I’ve always done everything I could to make Pocatello be a better and more vibrant community.  If you know me, you know that my service as a volunteer and a community steward is extensive.  I have a very strong business background, which includes 19 years CEO experience at NeighborWorks Pocatello and over 15 years management experience at Farmers Insurance.  I have a BBA in Management from ISU and recently completed an 18-month executive training program through Harvard University’s Kennedy School.  The opportunity to become mayor would allow me to continue serving the community, but on a much larger and impactful scale.  The city is not on the correct trajectory right now.  It’s time for a change.  Pocatello deserves steady, local-minded leadership that protects our character while planning for the future. I’ll bring a servant’s heart, fiscal discipline, and a willingness to listen so we can make practical progress together.

There are several issues, but the most important is lack of attainable housing. Too many young families, workers, and seniors are getting priced out or stuck without options that fit their budget and stage of life. When housing slides out of reach and/or when people are , it strains everything—workforce, public safety, schools, and neighborhood pride.  My 19-years experience leading an organization whose primary mission is attainable housing and neighborhood revitalization will lend itself well here. 

Through my role as CEO of NeighborWorks Pocatello, we recently worked with the City Planning Department to implement changes to the zoning code which made housing development in older, central neighborhoods more friendly, but we need to do more.  We’ll further modernize zoning to allow starter homes, townhomes, and ADUs; cut red tape with a permitting “sprint”; and align city infrastructure with infill development so builders can add options where services already exist. I’ll expand public-private tools—down-payment help, rehab programs, and partnerships that create workforce housing—while protecting long-time residents from being taxed out of their homes. Clear timelines, open dashboards, and steady communication with neighborhoods will keep everyone informed and at the table.

Day one, I’ll launch a 100-Day Attainable Housing & Neighborhoods Plan: a permitting and code-cleanup sprint, quick-win fixes (sidewalks, lighting, crosswalks), and roundtables with builders, lenders, and neighborhood leaders. We’ll publish simple metrics so residents can track permits, unit starts, and rehab projects in real time—bringing transparency, speed, and teamwork to City Hall.

I grew up singing “Pocatello, here we come,” cresting the Clark Street hill and falling in love with this valley. Service followed: Leadership Pocatello, Portneuf Greenway’s early board member, and three decades leading the Chamber’s Citywide Spring Cleanup. Professionally, I led large teams at Farmers Insurance, then spent 18 years at NeighborWorks Pocatello as Executive Director helping neighbors plant roots and become champions for their neighborhoods. These experiences—hands-on neighborhood work, fiscal stewardship, and a lifelong love of this place—called me to run.

Pocatello thrives when we protect our river, foothills, and parks. I’ve helped build and maintain trails and was an early board member when the Portneuf Greenway Foundation was a fledgling organization, spearheaded cleanups, and backed projects that make nature accessible for every family. CVI’s practical, local-first conservation aligns with my approach: protect what we love, invest wisely, and ensure future generations inherit a city that’s both affordable and beautiful.

I lead NeighborWorks Pocatello’s efforts to help families buy, fix, and keep homes—revitalizing blocks across our city. Before that, I managed a 50-person department at Farmers Insurance, earning the Management Excellence Award. I’ve chaired coalitions, launched new teams, and graduated from a Harvard Kennedy School of Government-partnered NeighborWorks America’s Achieving Excellence program—experience I’ll bring to City Hall.

Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee (30 years; organizer of Citywide Spring Cleanup), Portneuf Valley Partners (Honorary Director), Homeless & Housing Coalition of Southeast Idaho, and early Portneuf Greenway leadership. I join where neighbors roll up sleeves together—beautifying gateways, improving housing, and expanding trails.

From helping launch the Portneuf Greenway—before a single stretch of trail existed—to coordinating river and city cleanups, my conservation work is local and practical: build trails, restore pride, and keep access open.

