Here’s a look at Wednesday’s education task force forum in Nampa, by the numbers:
Nine: Task force members are likely to attend at least the public forums close to their hometown. Nine members of the 31-member task force were in Nampa: Richard Westerberg, task force chairman and State Board of Education member; Roger Brown, Gov. Butch Otter’s office; Rep. Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle; Mary Huff, Melba School Board; Mike Lanza, Idaho Parents and Teachers; Bob Lokken, Idaho Business for Education; Tom Luna, superintendent of public instruction; Phyllis Nichols, counselor, New Plymouth School District; Roger Quarles, Idaho Leads Project; Rep. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise.
Sixty: About 60 people attended the first forum.
Nineteen: Nineteen people spoke.
8:15: The forum was slated to run until 9 p.m. But after everyone had had a say, Westerberg adjourned the meeting about 45 minutes ahead of schedule.
One: One member of the audience wore a white plastic mask during much of the forum — Pete Peterson, a Boise comic who has launched several longshot bids to recall Luna. Peterson did not testify.
Six: The task force has six more hearings scheduled around the state, culminating with an April 25 forum at the Statehouse.