[Vision2020] IBTA Decision

[Saundra Lund]

Visionaries:

Just to follow up on Rose's email, I received a call from the Attorney
General's Office this afternoon.  The Deputy AG who will be handling this
was out of the office last week and thus just today received our request
forwarded by the IBTA.  The Deputy AG anticipates having the documents we
requested sent to us shortly.

Hopefully, the Case of the Recusal Mystery will be resolved in the near
future, and as Rose stated, we will make public the documents we receive.


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
Edmund Burke

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of DonaldH675 at aol.com
Sent: Monday, 28 March 2005 2:17 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] IBTA Decision

Visionaries:

Although we were pleased that the property tax decision of the Latah County
BOE were upheld regarding the northern parcel of NSA and Anselm House, we
have concerns about the IBTA recusals.  Our concerns translated into direct
action immediately after the decision was announced.  On March 22, 2004 the
following email was sent to Ms. Sue Renfro, of the IBTA to be forwarded to
Mr. Cobbs,  Mr. Kinghorn, and Ms. Robertson.
  
Dear Mr. Cobbs, Mr. Kinghorn, Ms. Robertson:

We have received the certified letters with IBTA decisions regarding the
Matter of the Appeal of Board of Trustees of the New St. Andrews College
Trust and the Appeal of Huskey/Lund from the decision of the Latah County
Board of Equalization for the tax year 2004.  Appeal Nos. 04-A-2192 &
04-A-2214.

We understand that Mr. Cobb and Mr.  David E. Kinghorn  have recused
themselves.  It is important to us, and to any future appeals we may make to
the IBTA, to understand the circumstances surrounding this decision.  Please
clarify the following statements:

"On March 15, 2005, Board Members Lyle R. Cobbs and David E. Kinghorn,
following earnest deliberation, recused themselves from further proceedings
in this consolidated appeal.  Said Members offer, they have been
individually subjected to information affecting their impartiality and
ability to consider the record in a fair and just manner.  The Board holds
it unwise to now deliberate these complex administrative appeals."

We request a complete and full explanation of any and all information, and
from whom this information was proffered, (outside the official documents
included in the record).   Who inappropriately contacted or communicated
with them regarding this matter?  We request copies of that communication,
if written.  If the communication was oral, for example, by telephone, we
request a summary of that communication and the name of the person who
contacted them.  If inappropriate private conversations on this matter took
place, we ask to have the people identified who engaged in the conversation
and a summary of those conversation(s).  Was Ms. Lisa Robertson contacted or
"individually subjected" to this information.  Was this contact made at
their home or through their place of business?  

We appreciate Mr. Kinghorn's and Mr. Cobbs' integrity in this matter.
However, if these hearings have been contaminated by unintentional or
intentional acts, we believe that as participants in the process we have the
right to a full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding their decision
and actions.

Please consider this email a public records request pursuant to the Freedom
of Information Act.  We ask for un-redacted copies of any and all notes or
minutes  taken during the official consideration of this matter. 

Sincerely,
Saundra Lund                                               Rosemary Huskey


I called the IBTA on Thursday to confirm that the email had been received.
It had.  I spoke to Ms. Renfro a few minutes ago and learned that our
request has been forwarded to the Attorney General's office for an opinion.

Let us be perfectly clear.  Neither Saundra nor I have ever spoken to or
communicated directly with Mr. Kinghorn or Ms. Robertson.  The only direct
contact we have ever had with Mr. Cobbs was to testify at the public
hearing.  Following the hearing we may have sent (again through Ms. Renfro)
a brief one or two line thank you note to the IBTA for the opportunity to
bring the appeal.  There certainly would not have been any discussion of the
facts of the case.  Further, we have no knowledge (direct  or indirect) of
anyone contacting these men about this (or any other matter).

As usual, Saundra and I will make public any/all records received as a
consequence of our public records request.  Mr. Dickison has notified us
that he is filed a motion dated March 26, 2005 (4 days after we had
responded to the IBTA) for reconsideration with the IBTA.  Saundra and I
briefly considered that option but rejected it since we didn't understand
how they could fairly reconsider what they had just refused to consider.  

Saundra Lund   and Rose Huskey

"One cannot level one's moral lance at every evil in the universe. There are
just too many of them. But you can do something, and the difference between
doing something and doing nothing is everything." Daniel Berrigan