Gregory McKenzie
Name: Gregory McKenzie
Position Running For: North Idaho College Zone 4
Phone: (208) 450-5755
Address: 12597 N Emerald Dr, Hayden, ID 83835, United States
Website: http://fb.me/nictrustee
Twitter:
Email: gregmckenziecda@outlook.com
Tell us a little about yourself and your family, how long you have lived in the area and your occupation.: My family and I moved to CDA/Hayden from San Diego in 2013. We love living in Hayden and consider it our forever home. I have been married for 14 years and have 4 young, full-of-life children, ranging in ages from 10 to 5 years of age. My wife is a homeschool teacher and able to fully focus on the family. As a family, we enjoy spending time at our beautiful lakes and rivers and look forward to snowshoeing and skiing. I have been an engineer for the US Navy since 2010. I have had the privilege to serve the US military by conducting research and development that benefits many naval platforms spanning from submarines to carriers.
1. Do you have experience as an elected official and if so, what was your position, and how would you describe your voting record?: I have 14 years working within the government supporting our military, and I am aware of the strengths and weaknesses of government bureaucracy. My goal is to serve in a fair and balanced, non-partisan fashion to serve my local community and be able to make important decisions for the betterment of my community. As a current NIC Trustee, I have faithfully served my 4-year term. The NIC Board of Trustees has made numerous important decisions on behalf of the community that have been written about at length in local biased newspapers, with many positive activities either willfully or ignorantly chosen not to be highlighted in those same newspapers. Ultimately, it is my goal to make sure NIC reflects our community’s values, staying the course when vocal minorities may disrupt Board meetings.
My voting record is one of pragmatism and fiscal responsibility. I have fought vaccine mandates and even stealth vaccine mandates upon NIC’s students. My biggest voting regret is regarding Head Start’s vaccine mandate, but since the money was stemming from federal grants and I had zero legal support from Idaho’s Attorney General (at the time AG Wasden) and dealing with another activist legal counsel, I felt the best option was monitoring individual exemption requests so they would be respected. Sadly, I am aware of at least two Head Start employees departing during this time. In hindsight, joining Texas’ ultimately successful lawsuit would have been the wisest course.
My tenure as a Trustee resembles a Rocky Balboa quote about perseverance and resilience, that encapsulates the idea of getting hit and moving forward: "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"
In the midst of Trump getting shot and having dealt with unstable left-leaning higher education fanatics the past 4-years, it hasn’t always been “sunshine and rainbows,” but I am committed to doing the job as a Trustee and restoring the proper good governance at NIC. I’m committed to ensuring individual liberties are respected and bureaucracies work for the people who pay their salaries.
2. Please tell us about your activity as a Republican. Have you previously voted for candidates of other parties? If yes, explain.: Since 2019, I have served on the KCRCC as a precinct committeeman, even switching precinct seats when I moved out of my precinct. I was a delegate to the GOP state 2020 convention in Boise. Recently in my new precinct, I sadly lost my 312-precinct race to another republican who appears individually aligned and supported by well-funded anti-Trump Republicans. For many years, I regularly participated in the KCRCC parades and other committee activities and campaigned unphased during the plandemic.
I have never been anything other than a Republican. I grew up Republican and enjoyed dynamic political debates within my family. I have fun memories growing up trying to catch my dad’s sign thieves that have plagued us throughout my life. It disturbs me the intolerance observed of other people’s political viewpoints, and I want to promote a healthy, non-intimidating environment for ALL learners on NIC’s campus.
With regard to voting for candidates of other parties, it is my personal opinion that when Republicans stand united, Republicans will win. I will respect the KCRCC’s recommendation and halt my campaign if another candidate were to be selected as the recommended candidate.
I love serving my community. It has been an honor to make positive changes at North Idaho College and I wish to continue the positive change that has been started and long-coming.
3. What is the purpose of government?: The purpose of the United States’ Federal Government is to serve the people by ensuring the U.S. Constitution is faithfully adhered to, protect its national sovereignty, and promote the general welfare of its citizens. The U.S. Federal Government should be generally focused on issues such as national defense, foreign affairs, interstate commerce, and immigration.
