Council candidates offer views on city issues

Rich Urquidi

Please provide a brief biography, in particular listing your involvement in the community.

I was born and raised in Mountain Home and graduated in 1984 from Mountain Home High.

After graduating from the University of Idaho in 1990, I taught mathematics for four years in Boise.

I always had it in my head that I wanted to live and raise my family in Mountain Home, so after my daughter, Kathryn, was born in 1995, my wife, Rhonda, and I moved back to Mountain Home where I was hired to teach mathematics at the high school. I worked as a basketball coach, coaching track and field at the high school and officiated at collegiate levels. I enjoyed being the athletic director, too. However, after two more children, Riley and Joseph, I decided to change my commitments and apply for something I'd held as a goal since leaving for college.

I double majored in math and political science, and I wanted to be part of the city council. I thoroughly enjoyed working as part of the community on the Parks and Recreation Board at the time, and I wanted to be more involved in the decision-making process of our local government.

I first ran for office in 2001 with my one-year-old son, Joseph, four year-old-son, Riley, and seven-year-old, Katie, in tow. The last12years have been a wonderful experience.

I enjoy helping our community and working with the other council members and mayor in fiduciary responsibility and creating a community we all can enjoy.

Now, my daughter attends the University of Idaho, my boys are teenagers in seventh and tenth grades, Rhonda teaches at the high school with me and I still find that I appreciate serving our community in the capacity as a councilman.

Additionally, I coach Optimist football, assist the varsity cross country team for MHHS and I am the head coach for MHHS track and field.

I am currently the president of the Board of Directors of Euskal Lagunak Basque Association, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Military Affairs Committee, Idaho Education Association, Mountain Home Education Association, Elks, the Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

I am also a teacher consultant with the Boise State Writing Project and a lifetime patron of the Mountain Home Arts Council.

Who do you speak for? What demographic do you feel you do the best job representing?

I think I speak for the citizens of Mountain Home. I love living in Mountain Home; the quality of life here is unique. I try my best to make decisions that will assure that to continue. I do not feel I have been elected by a single group. When I make decisions I look at the long range effect the ordinance or policy will have on a broad range of citizens.

What policies, programs or ordinances do you think the city needs to spur economic development?

The region in which Mountain Home is situated is very competitive for economic development. Maintaining a balance in development is essential.

Our policies and ordinances need to be development-friendly, yet not give so much away the city will have to cut other items to achieve development.

The City is currently looking at policies and ordinances to make sure we do not lose out on opportunities to bring development to Mountain Home.

For example, the City has open lots in our current industrial park with services in place and is currently developing more ground for a new industrial park.

Our current impact fee structure is also being revised.

If or when the economy recovers, and recognizing that not everyone can get everything they want to get caught up right away, what are your departmental priorities for restoring funding?

The city has done a great job not falling too far behind in department needs. Emergency services would be the number one priority. The patrol cars get the most wear and tear of any of the city inventory.

The city has been buying one or two cars a year, but new monies need to be put into cars to not fall farther behind the curve.

The fire department will need to replace some vehicles, also.

The next priority would be in the street department. Street rehabilitation is always a top survey answer from the citizens. The city is way behind the curve when it comes to streets. It will cost a lot of money to get our streets up to the standards the citizens would like. This is going to be a slow, expensive process, but an important process. Our street department does a great job with the limited piece of the money pie.

How would you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of city operations over the last four years?

The City of Mountain Home was able to keep employees working during a time when revenue was not at the levels of the previous four years.

Our mayor, city council and department heads prioritized employees first.

The city was able to keep service to our citizens at a level where they would not see any changes. The city has been able to take advantage of grants and low interest loans to get infrastructure upgrades.

Water, sewer, storm water and roads continue to be improved for the future.

A continuing weakness is communication to the citizens. The city has a website, puts notices in water bill, uses the Mountain Home News, puts information on reader boards and sandwich boards, but getting all the information to citizens seems to be impossible. The city needs to keep trying different methods since not everyone gets information in the same way.

Do you believe the city's salary structure meets modern standards?

The city just did a salary study for this budget cycle to make sure our grade and step table is up to date. The council approved the adjustments from that study.

