Boise Basin Job Creation Meeting on CuMo

John Cottingham

Contributed by John Cottingham

Job Creation and Retention Council

~ Major changes have occurred at the CuMo Exploration Project. The primary PR person at Scott Peyron & Associates for the CuMo Project has changed to Noelle Lovern, and the Project Manager has changed to Kyle Fend. The changes reflect the scope of work on the project of permitting and core drilling by Kirkness Drilling. We have sent CuMo a letter describing the need for them to support the "Boise County Adventures" program to demonstrate their support of all the businesses that are part of the tourism industry in Boise County. That is most of the businesses.

We have sent an invitation to the new CuMo people to come to a Boise Basin Job Creation and Retention Council (JC/RC) meeting that should turn into a Boise County JC/RC meeting that will define how CuMo will support all of our JC/RCs in our efforts to promote jobs in Boise County. That invitation said:

 ~

Hi Noelle!

Nice to meet you today. The Boise Basin JC/RC is planning to meet at the Centerville fire house on either May (4 or) 11. We would like you as the new PR person, and Kyle Fend, the new project manager, to join us. There are 3 topics for discussion:

1 - The "Boise County Adventures" promotion that will support the businesses that cater to the tourist industry in Boise County, presently the largest employer. If we want them to testify positively at permitting hearings we should demonstrate CuMo's commitment to them.

2 - The cell tower project on which we have been working. Our hope is to bring Verizon or Century One cell service to Boise County and the way to justify that is the potential CuMo mine. We want CuMo to put some pressure on Verizon in particular because if the mine should open, cell service will be a requirement. It will take 3 years to get that service up and running and that is about the right schedule for the exploration project completion at the earliest so we have time.

3 - Last, if the mine does open, we have at least 3 years to get the skill sets of local residents up to the requirements for the mine. We plan to work with the State of Idaho to provide adult education to accomplish that and will need CuMo support for that program. It will help all the citizens of Boise County whether the mine opens or not. We will base the education program on the Thompson Creek Mine experience so will make NO assumptions regarding the potential CuMo mine. We will need support, however.

These are the items on the agenda, along with some other items. Let us know which of the dates you and Kyle can attend. You will find us very forthright. We need to know from this meeting if the Boise County JC/RC should continue to be an overt supporter of the mine or an intervenor. We can probably get the same objectives accomplished either way, but we would prefer to be a supporter.

Let us know, please. -- John

~ It is important that all the JC/RCs be represented at the meeting, which will be held at the Centerville Fire Station at 6 p.m., on May 11. I know that each of us doesn't like the roads to Centerville, but it is centrally located for all of us. If you would let me know how many you think will attend, that will be helpful. The room is not very large and we need to plan accordingly. We will put out meeting notes after the meeting for those who cannot attend, but they are never as good as being there in person. 

Many thanks -- John

John B. Cottingham
28 Southfork Lane
PO Box 802
Garden Valley, ID 83622
ID Phone: 208-462-3178
AZ Phone: 623-975-4213
Cell: 208-908-3818 (Verizon)
Email: cottinghmj@aol.com