What is important in 2007 Idaho Falls city council elections?
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Past political seasons have generated good and bad energy on IdahoFallz.com. Some enjoy the discussions and some tune out until it is over. Since this election is only about three local city council seats, hopefully we can engage in healthy and productive discussions this time.
I plan to contact and interview the Idaho Falls city council candidates in the next couple weeks. Judging from past experiences, it is probably best to have them state their positions and clarifications through an intermediary (myself or someone they trust) rather than encouraging them to post here themselves. We have seen how anonymous commenters can blindside-blast candidates in a way that is impossible for the candidates to respond, and some folks then unreasonably expect the candidates to answer every response every day. Hopefully conducting questions and answers through intermediaries once every week or two will make these discussions better.
Before I approach the candidates with my own skewed-bias questions, I figured we should hear what locals think are the most important issues in this city council election. I will definitely take some of these questions and issues into the interviews with me, so please speak up on what you think is important!
Three Idaho Falls city council seats are up for election, but apparently only two have opponents.
We have the weird race of “working-definition-incumbent” Larry Lyons running against seated incumbent Tom Hally for seat 3. Lyons abandoned his seat and his duties a couple days before the filing deadline to be able to legally run against Tom Hally. Folks wonder if Lyons really feels so strongly that Hally is such a horrible councilman, or if Lyons strategically picked what he viewed as the easiest election fight? This contest will likely focus on the track records of both candidates.
Then we have Sharon Parry running against Dennis Patterson for Lyons’ old seat, so it is a contest between a former Idaho Falls school district #91 school board member against an INL employee. That sounds like an interesting race with two qualified candidates. We will likely focus a bit on their accomplishments, but more on their campaign promises.
So what issues are important to Idaho Falls citizens in the upcoming city council elections?
I imagine potential topics will include city property taxes, city services, incumbent voting history, candidate experiences, campaign promises, and if any candidates have had legal troubles. There is also the issue of the recent approval of an apartment complex in a congested school area. I don’t know the specifics, but apparently one developer won out over dozens of residents and parents who spoke for two hours in opposition to the development.
What do you think?
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Comments
Vote:
0 
0 I would ask the candidates what they think about a new police station. Or if they think renovation of an existing property is best–or nothing at all.
I would also ask them about the Dale Storer contract and procurement spending by the city, i.e. how contracts are awarded and how the city makes purchases that could save taxpayers money if done better.
I would also ask about the coal plant and what candidates plan to do to keep the city awash in energy at reasonable prices. It would also be good to get the candidates on record as to whether they will raise taxes and fees or hold the line on spending.
Ask Patterson about his whistleblower complaint against the INL and why he was forceably removed as the “ethics” officer at the INL if he was so ethical. Also, examine his support of affirmative action in hiring for city positions. The contest between Patterson and Parry may also hinge on who will be more fiscally responsible and not want to tax and spend city residents into higher property taxes. I would closely examine their positions in this area.
Ask Hally if he voted for pay raises for the Mayor while city employees got nothing close to the raise the mayor received. You might also ask Hally if he ever opposes anything or asks any tough questions of city appropriations–or if he just rubber stamps everything that comes his way.
Also ask the candidates if they think that a new recreation center should be built that would give kids a better outlet for positive activities. How should it be funded? Would they support this through a bond initiative or simple funding? Would they consider selling the current rec center real estate on memorial drive to the highest bidder to avail funds for the project?
Vote:
0 0 Accountability and how do they feel about it? Consider the following mistakes or smelly issues.
1. The city screws up on an application to get money to fix up Sunnyside road but no one takes the blame. In a private company someones head would have rolled.
2. The estimates to build new ball park are way off base and the taxpayers are left footing the majority of the bill.
3. Anyone really think Kimball Mason and Todd Ericsson are the only corrupt ones?
4. Will you favor or disrupt the good ole boy system. The most powerful person in the city is not an elected official. He is Craig Lords and he is appointed and has no accountability to the taxpayer.
Non accountability related issues:
1. How do you feel about the recent city employee wage benefit / package? And how do you feel it compares to similar cities?
