VOTE EVE TO PROTECT NIC!
Letters to the Editor
Vote for Durbin, Knudtsen, Havercroft
October 20, 2024
It was disappointing to receive the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee’s (KCRCC) “misleading” mailer last week. There’s already been so much concern around the KCRCC’s lack of transparency and trust in the rating and vetting process. Why would Chair Brent Regan further muddy the water by sending misleading flyers implying that my precinct committeeman (PC) supports their NIC trustee list? Sticking the PC name in big, bold font on the front of the postcard right under the NIC trustee list is blatant manipulation. Why is the PC name even on the flyer? I know who I voted for a few months ago. It’s immaterial so its presence on the postcard means it’s there to serve another purpose. That purpose? To get people who are busy raising their families or just trying to make ends meet to blindly vote for the KCRCC’s wish list of NIC trustees thinking their PC endorses them. 30 of the 73 PCs (that’s 41%) did not endorse these NIC trustees for very valid reasons.
Come election day, I’ll be voting for Rick Durbin, Eve Knudtsen and Mary Havercroft for NIC trustees. They represent the Republican values I believe in and have our community’s best interests at heart. It’s time to stop muddying the waters and focus on what’s truly best for Kootenai County. A strong NIC is crucial for us all.
Jenn Wood
Vote Havercroft, Durbin, Knudtsen
I just got the KCRCC postcard from my precinct committeeman. The first thing on it is a blue box asking me to vote for Lyons, McKenzie and Angiletta as NIC trustees. Then it says “Make NIC great again.”
Are you flipping kidding me? Greg McKenzie is a huge part of the reason that NIC is in so much trouble right now. Sure, thanks to the population increase and the improvement in our economy, NIC’s enrollment is up. Do you really think that will continue if NIC loses its accreditation? If I was a prospective student, I sure would not be enrolling at NIC if it wasn’t accredited!
While I don’t know much about the other two candidates, the very fact that Brent Regan’s dominated KCRCC has endorsed them certainly makes me think they are not qualified.
I’ll be voting for Mary Havercroft, Rick Durbin and Eve Knudson. They all care deeply about NIC and want to keep our local college vibrant. They’re not just interested in pushing the idea that Idaho should not be involved in secondary education.
Duncan Bell
Rathdrum
Vote for Knudtsen
If you look for certain qualities in elected officials, like honesty, character, work ethic, a problem solver. A person who understands business and finance then join me in supporting and voting for Eve Knudtsen for NIC board of directors.
Bill Carlson
Post Falls
Vote for Knudtsen
For most of her life, Eve Knudtsen has been a beacon of inspiration for the next generation, encouraging us to step up and serve our community. She has been a mentor and friend to countless women striving to make a difference, teaching us how to break barriers and lead confidently and purposefully; showing us how to shatter the glass ceiling while serving with determination and excellence.
Now, as she steps up to serve on the North Idaho College board of trustees, Eve is more than ready to guide the college out of its current crisis. Her proven business expertise will bring much-needed financial accountability and stewardship to the board, ensuring taxpayer dollars are responsibly managed.
In contrast, the current board majority, including her opponent, Greg McKenzie, has demonstrated reckless spending habits. This election is critical to restoring sound leadership.
As a NIC Alumni with daughters who have both attended NIC, the second of whom is currently obtaining her associate’s degree, I TRUST Eve’s calm, steady demeanor and natural leadership that makes her the unifying force the board DESPERATELY needs. She leads with reason, not emotion, and is committed to fostering collaboration and respect. I wholeheartedly support Eve in this vital election. She will continue to serve our community with grace, civility, and a strong sense of responsibility. She is the RIGHT Trustee for NIC!
KATIE SCHREIBER
Coeur d’Alene
Vote for Knudtsen
I am writing in support of Eve Knudtsen, who is currently running against Greg McKenzie, in her efforts to support North Idaho College from losing accreditation due to the MAGA efforts of the current Republicans who control the board of trustees.
I have known Eve since 1987, and I have been so impressed with her efforts to provide career choices and a trained workforce for students in Kootenai County.
She is so well educated and she’s willing to perform what is necessary to give the students at NIC the abilities, skills and knowledge to pursue their careers in various industries.
This is important because the industries in our area need qualified and capable individuals. Our city needs people who are willing to perform a wide array of jobs that require different skills. North Idaho College offers training and education for many industries, such as health care, automotive and manufacturing.
Our current situation with North Idaho College is scary and awful. We could lose the college, and that would be devastating to our community. Eve is the right person to make sure NIC continues to exist.
Greg McKenzie, Todd Banducci, Brent Regan and others don’t seem to care at all. Their egos have completely gotten in the way, and shame on them for their selfishness and egotistical attitudes.