The purpose of the Idaho State Government is to serve the people by ensuring the Idaho Constitution is faithfully adhered to, protect its State’s Rights, and promote the general welfare of its citizens. The Idaho State Government should be generally focused on more local issues such as education, public health, transportation, and local law enforcement.
4. Describe why you are running for this particular office. What are your qualifications? What are your goals?: I want North Idaho College to be the best community college in the United States, and I want to support my fellow learners and the faculty and staff that make North Idaho College a phenomenal place to learn. I am running for re-election to the NIC Board of Trustees, Zone 4 because the board has started the process to return North Idaho College back to the community NIC is supposed to serve -- but it still has more unfinished work ahead. Key policies such as free-speech and academic freedom policies have “for one reason or another” not been presented to the Board in a form that would be approved by the community. These policies have languished, lacking an update for decades, representing prior lack-luster Boards of Trustees asleep at the wheel and the overall problems in higher-education that have made national headlines. As accreditation requires, NIC must adhere to its own policies on the formulation of policy and with all the obstruction, intentional or not from opposing political parties who benefit from the strife at North Idaho College, the policy generation has been slow but consistently pursued by the Board.
My qualifications have been demonstrated by actively working with individuals who despise me and encouraged them to focus on those who we serve: the community and the students. As Board Chair, a Board response was provided to multiple votes-of-no-confidence that was considered highly thought-out and responsive to prior statements. I regularly pursue counter-ideas in pursuit of the best idea to put forth for the community.
During times of crisis when Trustee Banducci was physically assaulted at his workplace with cleaning chemicals by a deranged NIC adjunct professor on his last day of employment at North Idaho College, I showed up to support and be present. I have adjusted to the high-stress levels present when bureaucrats and other political operatives intentionally obstruct Board governance. I have navigated Board meetings with multiple fire alarms, getting my car/house keys swiped, and working with a NIC Administration who coordinates inadequate security of meetings with CDA’s police department who have given advance notice they will not enforce removing people from Board meetings who are intentionally disrupting Board meetings. The public meeting enforcement discrepancy between the CDA City Council’s CDA Police support and North Idaho College’s meetings is one simple example of NIC’s Board of Trustees being directly undermined.
My goal is for North Idaho College to serve the 5 counties as each county’s needs dictate with data-driven decisions and ensure individual rights are respected, especially student’s rights even when unpopular. My goals directly align with North Idaho College’s stated Mission, Vision, and Values with an emphasis on the below:
• Politics out of the classroom, free and open environment for all students and political viewpoints to express ideas and opinions without intimidation. Encourage a healthy debate and free-speech environment.
• Vocational programs to meet the needs of Kootenai County. Ever since being elected, I have educated myself on numerous “cost cutting” decisions prior Boards made, and sadly concluded those decisions were made for politics instead of data-driven decisions to meet the need of our community.
• Tax increases only when justified through responsible spending. North Idaho College has never raised taxes my entire tenure and yet possesses the highest fiscal reserves in the past 15-year history. Providing opportunities for students should be the priority, not bloated staffing levels which still eclipse 2012’s employee levels when student metrics were far higher.
• Support innovation in education and help connect those in the community with the college.
I self-identify as an avid learner and am constantly encouraging those around me to learn. I have a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA and a M. Eng. Acoustics from Penn State, PA. I enjoy my days when I get to visit the NIC Campuses and want to see the students thrive.
5. Describe experiences where you are or have been engaged such as non-profit organizations, clubs, churches, boards, commissions, etc., where you have been of service to others.: My family currently attends Real Life Hayden campus. I previously attended Coeur D’Alene Bible Church as a member for 5+ years and served in the children’s ministry and assisted with a youth group travel trip. I was a board member for my local HOA community for several years until we sold the property. For several years, I have been an adult Hawks Trail Leader for Trail Life USA and engaged with my kids activities, similarly my wife supports at the American Heritage Girls - both at Candlelight Ministries.
6. Do you describe yourself as fiscally conservative? Please, elaborate.: Yes, I proudly self-identify as a fiscal conservative and have the Trustee track-record that proves it. My goal as Trustee is to avoid tax and fee increases and creatively discover responsible budget solutions that respect the taxpayer and all involved parties of the college: Taxpayers, Students, and Faculty/Staff.
