KVRI Response Demanded

An educated response is demanded to recent press releases by Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative (KVRI). The KVRI is an excellent forum for resource issues to be presented and discussed between government, agencies and the public. The fact that little discussion actually takes place and that few of the public are involved is material for another discussion. The three chairpersons of KVRI, representing the county commissioners, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the City of Bonners Ferry have exerted absolute autocratic control over the organization. They have decided what sectors of the community may vote, which individuals may represent those sectors, and which individuals may be alternates of the voting members. They have complete control over the agenda for each meeting and rarely publish a meaningful agenda before meetings. These three have absolute control over when meetings occur and change agreed upon dates at their pleasure. Most importantly, the three chairs have deliberately and repeatedly broken the bylaws of KVRI, bylaws they approved and crafted, showing that they can't negotiate fairly even by the laws they themselves write. So respect KVRI as a roomful of people who care about their community and its resources. But know that any decision or opinion issued from the group, while advertised as the consensus from the group and the community, is in the end controlled by three opinionated individuals and their carefully chosen cadre.

John O'Connor