I attended NIC in 1977 and 1978, and it was a joyful experience that I was so proud of. Vote for Eve.
Connie Boyd
Coeur d’Alene
Knudtsen: for NIC Board of Trustees
I have observed and served with Eve on numerous boards and committees in the medical, business, and education communities, including the Kootenai Health Foundation, the Coeur d’Alene Area Economic Development Corp., and KTEC.
Eve possesses intelligence, competence and integrity.
Our community and North Idaho College need capable and qualified leadership. I am so grateful that Eve is willing to serve on its Board.
Please vote for and support a distinguished, hardworking and selfless candidate: Eve Knudtsen for the NIC Board of Trustees.
Steve Griffitts
Hayden
Vote for Knudtsen
As I am preparing to retire in the next few months, it has given me cause to reflect upon my career and the many people I’ve had the opportunity to work for and with over the past 45 years.
It has truly been my honor to be a public employee for nearly the entirety of my career at four different colleges, including North Idaho College, and one public high school.
Every employer I’ve had was governed by a publicly elected Board of Trustees. That has given me the experience of witnessing members of the community giving of their time and talents to help guide the mission and work of the institutions I served.
In nearly all of the cases, I experienced skilled and selfless leaders who guided us to serve our communities and state in the ways that our citizens needed and deserved.
I feel strongly that Kootenai County has the opportunity in November to elect a person to the NIC Board who may possibly be one of the most qualified and unselfish leaders I have known.
In my years of working at NIC and living in Kootenai County, I had many opportunities to work closely with Eve Knudtsen through the Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene Chambers, numerous nonprofit groups, and many charitable events and activities.
We’ve had the good fortune to share and debate politics, education and values. Through this association, I have developed a profound respect for Eve as a friend, a citizen and a community leader.
I can confidently say that NIC and our community could not be better served by a more qualified, selfless leader than Eve Knudtsen.
GRAYDON STANLEY
Coeur d’Alene
Vote Havercroft, Durbin, Knudtsen
To preserve North Idaho College and protect its accreditation, please vote for Mary Havercroft, Rick Durbin and Eve Knudtsen as trustees.
Ted Wert
Sagle
Vote for Knudtsen
Both my wife and I, as well as all three of our children, have attended North Idaho College. We know first hand the value and opportunity this gem provides our community!
North Idaho College is at a crucial crossroad, and the last area threatening its accreditation status is the board of trustees. It’s time for the voting public to take control of this issue, by electing proven leaders that are rational and fiscally conservative, and care about this community and higher education.
Eve Knudtsen is one of those proven local leaders. She has selflessly served on numerous local, state, and national boards and committees. She has supported local education in many ways, including the annual new Chevy giveaway to a deserving high school senior graduate.
What you may not know is that Eve was one of the 13 original members of the KTEC advisory board. She provided her time, talent, and treasure for what would become another educational jewel in Kootenai County.
Please join me in supporting Eve Knudtsen for the North Idaho College board of trustees so we can put the spotlight back on student success.
Mark Woodworth
Hayden
Vote Knudtsen, Durbin, Havercroft
In the last two years we have seen NIC trustee G McKenzie and minions hire incompetent and inexperienced legal counsel; fire a president for no cause; hire a president on a “temporary basis” for an expensive contract without a cancellation clause; lose multiple lawsuits with a firing termed a sham by the judge; approve unsustainable athletic budgets; and generally violate his fiduciary duties to the college and the community. This has cost taxpayers millions of dollars and risks NIC accreditation loss. New leadership from established members of the community is critically needed. Vote for Eve Knudtsen, Rick Durbin and Mary Havercroft for NIC trustees to save the college. These candidates are well qualified, well educated, and provide leadership lacking in the KCRCC endorsed trustee candidates.
Ed Morse
Hayden
Vote for Durbin, Knutsen, Havercroft
Thank you to all the candidates at the KROC Center willing to sit in the Hot seat and answer difficult questions regarding Board Governance and their viewpoints. It is not easy to be on point under extemporaneous and random queries.
I was sorry we did not tackle what was the major failure of the Banducci triads — Fiscal responsibility across all facets of governance. All other 10 questions were softballs compared to taking responsibility and owning up the mayhem exacted on the NIC coffers.
A good board projects and forecasts financial impacts, cost of their direct actions and misadventures with tax dollars. Perhaps it was intentional to avoid THAT but as Christa Hazel pointed out in The Press today the Banducci Boards spent 1.8M in tax dollars that harmed the college financially, reputationally and needlessly.
The current College has dug out from a hole not of their own making. When shadow puppet masters at KCRCC still plant their sycophants in this roster we will not get free from the Banducci Legacy.