Protecting and enhancing river/foothills access while growing smart. As mayor, I’ll prioritize Greenway and park connections, pursue grants and easements that help make the Portneuf River Visioning come to fruition, including a large project that slated to move the levy back in the area of Rainey Park,  integrate open space into development, and maintain what we have so families can enjoy it safely.

Growth pressures, limited budgets, and state preemption can squeeze open space. I’ll navigate with transparent trade-offs, incentives for conservation-minded development, and partnerships that stretch local dollars.

Yes—I support keeping Idaho’s public lands in public hands with federal ownership/management. As mayor, I’ll champion collaborative projects that improve access, wildfire resistance, and trail maintenance; back search-and-rescue and responsible recreation; and advocate for conservation dollars that respect working ranchers, sportsmen, tribes, and outdoor businesses. Public lands should stay a birthright—not a bargaining chip.

We’ll finish missing Greenway links, protect key foothill access, and make every park safer and more welcoming. I’ll pursue grants and conservation easements, dedicate a steady share of our capital plan to maintenance, and use sensible impact fees to build neighborhood parks as we grow. “Adopt-a-Park” volunteer days, accessible trailheads, shade trees, restrooms, and safe crossings will stretch dollars. Partnerships—with nonprofits, schools, and service clubs—will help us expand green space without overburdening taxpayers.

Pocatello can grow without giving up what makes us Pocatello. I’ll prioritize infill and starter homes near jobs and schools, cluster new development to preserve open space, and require basic green infrastructure—water-wise landscaping, stormwater swales, and tree canopy. Clear hillside and riparian protections will safeguard viewsheds and water quality. We’ll streamline permits for affordable, energy-efficient homes while setting predictable design standards. Performance-based incentives will reward projects that create housing, protect habitat, and reduce traffic—turning “either/or” into “both/and.”

Democracy works best when neighbors show up. I’ll meet people where they are: “City Hall in the Park” pop-ups, coffee-shop office hours, school and senior-center visits, and a simple election info page with deadlines, polling locations, and ride-share partners. Utility-bill inserts and library kiosks will share nonpartisan voting information. We’ll train youth poll workers, invite students to help design ballot reminders, and launch a transparent dashboard so folks can see how their voice changes budgets, streets, and parks—then come back for more. My experience in community organization through NeighborWorks Pocatello has provided me with much experience and expertise and makes this a natural fit.

I’m a Pocatello kid at heart. I’m one of six children, and some of my favorite memories are piling into the family station wagon, singing “Pocatello here we come, right back where we started from!” on our way back from town as we approached the hill on the Interstate toward Clark Street and that first look at our valley. Those rides home taught me what roots feel like.

I graduated from Highland High and earned a B.B.A. in Management & Organization from Idaho State University. I worked my way through school - learning grit bussing tables and closing shifts - then spent 18 years with Farmers Insurance, moving from underwriting to leading a 50-person customer service department. That experience - budget discipline, accountability, and caring for people - still guides me.

Service is my compass. I’m a Leadership Pocatello alumnus and a longtime member of the Chamber’s Beautification Committee, where I’ve helped coordinate the Citywide Spring Cleanup for three decades. I’ve served as a Board of Directors member for the Portneuf Greenway, Portneuf Valley Partners (charter member and honorary director), and as past president of the Homeless & Housing Coalition of Southeast Idaho.

Today I lead neighborhood revitalization at NeighborWorks Pocatello - turning empty lots into homes, helping families put down roots, and partnering across our city. I haven’t held elected office; my public service has been hands-on. I’m running to bring that neighborly, transparent stewardship to City Hall.

My proudest accomplishment isn’t a title or an award - it’s the moment a family turns a key in a front door they never thought they’d own. At NeighborWorks Pocatello, we’ve taken vacant lots and tired houses and turned them into homes. I’m proud of the partnerships we built to make that happen: neighbors, local lenders, the city, and volunteers all rowing in the same direction.

One evening, after months of rehab on a long-abandoned house, a young couple carried their toddler across the threshold. The little guy ran straight to the back window and pointed at the yard like it was a ballpark. That’s when it hit me: we weren’t just fixing walls; we were building roots.