2. The police are trying to unionize right now. How do you feel about that and why?
3. Are there any division directors you feel need to be nudged to a better performance? Any that need to be fired?
In years past I’ve found that some of the most illuminating answers came from candidates who clearly had no clue about anything in city politics. Take Brett Manwaring for instance - he was dumbfounded and befuddled about every single issue that was brought up at a meet the candidates event and in the end reverted back to his one and only care which was lowering property taxes. I hope the current crop are a little more educated about the issues.
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0 0 We did get very decent raises. The Mayor hadn’t had a raise for a long time and was paid less than most if not all Division Directors. I’m sure you know Tom Hally voted in favor of his raise, except for Loony Larry they all did, as for Tom Hally I think for his first term he has done well, he had a lot to learn.
I think the Dale Storer issue is about respect and they seem to have a lot for him.
Well, you weren’t asking me though were you?
I would also like to know about the rec center and coal plant.
I would like to ask the current and potential candidate to be more open with the public, we just don’t hear from them enough.
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0 0 I read this morning that Sharon Parry also currently serves on our Planning and Zoning board. Whether you think that is a quality or a detriment…
Vote:
0 0 Ah, perhaps the zoning and planning bunch ought to consider this:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/05/owner.suicide.ap/index.html
Wow!
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0 0 http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2006-04-16.xls
The link above is the table for 2006 population estimates from the U.S. Census. Please notice that Eastern Idaho cities are now ranked by population with #1Pocatello, #2 Idaho Falls, #3 Rexburg, and #4 is Ammon. That is right; Ammon is larger than Blackfoot or Chubbuck. I think it is time that some scrutiny is given to the leadership of that community. I believe I am correct to say that out of the group of previously mentioned list of cities, Ammon is the only that has neither a library or their own police department. In addition, 25% of the intersection of Hitt Rd and First Street and 50% of Hitt Rd and John Adams is located in the city limits of Ammon. The city leaders of BOTH communities should be pressed on why that portion of road has been neglected. Where it it used to bring in thousands of vechicles to shopping, entertainment, medical services and educational services everyday, it needs to be a strong priority for both cities.
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0 0 Ammon is basically a parasite on Idaho Falls. If they are the 4th biggest city in east Idaho its time they started acting like it and paying for some of the benefits they get from having IF next door.
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0 0 Holy Cow! Ammon is now bigger than Blackfoot and Chubbuck?! Those two towns have full-time mayors, don’t they? Would we consider Ammon a bedroom community (meaning they have more bedrooms than jobs)? They are going to realize one day that they are a big town, along with big town problems, and will want some of the benefits of being a big town (such as a library).
So to tie this information into this upcoming city council election, it seems that an important topic should be how our candidates view Idaho Falls’ relationship with Ammon. How do they feel about the contracts we have with Ammon, do they feel we are getting our end fulfilled, or do they feel Ammon is a parasite on Idaho Falls? How might they change this relationship?
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0 0 Yes, the mayor of Blackfoot (smaller than Ammon) is a full-time job.
http://www.cityofblackfoot.org/
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0 0 I may not know nearly as much about what goes on in city government as others, but since moving to Idaho Falls seven years ago I have had more dealings with the planning and zoning commission and City Council than I would wish on anyone. Unfortunately, I have been deeply disappointed in each of these dealings. Being a homeowner and tax-paying citizen has NEVER ONCE appeared to account for anything at these public hearings. Joe Vandal mentioned the apartment complex approved to be built across the street from an elementary school. Let me elaborate a bit on this and why it’s going to play a major role in why I vote the way I vote in the upcoming city elections. There will be two four-plexes built on less than half an acre of land, including a 16 stall parking lot and the required 50% landscaping. This lot is situated directly across a narrow residential street from an elementary school, where three of my five children attend, and in an established neighborhood of over 90% single family residences. The four-plexes are to be allowed because of the PT-1 Zoning it holds. However, as I studied the City Zoning Ordinance this piece of land scarcely conforms to the PT-1 zone’s definition or uses, if at all. In each proceeding there was a lot of “the interpretation of that statement is…” and they made it “fit” the situation to benefit the developer and caused the least amount of work for themselves. Variances were granted in the blink of an eye, with no substantial reasons given. Though anyone who had studied the zoning ordinance could see that this was an incorrectly zoned parcel NO ONE on the City Council would do anything to try to remedy the situation. This is the same scenario I have run into time and time again as I deal with “the powers that be” in this town. They do not question, they do not try to right past wrongs, they just let things go as “they have always been.” Don’t rock the boat seems to be their motto. I have yet to see ordinary citizens win against the developer.