Are you happy with the city's impact fee structure, or would you like to see it changed?

Impact fees seem to have an ebb and flow feeling. The legislature is always looking to get rid of them or making the rules more stringent to keep track of them.

However, it is one method a city has to help raise revenue solely for growth. Our fees do need to be cleaned up to be more user-friendly for the building department, developers and the economic development office.

The city is currently revising the impact fee structure, which is needed.

Is the city's downtown parking adequate and appropriate?

Yes. The city has developed a downtown parking lot and has changed parking directions on certain streets. I know that businesses need store front parking. We have parking limit signs, but the city does not have a person who walks the downtown corridor anymore writing parking tickets.

That is just a matter of manpower and money. Someday there will be a tipping point where having someone writing parking tickets will be needed, but I do not feel we are at that point.

Why should anyone vote for you?

During my three terms on the city council I have represented the citizens of Mountain Home in a professional, thoughtful and future-decision minded way. I'm reliable and dedicated.

I care about living in this community and listen objectively to input while mediating discussion.

I tend to think about decisions thoroughly sometimes weighing long-term planning with current needs, and I think that's the type of thoughtful leadership that helps a community grow and sustain itself.

It has been a privilege to serve the citizens of our great city and I hope to continue to do so.

Alain Isaac

Please provide a brief biography, in particular listing your involvement in the community.

My name is Alain Isaac and I own and operate Lane's Appliance of Mountain Home. I have been the owner-operator for the past 28 years. As a successful business owner I understand the obstacles that come with the fluctuating economy Mountain Home has seen.

I have served the last 12 years as a member of the Mountain Home City Council. I have been an active member of the Mountain Home Camber of Commerce the Military Affairs Committee and DIG-IT for most of those years.

Through my business and my position on city council I have been active in fundraising for non-profits, food banks and schcolarships. I have been a member of various civic organizations, such as Rotary and Lions Club.

I have served on the board of directors for my buying group, Brand Source. Spending two years as their chairman gave me a wide view of budget management with a $4 billion budget to oversee. Recently, my husband, Ron Monasterio and I were awarded the Dealer of the Year award by the Brand Source group for supporting their values and those of our community.

Ron and I are members of the Basque Association and have served on the Safe Routes to School committee. The love of this community is the reason we serve this community.

Who do you speak for? What demographic do you feel you do the best job representing?

I speak for the whole community. One cannot make good long-term decsions by serving special interests or just a segment of the population.

What policies, programs or ordinances do you think the city needs to spur economic development?

We need to let business do what business does -- make money, pay wages, and pay taxes. That being said, if a business comes to Mountain Home that will require significant resources from the city, then there should be some shared expense, such as contributing to a stop light needed because of increased use of an intersection due to the location of their business.

If or when the economy recovers, and recognizing that not everyone can get everything they want to get caught up right away, what are your departmental priorities for restoring funding?

If we ever had more money than we needed, not likely, I would take the overflow to the street department.

How would you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of city operations over the last four years?

Our strength is in the people that work for the city. From the mayor, across the board, we have a dedicated, loyal staff that serves the city. There is a team mentality where the goal is a better Mountain Home. Our weakness is, and will continue to be, money. There is never enough money to do all the things the stakeholders of Mountain Home want to see done.

Do you believe the city's salary structure meets modern standards?

No, but we are working on that.

Are you happy with the city's impact fee structure, or would you like to see it changed?

It will be changed soon, hopefully by the end of the year.

Is the city's criteria for downtown parking adequate and appropriate?

Like money, there could always be more parking. It is a battle in a small downtown like ours to find the right balance of buildings to people to parking ratios. We need to be ready for any opportunity to help get people into our small businesses no matter where they are located in Mountain Home.

Why should anyone vote for you?

People should for me because I am hard working, steady, dependable, and an experienced councilperson, I attend and participate in my liaison assignments and attend as many city meetings as I can, even during my work hours when possible. I pay attention to details, especially when it concerns money, especially when it is not my money. I listen to people, all the people, the loud ones, quiet ones, the timid, the bold. I hear what they have to say and that is the best way I know how to serve the people of Mountain Home.

