to change their attitudes and their practices. I will attempt here to offer some solutions.
First, as a little bit of background, before council members is a development agreement that would allow development of a 1.3-acre parcel of land on the northeast corner of Orchard and Avalon streets. The developer intends to sell the land to a national chain. The sticking point is about 900 feet of distance between the lot and the nearest pressurized irrigation line at Kay Avenue. Council member Rich Cardoza wants the developer to pay the approximately $54,000 to extend the pressurized irrigation line to the site. He argues that other national chains, such as Les Schwab and Walgreens, paid to have pressurized irrigation, water and sewer lines extended to their sites. In addition, Cardoza has a legitimate concern that if the city pays to extend the pressurized irrigation line in this instance, it opens a Pandora’s box of every other developer down the line wanting the city to pay for extension of sewer and water and pressurized irrigation lines.
The other side of the argument, which includes Mayor Scott Dowdy, council members Doug Hoiland and Jeff Lang and city planning director Steve Hasson, holds that the city needs to be business-friendly, the $54,000 cost might chase away the national chain and that this piece of land presents a unique situation in that other commercial developments that have come before, including the Fiesta Guadalajara building, Arctic Circle, Paul’s gas station and the Kuna Lube N Go, were not required to put in pressurized irrigation, leaving a gap of service along that stretch of Avalon.
So, as Dowdy argues, the city made a mistake before by not requiring those developments to at least put in dry lines, but the city shouldn’t make this developer pay for the city’s earlier mistake.
For the moment, let’s delay deciding who’s right and who’s wrong. What I’d like to address here is the dysfunctional process by which City Council is making decisions. My hope is that I can make some suggestions that the mayor and council members will accept and perhaps improve the discussion and the end result.
You can read all of my suggestions in this week's Editor's Notebook.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Kuna school board budget workshop tonight
The Kuna school board will meet at 5 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, July 12, for a budget workshop before the regular board meeting at 7 p.m.
Kuna schools superintendent Jay Hummel wants to get this process started as early as possible for the 2012-13 budget, as more drastic cuts are in the offing.
School board members have already approved next year's budget with some cuts, including the elimination of 10 teachers. Hummel has said that with more reductions in education spending in the coming years, the community is going to have to have a very serious discussion about what we want our schools to be. The Kuna school district, like other districts around the state, will be faced with new mandates associated with the state's new "Students Come First" legislation, which established a host of changes in the education system, including diverting money for teacher salaries toward the purchase of technology, such as mobile computing devices for teachers and students. In addition, there will be some requirements for online classes, which promises to divert even more money out of district coffers and into the budgets of online providers.
With those mandates on the horizon, the Kuna school district has put forth some pretty scary budget numbers for 2012 and beyond.
I applaud the Kuna school district for launching this effort tonight. This is a great first step.
I have always questioned the apparent lack of involvement of the Kuna school board in the budgeting processed and I have criticized the administration for not providing more details. So it is my sincere hope that tonight's budget workshop gives the Kuna school board — and the public — a better handle on how the district spends its money. I can't stress enough how important that is in trying to formulate budgets in tough economic times.
Now, if we can only get the school district to post its school board packets online......
Kuna schools superintendent Jay Hummel wants to get this process started as early as possible for the 2012-13 budget, as more drastic cuts are in the offing.
School board members have already approved next year's budget with some cuts, including the elimination of 10 teachers. Hummel has said that with more reductions in education spending in the coming years, the community is going to have to have a very serious discussion about what we want our schools to be. The Kuna school district, like other districts around the state, will be faced with new mandates associated with the state's new "Students Come First" legislation, which established a host of changes in the education system, including diverting money for teacher salaries toward the purchase of technology, such as mobile computing devices for teachers and students. In addition, there will be some requirements for online classes, which promises to divert even more money out of district coffers and into the budgets of online providers.
With those mandates on the horizon, the Kuna school district has put forth some pretty scary budget numbers for 2012 and beyond.
I applaud the Kuna school district for launching this effort tonight. This is a great first step.
I have always questioned the apparent lack of involvement of the Kuna school board in the budgeting processed and I have criticized the administration for not providing more details. So it is my sincere hope that tonight's budget workshop gives the Kuna school board — and the public — a better handle on how the district spends its money. I can't stress enough how important that is in trying to formulate budgets in tough economic times.
Now, if we can only get the school district to post its school board packets online......
Monday, July 11, 2011
Kuna City Council to discuss budget tonight
The next city of Kuna budget workshop is at 5:30 p.m. today, Monday, July 11, at City Hall.
Kuna City Council members are tentatively scheduled to approve a budget that will be presented for a public hearing in August. I'll have more details in this week's issue of the Kuna Melba News.
Kuna City Council members are tentatively scheduled to approve a budget that will be presented for a public hearing in August. I'll have more details in this week's issue of the Kuna Melba News.
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