It is also interesting to note that in these hearings I have also been amazed to hear commissioners and council members talk of “being a four-plex owner” or “in my properties…” or having to recuse themselves because of business (often times real estate or development) conflicts of interest. Who are we kidding? Are fellow developers and real estate investors going to implement laws that help or hinder their own interests? Let’s get people in there with no ulterior motives, who will not pass laws that ultimately help their own interests. It is time to break out of the “good old boy” system and get some people in city government who will fight for the interests of all, not just the ones with money or clout!
For that reason, I will state here that if Sharon Parry runs for the City Council I will support her fully on the fact that she and two other P&Z commissioners fought for the position of our neighborhood ON GROUNDS that were found in the City Zoning Ordinance that other commissioners and later ALL City Council members ignored or danced around. Nearly 200 signatures on a petition, 3 areas of the City Zoning ordinance that were not being complied with by the developer, and legal case studies prepared by a lawyer, all ignored by the rest of the P&Z Commission and City Council. When Sharon Parry and one other commissioner brought these facts and the arguments before the rest of the commission they were repeatedly brushed off. Mrs. Parry’s motion to deny the land use change for the four-plexes was supported by only two fellow commissioners. The other members of the commission felt it necessary to “pass the buck” and put the blame for the situation on the school and school district. In my opinion, they apparently didn’t feel like facing the problems with the zoning and thought it would be easier to pass it on to the City Council to “deal” with. There was no one for the City Council to pass the buck to, so they chose instead to bury their head in the sand, ignore case law that was presented and chose to interpret the ordinance in a way to best hide behind it.
Why is it that numbers, percentages, and revenue are always looked at rather than the actual people and situations they represent? We need people in our city government who are not afraid to fight for what is right, who are willing to take a hard look at the established ordinances and realize that there are changes that must to be made, and those willing to take on the task of making those changes. Leaders need to lead, not follow! Leaders need to forge ahead, and encompass the moral fortitude to make changes that need to be made to benefit all, not just the select few.
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0 0 Almost the same thing happened where I live as happened to Mother Bear. P&Z were going to change the zoning of a piece of property adjacent to our property. BIG money was the driving force in their argument. We ended up hiring a lawyer to attend the meeting with us. The other parties involved did not have a lawyer. After much legalese (which no one understood), our side prevailed for the present. However, we did get the feeling that our win may only be temporary. It seems like everyone I talk to that has had dealings with P&Z come away with a bad taste in their mouths. From the 3 counties that I know of (Bonneville, Jefferson, and Twin Falls) it seems that it is all about money and the winning side (right or wrong according to the ordinances) is usually the ones with the deepest pockets. So, my question to the City Council members would be: Will they enforce the current Zoning ordinances or let money be the deciding factor? I need to add here that I’m not real sure of the hierarchy, does the City Council have to approve P&Z decisions or are they a separate entity that doesn’t have to answer to anyone?
Vote:
0 0 As far as I know, the P&Z has to make recommendations to the City Council and the City Council has the final say. We could have appealed to a higher court (I’m not sure who that would have been. I left that up to our legal team), and were planning to, but after further study of the City Ordinance we discovered that we would only make things worse for ourselves if we won the appeal because getting the R-1 zoning we would have needed seemed highly improbable. Our legal team, who have worked in 5 different states collectively, were appalled at the state of our City Zoning Ordinance. Had we won our appeal and the property been rezoned anything other than R-1 all the developer would have had to do was ask for a variance (which from past experience we knew would be granted him) and he would have still ended up being able to build the two four-plexes and he wouldn’t have had to comply with the performance standards of the PT zone. So no matter what, there was no way for us to win once the City Council made their decision. Obviously, the ordinances need some serious revamping!!
Vote:
0 0 Great points, Mother Bear and Idaho Native! I always encourage others to read or listen to the MP3 version of the City Council Meetings.