Overall, NIC is far better off fiscally than when I was elected in 2020 mainly due to asking questions.
The Board of Trustees, prior to my tenure, regularly took the easy solution and raised taxes two years in a row and transferred from their reserves for three years in a row. During my tenure, budgets have ended the fiscal year with million dollars unspent both in FY22 and FY23 and carried that money into the following fiscal year. Even in the coming election year, spending more money on athletics has not deterred me in doing what is best for North Idaho College and growing enrollment is the overall goal. Many other growth data-points from other schools support this theory for budget priorities and hopefully North Idaho College will be another shining example of how sports can grow enrollment and ensure institutional success.
I understand the issues present at NIC, and there are other creative solutions before tax increases.
I believe responsible spending directly correlates with responsible taxation. I disagree with numerous fiscal decisions the prior boards have made in the past for alleged “cost savings”. Even amid lawfare rivaling Trump’s experience with courts, NIC is in the best financial positioned in the past 15 years with the highest reserves, and I continue to pursue more responsible fiscal decisions to ensure it stays that way.
7. Do you consider yourself as socially conservative? Please elaborate.: Yes, I am socially conservative. As a Non-Partisan Board Representative, I will work to impartially uphold all rights as enacted by law.
College sponsored and college club sponsored events should align with it’s mission statements and course materials. Drag Shows for kids is not something I support nor believe NIC’s student fees should be spent on. The college claims no-taxpayer-moneys are spent on Drag Shows for kids but seems to omit that it’s student fee’s which compose about one-third of NIC’s budget that funds these events and students are forced to pay to support.
As a Trustee on a policy board, it is the administration that makes most decisions, but it is the Board that is blamed and held accountable by the community. I have had oversight of numerous Administrations and there are competent educational leadership that knows how to align NIC’s activities in ways that are not revolting to the community.
8. Describe which party platform best aligns with your positions on public policy (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Constitutional Party) and where do you disagree with that platform.: I align with the Republican Party platform.
9. Do you have any history of tax liens, criminal record, bankruptcy or conflict of interest that may affect your future decisions or desirability to be voted into office?: No, nothing planned in the future either. I considered carrying a Christian Cross along with a Gadsden flag in the CDA 4th of July parade because "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Last year, I was present when a local patriot’s Tree of Liberty poster was removed under threat of removal by CDA police for last year’s parade. I find it revolting that on the day celebrating defiance to a tyrannical oppressive government, the Chamber of Commerce attempts to stifle displays and points of views to their dislike. I fully support the KCRCC’s lifesize Trump poster that has been deemed “too-controversial” by the chamber. There are many non-profits that stray from their mission of community service.
10.Describe how you will make yourself available to your constituents and vote as their representative with FORTITUDE, adhering to the values and answers you have stated above.:This graduation season, I enjoyed celebrating NIC Foundation scholarships for students planning to attend NIC who are graduating at North Idaho Christian School in Hayden. Regularly being a positive ambassador for the college and encouraging learners to get engaged and better their lives has been rewarding. NIC is a treasure that is meant to serve the community. The harassing phone-calls at work, the nastiness from the ironically bitter “love lives here” crowd has unphased me.
Instead, I’ve learned from multiple talented Presidents who know strategic leadership and continually focusing on the “right choice” regardless of the “easy wrong choice” being constantly offered.
As a policy Board, it can be frustrating to observe repeated asinine decisions made by NIC’s administration through the years. The Board of Trustee’s successfully avoided operations during the pandemic and only enacted change when it absolutely had to -- such as masking decisions that were, in my view, illegally and politically thrust upon NIC’s community. Many political forces have interfered with Kootenai County’s local control, including similar mirrored judicial treatment that Trump has recently been receiving.
Overdue change has been brewing for North Idaho College even before my election in 2020, and I look forward to continuing that change at NIC by ensuring it is a community college that is focused on serving the community.
Everyone should have a place to attain an education not hell-bent on indoctrinating the next generation into the “woke mind virus”. I believe NIC should be a healthy positive experience, even for those whose opinions may differ from the majority’s views.