CITIZENS COMMITTEE

A 11-person independent Citizens Education Committee has been established in Canyon County to bring together trusted leaders from the community to help facilitate the educational needs of residents before they cast their ballots on May 21 for the Jail Bond.

Members live throughout the County and represent a variety of backgrounds and expertise, including:

Chris Allgood is currently a member of the Caldwell City Council, but his background is in law enforcement. Allgood has served in all facets of law enforcements from beat cop, police instructor, major crimes investigator, and Caldwell’s police chief. Allgood holds an executive certificate from Idaho POST. He has a bachelor’s degree in Management and Organizational Leadership, is a certified risk manager through the Idaho Chapter of the Public Risk Management Association and is a graduate of the Northwestern University’s College of Police Staff and Command.

Jim Coffey is retired from Boise State University after working for almost a decade as the Risk Manager. His responsibilities encompassed protection of the school’s assets to avoid any threat of a loss including insurance and safety. Before joining the Broncos, Coffey worked for the Idaho Department of Administration in lost control. He first moved to Nampa in 1969, moved away for work, but has been back home for 25 years. Coffey graduated from Washington State University. He and his wife have been married for 50 years, they have two children and five grandchildren.

Jim Daniels has lived in Nampa for 85 years and has been married to a “local girl” for 65 years. He has more than four decades of experience in retail and wholesale management and sales. After retirement 19 years ago, Daniels has devoted his time to charity. He is one of the Founders and past President of Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Nampa. Daniels is an active member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He has given his time as the President of the Giving Hand Bingo and Columbians of Nampa, Inc. Daniels is a graduated of Nampa High, class of 1951. He and his wife raised seven children who all attended Nampa schools.

Bill Deal Jr. is a fourth generation Idahoan, and graduate of Nampa High School and the University of Idaho. He is the president of Deal Insurance, a local small business that has been in business since 1932. Deal is an active member of his community and serves on many nonprofit boards and advisory committees.

Beverlee Furner is a member of the Middleton City Council and a Nurse Practitioner. She is the owner of Star Medical Center and has been practicing for 11 years. At her practice she specializes in family and sleep medicine. Furner was the Emergency Room Director at West Valley Medical Center and also worked in the Emergency Room at Mercy Hospital (now Saint Alphonsus). She spent many of the initial years on the board of directors for Hope’s Door (Advocates Against Family Violence) and helped it to grow from infancy to the resource that it is today for women and children who have been affected by domestic violence.  

Curtis Homer has more than three decades of law enforcement experience and is a former Nampa Chief of Police. Homer worked for the Farmington Police Department from 1974 to 1983, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office as Chief Deputy from 1983 to 1985, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office from 1985 to 1987 and wrapping up his law enforcement career with the Nampa Police Department from 1987 to 2007. Homer elected to the Nampa City Council in 2008 where he served until 2012.

Kent Mann grew up in Canyon County, moved away for a bit before returning in 1973 to raise his children. He built his career in agriculture and has been dedicated to his community as President of the Idaho Cattle Association, the Parma School Board and founder of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program where he served for 13 years, 10 of which as chairman.

Jean Fitzgerald-Mutchie is a manager of community health at St. Luke’s. She has been working in the healthcare industry for 18 years, focusing on community health initiatives that impact children. Mutchie’s efforts include addressing the social determinants that influence poor health outcomes. She co-chairs the Nampa Healthy Impact Coalition through the Nampa Mayor’s office, and she believes that community data can serve as a catalyst for conversation around intentional collaboration that drives maximum impact. Mutchie is a graduate of the University of Idaho and earned her MBA from Western Governors University.

Margie Watson’s family started JC Watson Packing Company in 1912 in Canyon County. She and her husband have carried on the family tradition with onions and apples. The JC Watson company has a footprint throughout Canyon County including packing sheds in Parma and Wilder. Watson is dedicated to her community and has served in many public roles including Mayor of Parma, City County and an appointment to the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council.

Natalie Wilhite moved to Caldwell in 1977 and quickly became an active member of the community, 20 years later she started a successful career in real estate. Wilhite is consistently one of the top four agents at Team Realty and has been named Top Producer by the Nampa Association of Realtors for several years in a row. Wilhite is an active member in the Women’s Council of Realtors and is the past Secretary for the Caldwell Board of Realtors.

Ken Wood is a lifelong rancher and farmer who has been married 52 years. He is a father of two and grandfather of five. Wood served his country in the United States Army and is a Vietnam veteran. Wood was appointed by Governor Otter to the Idaho State Brand Board, he is also a member of the Idaho Cattle Association.