My understanding, as well, is P and Z, is a Department that presents business at City Council meetings, just like any other city department like the Airport, or Sanitation Departments.
I actually have followed the above-mentioned proceedings as well, although not being involved at all. I was greatly surprised this dense of building would be allowed so close to a public, elementary school.
In fairness to the City Council, not necessarily on the above-mentioned development, but others, P and Z has been directed to go back or hold more hearings repeatedly on some zonings given various issues.
I’m not saying one is more right than the other. I’m simply making the point that the CC has the ability to direct P and Z to hold further hearings, to re-examine different concerns etc.
That being said, some may find it worth their time to scan the official City Council meeting minutes and determine who most often asks for further examination of the proposal vs. who never says a word.
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0 0 I’ve got some of your questions emailed out to all four candidates now. I’ll post an individual article per candidate starting Monday, in the order I received them. I’ll publish them all on the same day if I get them by then.
BTW, the Post Register will be conducting an online evening chat for each of the city council candidates, probably about October 23rd onward, one per candidate per night. There are some daytime candidate forums around Idaho Falls (if anyone can post the places/dates/times).
So we have three primary ways to learn more about our city candidates: a local public forum, a live chat at PR’s site, and asynchronously through IFz.
Hope we can learn some things about our candidates to make informed decisions 8^)
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0 0 1. The power of Craig Lords.
2. The contract of Dale Storer and Ass’t City Attorney, Shan Perry (spelling?).
3. Police Station - - new building, using a present empty big box as headquarters, but having regional or sectional substations.
4. Beltway around Idaho Falls.
5. I respectfully disagree with an earlier post that Pocatello is larger than Idaho Falls.
Idaho Falls is the largest city in eastern ID. Don’t trust the city websites or even some from the census. Check other sources - such as Emporis, State, MSA etc.
Bonneville County has almost 20,000 more residents than Bannock and ironically, Bonneville County’s square mileage to count the population is much less than that of Bannock’s that includes Chubbuck and Fort Hall.
Ammon is indeed an issue. When will they have infrastructure or personnel to function as a city?
6. Competitive pricing for city personnel benefits? There is more than one health insurance. Perhaps bids by competition would be great.
7. What is the “Vision” for the city’s growth? Does annexation and recruitment of business stop at 60,000; 75,000; 100,000 or more?
While the City Council can’t totally control that, there are ways they give incentives or work with developers to encourage growth.
8. How is Idaho Falls prepared to deal with Sr. Citizens who are moving from out-of-state to retire here? Given the national press, one might be surprised.
Do we have services for seniors?
Vote:
0 0 The PR had a good side-by-side presentation of the four candidates and their responses to some questions.
Essentially they are all the same, with some minor differences when it came to what they thought were Idaho Falls’ most pressing needs.
So if the candidates are on the same page on most of the issues, it looks like it will come down to individual personalities and temperaments when voters pick their favorites.
Vote:
0 0 I wasn’t overly impressed with any of the answers in the presentations by the wantabee councilpersons. The only one that gave an answer and a plan for one of the issues was Lyon and alas he has shown his true colors. I thought the rest of them talked around the question and gave the answer they thought was most popular with no specifics.
Maybe I am expecting too much. But if they gave a yes answer (for example on the new law enforcement bldg.) then I would have liked to see how they planned to raise the money and where they would like to see it built and what they considered a fair price. Lyon was the only one that said anything specifically about that and he has a multi-thousand dollar lawsuit pending against the city. Where does he think the money is going to come from?
I’m not sure we have a good slate of candidates and I am afraid that it is going to be a popularity vote based on personality and not issues.
Vote:
0 0 I’m extremely underwhelmed as well and very disappointed in our choices. I’m seriously thinking of not voting since no candidate is worth voting for.
1) You have Parry who obviously was selected by the existing powers to run. Given that she’ll most certainly just go with the flow and do nothing to fix the problems.
2) You have Hally who has shown in four years he is a status quo guy. Can anyone actually think of anything he’s said or done good or bad?
3) You have Lyon who I like because he’s courageous enough to take stands on tough issues but who I can’t vote for because he’s such a buffoon and he still suing the city over his own arrogance. But he’s running against Hally despite everything negative I have to consider him.
