ADA COUNTY, Idaho — The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) has moved to censure Commissioner Kent Goldthorpe during a special meeting on Tuesday.
According to the passed resolution, Goldthorpe posted a Facebook comment last week concerning the Idaho House of Representatives' vote on Senate Bill 1140. It continues, "the post included mocking and demeaning language towards individual legislators, and employed racially charged language inappropriate in public discourse."
During the special meeting, Commissioner Nilsson said, "Mr. Goldthorpe is a great person. He cares deeply about this community, he cares deeply about all road users and he gets a little passionate at times." She continued, "But, we have a duty to treat everybody with respect."
The resolution also states that prior to the Facebook comment, Goldthorpe gave interviews in which he failed to identify opinions as his own, harming the reputation of ACHD.
Emotionally, Commissioner Pickering was the last to comment during the meeting, describing Goldthorpe as a friend and someone she deeply respects. She continued, "When we were sworn in and take these seats, we pledge to abide by the state constitution, the ACHD code of conduct, code of ethics, holding ourselves to a higher standard and to maintain decorum. Even when that decorum and respect isn't extended to us." Pickering said she supported the resolution with "tremendous mixed feelings."