I’m also proud of sustaining decades of citywide cleanups - thousands of volunteers, tons of debris hauled, and a simple, stubborn message that Pocatello takes care of its own. Through budget ups and downs, we’ve kept these efforts steady, transparent, and focused on results.

If you ask what I’m proudest of, it’s this: helping our community prove, over and over again, that when we work together, we can turn blight into opportunity and hope into a house key.

I’m running because of my love and passion for Pocatello. I’m not satisfied with the current direction the city is headed. I’m running because Pocatello needs more impactful leadership at the top that listens to its citizens and takes projects to the finish line. I am an experienced executive and a community activist. I’ve served the community in multiple capacities over the past three decades. I’ve done this because I care about service over self.

Service has been my compass: Multiple years of rolling up my sleeves to help - whether this be organizing the annual Citywide Spring Cleanup, being a charter member of the Portneuf Valley Partners, serving on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Portneuf Greenway Foundation or President of the Homeless & Housing Coalition of Southeast Idaho. Neighbors have trusted me with that stewardship, honoring me with Distinguished Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Outstanding Non-Profit Leader Award and more.

Today, too many families are priced out, our first responders are stretched thin, and big decisions feel too far from the people who live here. I’m running to keep Pocatello a place where working families and young professionals can plant roots, feel safe, and be heard.

My platform is straightforward:

1- Adding housing supply by permitting, building, and preserving.

2- Making Pocatello Shine & Compete.

3- Creating an Open-Book City Hall focused on fiscal responsibility & local control.

We face three intertwined challenges: affordability, stability, and trust.

First, housing and the cost of living. Too many neighbors - teachers, nurses, young families, seniors - are getting priced out. My plan is to accelerate housing at every level: fast-track permits for infill and rehab, support accessory dwelling units where they fit, and expand partnerships that turn vacant lots and tired houses into safe, efficient homes. We’ll pair that with down-payment help, weatherization, and owner-occupied rehab so people can afford to stay.

Second, public safety and community well-being. We see the strain of mental health and addiction on our streets and in our neighborhoods. I’ll champion a crisis co-response model that pairs officers with clinicians, strengthen nuisance and abandoned-property enforcement focused on the worst actors, and keep investing in lighting, sidewalks, and parks - simple things that make blocks feel safe again.

Third, economic stability and trust in City Hall. Families need good jobs and predictable bills; businesses need clear rules and quick answers. I will streamline licensing and inspections, stand up a small-business “one-front-door,” and recruit employers by preparing shovel-ready sites and modern infrastructure. We’ll practice fiscal stewardship - multi-year budgeting, transparent dashboards, and quarterly town halls - so people can see where every dollar goes.

This is neighbor-to-neighbor work. I’ve spent decades organizing cleanups, building homes, and fixing what’s in front of us. I’ll bring that same hands-on approach - listening on the porch, solving at the workbench, and measuring progress in cleaner blocks, safer streets, and more house keys in more hands.

I learned early - as a kid knocking doors or recruiting folks to take part in neighborhoodwide cleanup projects and later helping families buy their first home - that people will tell you what they need if you show up, listen, and follow through. As mayor, I’ll represent everyone by starting with respect, not party labels. We’ll disagree sometimes; we won’t be disagreeable.

We’ll stay connected by expanding the public comment period at council meetings and moving it to the front of the agenda. I have also considered rotating front porch town halls” in every neighborhood, and even a mobile mayor’s desk at libraries, schools, and the senior center. I’ll convene a cross-section advisory group - small business owners, union members, parents, students, veterans, and tribal partners - to pressure-test policy before it lands on an agenda.

Communication should be two-way and transparent. We’ll publish plain-language summaries after every council meeting, launch a simple dashboard for budgets, permits, and projects, and send a short weekly email/text update. 

Most of all, I’ll keep doing what’s worked my whole life in Pocatello: meet folks where they are - on porches, sidelines, and shop floors - and earn trust by turning conversations into results.