Vote for a clean and honest slate — Durbin, Knutsen and Havercroft.
Lynn Fleming
Coeur d’Alene
Vote for Knudtsen
Vote Knudtsen!
Our county has an important election this November. The North Idaho College Board of Trustees seats, which will ultimately determine the fate of our beloved community college, are up for grabs.
We are extremely fortunate to have Eve Knudtsen running for one of those seats representing Zone 4.
I have lived in Kootenai County for over 30 years and I cannot think of another person that I would trust more with our taxpayer funds, that would put forth the work to be well-informed and make objective decisions for the students, faculty and the public.
Eve’s generosity with her time, talent and treasure sets a bar that we should all reach for. She is a true community servant.
NIC is at a critical crossroads because of bad decision-making by the current board majority. Ask yourself these questions before you vote:
Why are we spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on two college presidents simultaneously or why are we paying outside legal fees at ridiculously high rates for poor advice?
Why are we dealing with the accreditation issues?
It’s all because of poor decision-making by the current board majority. Change is long overdue.
Join me in supporting Eve Knudtsen for the Board of Trustees to bring rational and conservative fiscal guidance to North Idaho College that we can all depend on.
Dan Green
Hayden
Vote Knudtsen, Durbin, Havercroft
We, the NIC board minority, would like to respond to Mike Waggoner’s Kootenai Journal article regarding the status of NIC. Mr. Waggoner states that NIC is in great condition and he gives the board majority the credit for this.
What he does not mention is that NIC is still under Show Cause entirely because of consistently bad board behavior, solely due to the actions of the board majority, Banducci, McKenzie and Waggoner. He also fails to mention that the trio unlawfully placed President Swayne on administrative leave to essentially fire him.
President Swayne fought his way through the legal system for three months after which the judge ordered him to be reinstated to his job and for the college to pay his legal expenses, $155,000 (paid by the taxpayers). During this period the board majority hired another president at a wage in excess of $300,000 which they continued to pay even after President Swayne was reinstated. Imagine what might have been accomplished if President Swayne had not had to spend three months fighting for what was lawfully his.
After tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars have been squandered, NIC is in good shape as a direct result of the outstanding leadership of President Swayne and IN SPITE OF THE BOARD MAJORITY.
NIC continues to be under the very real threat of accreditation loss. The reality is this: if the voters continue to elect the likes of Banducci, Waggoner and McKenzie the college will most likely be lost.
Choose wisely, vote KNUDTSEN, DURBIN and HAVERCROFT.
Brad Corkill and Tarie Zimmerman
Hayden
Vote for Knudtsen
I support Eve Knudtsen for the Zone 4 seat of North Idaho College’s board of trustees. As president of the Knudtsen Automotive Group, Eve has been a vital catalyst for economic development in our community for numerous years. Being a past trustee for Spokane Community College, I know the importance of having trustees who are passionate about the mission of the college and who understand their governance role. Eve is that person.
Eve brings a great deal of pertinent experience to this position. She is a former NIC student and served on the board of the NIC Foundation. She and I served together for several years on the CDA EDC board of directors, in my 11 years as Avista Utilities’ North Idaho Regional Business Manager. Eve and I both served in various leadership roles including chair of that board, where she is currently serving again.
Eve has many strengths, including being strategic, running meetings effectively and efficiently, understanding NIC’s mission and values and always looking for the collaborative win for the students, faculty, staff and administration as well as for our local business community.
Eve solicits input so she can understand issues from all perspectives. Because of her extensive involvement in our community, she has the relationships to reach out to coordinate efforts and assistance. Eve knows how to ask crucial questions, listens to understand and is able to lead with passion for the success of our greater NIC community. She always puts in the time and work required.
I am proud to support Eve in this important endeavor.
PATRICIA J. “PATTY!” SHEA
Former North Idaho Regional Business Manager, Avista Utilities
NIC: McKenzie should resign
After reading the article about North Idaho College in the July 7 Coeur d’Alene Press, I wonder why Greg McKenzie is a trustee of NIC. In the article, it mentioned that the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities (NIC’s accreditation organization) may require that NIC be placed under control of an accredited educational institution for a period of time. Mr. McKenzie opined that he would rather NIC be closed than be placed under the authority of the University of Idaho. Fortunately, the NIC Board of Trustees voted to contact the College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, and Lewis-Clark State College for possible partnership if the NWCCU so requires.
Mr. McKenzie must not understand the importance of NIC to the local community if he would have made that choice closure vice U of I help. I have a son who got his associate’s degree after serving in the Marines and then went to Boise State University to obtain a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is presently a CPA and vice president of a wholesale time company.
Mr. McKenzie should resign from the board.
W.L. Weseman
Hayden