Geoff Schroeder

Please provide a brief biography, in particular listing your involvement in the community.

I'm 47, married, and have three children. My wife teaches elementary music here in Mountain Home.

I grew up in Kamiah, Idaho, and graduated from high school there in 1984. After attending the University of Idaho for two years, I joined the Idaho National Guard and became a full-time (active duty) Guardsman in 1987. I moved here in 1990 when the National Guard reopened the Hot Creek Road facility, and served here until I retired in October of 2007. Along with many citizens of Mountain Home, I served in Kirkuk, Iraq, from 2004-2005 with the Idaho National Guard's 116th Brigade.

Since my retirement I've taught at Mountain Home High School and finished my bachelor's degree in philosophy at Boise State.

I've been involved in the community since I moved here in 1990. I joined the Elmore County Jaycess that year and joined the Mountain Home Lions Club, of which I'm still a member, in 1992. Along with other board members, I helped continue the Cheer Basket of Mountain Home after the Jaycees dissolved.

I had the privilege of serving on the Mountain Home City Council for four years from 2008-2011.

I currently serve on the City's Impact Fee advisory committee and am a member of the Mountain Home Library Board.

Who do you speak for? What demographic do you feel you do the best job representing?

I speak for the good and well being of the city as a whole. To that end, I represent the average person who is called upon to pay taxes, comprehend and comply with city regulations, and/or who has an expectation to receive essential services by virtue of choosing to live in our city.

I tend to speak loudest for the person who looks at something happening and says "This doesn't make any sense!" If I can't make sense of it either, I'm going to start looking into trying to change it -- whether at the department, the city, or the state level.

What policies, programs or ordinances do you think the city needs to spur economic development?

The city needs to encourage innovative approaches to land uses, and look for situations in which it is the city that is inhibiting that development because of outdated or confusing regulations or policies, then change those policies, programs or ordinances (consistent with protecting public safety and the rights of other property owners)

If or when the economy recovers, and recognizing that not everyone can get everything they want to get caught up right away, what are your departmental priorities for restoring funding?

Infrastructure investment and reinvestment, public safety, and employee compensation are the top three priorities. Street deterioration occurs at a rate too slow to be immediately noticed and budgets are set only a year at a time. The aggregate amount of backlog in street and road maintenance is clearly very great. Because of the immediacy of shortfalls in public safety, those areas of critical need ought to go to the top of the list.

How would you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of city operations over the last four years?

I think the city is exceptionally well-run. It has a dedicated and well-meaning council, and a very hard working and diligent mayor who keeps a very competent and effective city staff delivering essential services around the clock. There have been challenges, but as those have been overcome in the past four years, the city has improved its operations each time.

Do you believe the city's salary structure meets modern standards?

I believe the city's overall salary rates are lower than they could be to attract and retain the people we will need as the city grows in both size and complexity. Obviously there are not enough dollars to make every wish come true, but the areas where we are losing employees to higher paying comparable jobs are where we ought to take a second look at how competitive our pay and benefits are.

Are you happy with the city's impact fee structure, or would you like to see it changed?

I, like many, think the city's impact fee structure is out of touch with the goal it is legally permitted to accomplish: funding capital improvements directly attributable to new growth and development. The amounts calculated under the old fee structure were simply much greater than necessary to accomplish that goal. I have been part of the process of revamping and recalculating those fees to make them more realistic and in accordance with the intended goals. Those revisions are scheduled to be heard at the Planning and Zoning and City Council levels, with public hearings as well.

Is the city's criteria for downtown parking adequate and appropriate?

The city's downtown was laid out before the advent of the automobile. Current parking standards applied to densely located retail establishments aren't realistic. The city currently has a 'downtown parking overlay' area to address this, and could seek, in concert with downtown property and business owners, more dedicated downtown parking areas like the El Rancho lot - especially in gateway entrance areas of our city.

Why should anyone vote for you?

I believe I bring a fresh look and insight to complex and challenging issues as they present themselves. I miss being part of that deliberative process, I believe it is productive, and I think I have something of value to offer the city and the taxpayers I wish to represent: thoughtful, well-reasoned decisionmaking.