Stink brewing - Did senator pull strings for his son?

[helderheid]

Kelly Stowell lands Kane County post his father, Legislature helped create
By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 07/26/2008 07:27:46 AM MDT

It looks bad.
But those who made the decision claim that nothing inappropriate occurred when Kelly Stowell was hired as the new executive director of Kane County's Center for Education, Business and the Arts (CEBA).

Stowell - the 26-year-old son of state Sen. Dennis Stowell, R-Parowan - recently was picked to fill the one-year contract position that pays $80,000, without benefits, and carries the possibility of a $20,000 bonus if certain job goals are met.

The Legislature recently appropriated $125,000 to help launch CEBA, an economic development program aimed at promoting education and small business development in rural areas.
According to CEBA Board Chairwoman Christina Schultz, CEBA also hopes to build a $3 million multi-purpose conference center in Kanab. Fundraising and grant-writing are part of the new job.

The selection committee interviewed eight candidates - in two separate rounds in June and July - before hiring Kelly Stowell, who had no direct economic development experience.

"There's something pretty stinky brewing again - that's all I know," said Vicky Cooper, who owns Kanab's Rocking V Cafe with her husband Victor Cooper. "They continue to conduct public business in private - that's how they operate."

Cooper backed a competing candidate for the job.

Kelly Stowell did not return a phone message.

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Kelly Stowell, son of state Sen. Dennis Stowell. He was recently hired as Executive Director for...

[eleny]

1. Family values

[gaspee]

2. I'm sure

There was no one more qualified than a 26 year old who is probably recently out of school -- who wants a job only paying 80K anyway

:sarcam:

[Ikonoklast]

3. Welfare Case.

Pretty neat using public money to create a job for your kid.

I wonder how many people even knew about that position being open?

[TahitiNut]

4. A 26-year-old with no relevant experience in an $80-100K/year job??

The stench of that should warrant an EPA citation.

:puke:

[helderheid]

5. Nice work if you can get it...

:puke:

[ellenfl]

10. sounds like a bush appointee. eom

[greguganus]

11. I hate to say it, but how much experience did Chelsea have when she got her high paying job? n/t

[TahitiNut]

13. Well, I don't hate to say it ... and she doesn't get a 'pass' from me.

I don't give a rat's behind who it is that gets a political 'favor' ... it's corrupt no matter what. Chelsea's a 28-year-old with a $275,000/year 'job' ... and that's just another despicable example of welfare for the already wealthy and/or powerful. Appalling. As IT/MIS jobs and entire factories are off-shored, making qualified and skilled Americans unemployed and underemployed in order to enrich the "ownership class" and the spawn of the "ownership class" are awarded sinecures from that cronyism, it's time to sharpen the blades on the guillotines.

It's feudalism. It is neither (small 'r') republican nor (small 'd') democratic.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[ArbustoBuster]

6. The Legislature recently appropriated $125,000 to help launch CEBA

...and nearly all of it will go to pay the salary for this nepotistic waste of oxygen. Couldn't Daddy have just stolen money from the public or taken bribes from lobbyists and given the loot to his son, like all normal Republicans do?

[onethatcares]

7. did being a Mormon come up in front of the committee?

just wondering and all that.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I am more than twice his age, and I don't make $80K a year

[helderheid]

9. More from the article:

Cedar City resident Jeff Zander was one of the eight interviewed for the new position. He suspects a flawed hiring process, but discounts allegations of nepotism.

While most jobs posted on the Dixie State College Web site included minimum education requirements, this one did not.
"For $100,000, I thought wow, that's odd," said Zander, who has an advanced economic development degree from Penn State.
During his half-hour interview, Zander said he wasn't asked anything about economic development, his business management experience or his background in the arts.

[bluethruandthru]

12. An 80K job in Utah

..especially a more rural area like Kane County, is like a 200K job in a major metro area. At 26, he's probably just out of college after completing his Mormon mission. I'm sure he's extremely qualified! :sarcasm:

[norepubsin08]

14. of course it was a crooked deal

anytime a republican does something for his family it usually stinks of nepotism or dirty dealing!

[marmar]

15. If Republicans are awake and breathing, they're doing something corrupt.....

n/t