4) And Patterson who doesn’t seem to be really running a campaign.
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0 0 My two cents, for what it’s worth - I currently live in the parasite community of Ammon. And I agree, we are parasites, thanks to our city leaders who don’t seem to have the foggiest idea how to do anything except make money. They’ve repeatedly shown they could care less about the children in the community, just as long as we can keep that money flowing in. I hope this changes both for Idaho Falls residents, as well as for the children/families of Ammon.
If I lived in the Idaho Falls city limits, I would certainly cast my vote for Tom Hally. He is a very decent, honest person whom I would trust in city politics.
Larry Lyon may have some legitimate complaints but his style is a real turn off. I wouldn’t trust him in any position much less as a city leader. But again, I don’t live in Idaho Falls.
One good move I believe Ammon is making is getting old Rose out of there. I fail to see where he has done anything except cost the taxpayers money. In my opinion, his departure is 5 years past due, and hiring him in the first place was little more than part of that good ol’ boy system taking care of each other.
I would like to see a real City Planning and Zoning commission both in Idaho Falls and in Ammon. Where, for example, are the right hand turn lanes? 17th Street has turned into one major traffic hazard. The areas at Holmes on 17th Street heading east, west and east, north and south at Woodruff, and especially, there at Hitt Road. The area between Hitt and Falcon Drive have probably already cost the county countless dollars on emergency crews including police, fire and ambulance. You take your life in your hands in that one block radius.
Another area at the Idaho Falls/Ammon line is at the entrance/exit to Target and Best Buy. Try crossing that between the hours of 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Some of these area make you wonder if we ever really had a Planning and Zoning dept.
Vote:
0 0 I’m not sure I’ll vote Tuesday, lately I feel my vote does not matter because the Republican uber-majority will always get whatever they want. If I agree with their candidate or issue, it’s great, if not, there’s no chance of it passing. Depressing.
But if I vote, I think it will be for Sharon Parry and Tom Hally over Dennis Patterson and Larry Lyon.
Of these canddiate, I think Sharon Parry is the best. I’ve never met her, but her answers seem intelligent to me, and I like that she has worked her way up through other local government functions. I think this gives her a wider viewpoint but also more understanding of how things function in our town. Dennis Patterson would probably do fine, but when up against Parry’s experience I don’t know how anyone could say he would do better than she.
I would vote for Tom Hally partly because of his campaign statements, but partly because his opponent Larry Lyon did quit his position and has had such a bizarre term.
One reason I would be reluctant to vote for Hally though is something I caught about his scheduling the electric committee meetings. Larry Lyon claims Hally changed the meeting time to when he knew Lyon had to work, and the PR reported Hally did not dispute the allegation. Hally said he did it because Lyon was so difficult to work with.
Ok, that’s fine, however a few days earlier the PR did a story on Hally in which Hally hammered Lyon for not attending as many of those electric meetings as Hally did. That looks like low-down dirty politics to me if you claim something you engineered is a flaw in your opponent. I hope Hally does not try this kind of shenanigan again, he may find it backfires if he is not up against a self-destructing opponent.
A final reason I would vote for Parry and Hally may sound self-righteous to you, but hear me out. I contacted all four candidates and invited them to do the little “meet the candidates” articles. It was very easy for them, just had to email me the responses and I did all the work. I think I presented it very fairly to them.
All four candidates agreed to participate, but Patterson and Lyon did not follow through. Now some will say I am pouting about candidates who didn’t play in my sandbox, however I see it as candidates who said they would do something and failed to follow through on their word. If they did not want to do it, they could have said no thank you and I can respect that. I cannot respect saying you will do something then dropping the ball. If they renege on their word while trying to get the job, what makes us think they won’t renege on their official duties?
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0 0 I do know Tom and I can honestly tell you, it would take a lot to push him into a move like that. He’s a pretty easy going, mellow guy.
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0 0 I would think that Ammon to Idaho Falls,is comaprable as Garden City is to Boise,thats an ugly thought
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Vote:
In addition to asking what issues are important to Idaho Falls residents, I guess we should also ask what specific questions you would like to ask the candidates?