When I look at the budget, I see places where a modest, well-targeted boost would pay off for years.

First, neighborhood basics: streets, alleys, parks and greenway trail maintenance, lighting, and code enforcement. Filling potholes on time, fixing trip hazards, and tackling the worst nuisance properties make blocks safer and property values steadier. I’d add funding for a rapid “fix-it” crew and smarter pavement maintenance so we spend a dollar on prevention instead of five on repairs.

Second, public safety with a human touch. We should fund a clinician–officer co-response team and expand detox and crisis stabilization partnerships. That keeps officers focused on crime, gets people the right help faster, and reduces repeat calls.

Third, housing and revitalization. Work with nonprofit housing organizationizations and private banking/credit union partners to fund home rehab projects for owner-occupant, more down payment  assistance for first-time buyers, and turn vacant lots and tired homes into tax-paying, energy-efficient housing. Pair this with small grants for neighborhood cleanups, sidewalk repair, and park upkeep - the everyday things that build pride.

Fourth, customer service and transparency. Invest in permit/inspection technology, a one-front-door for small businesses, and a simple public dashboard that shows where dollars go and how projects are doing.

I’ll fund these priorities by aggressively pursuing grants and match dollars, sun-setting low-impact programs, and using performance audits and multi-year planning to shift money toward what works. That’s stewardship - practical, measurable, and neighbor-first.

Pocatello’s future is already taking shape in three places: our core corridors, our university district, and our job-ready edges.

First, the core - Historic Downtown to the South 5th area and along Yellowstone. These blocks are ripe for mixed-use infill: upstairs housing, ground-floor shops, small offices, and corner groceries. I’ll push pre-approved “missing-middle” building plans, a quick-turn permit lane for rehabs, façade micro-grants, and safer streets -  lighting, crosswalks, trees - so private investment pencils and neighbors feel proud walking there.

Second, around ISU and the Portneuf River corridor. Let’s add student- and workforce-friendly apartments near campus, renovate older rentals, and recruit research spin-outs and medical services along 5th and Center. I’ll align zoning to allow gentle density, work with partners to expand down-payment/rehab tools, and keep improving river access and trails so talent wants to stay.

Third, our job hubs by the interstate, rail, and airport. Light industrial, logistics, and clean tech belong near I-15/I-86 with shovel-ready sites - water, sewer, power, and fiber in the ground. I’ll fast-track site reviews, bundle grants and tax-increment tools for infrastructure, and market a one-front-door to employers.

Across all areas, we’ll target brownfield cleanup, add an ADU path for homeowners, and hold quarterly “Table of 20” sessions - builders, lenders, neighbors - to remove roadblocks in real time. That’s how we turn plans into paychecks and new house keys.

Victor Perez’s death broke our community’s heart. The Attorney General has since declined to file criminal charges against the officers - an outcome that does not lessen the grief or the duty to learn and do better. 

I would have moved faster and more openly. That means a family liaison within hours, regular public briefings with a clear timeline, and quicker release of body-cam and 911 materials with context from independent experts - while protecting due process. 

Policy changes are necessary. First, codify “time, distance, and cover” and require disengagement when a barrier exists, unless a life is imminently at risk. Second, mandate advanced training in autism, developmental disabilities, and crisis communication, measured with scenario-based evaluations - not just checkboxes. Third, stand up a clinician–officer co-response team so calls with behavioral health factors get the right tools from the start. Finally, publish after-action reports within 60 days, with recommendations, deadlines, and public tracking. 

We honor Victor by making changes that prevent the next tragedy - grounded in transparency, accountability, and the neighborly truth that every life in Pocatello deserves patience, dignity, and a safe path home.

Item descrCautious. Taxing haircuts, childcare, and repairs hits families and small businesses. If the state ever considered it, I’d push to exempt essentials and use any new revenue to lower property taxes—not raise the overall burden.iption

I oppose it. It increases closing costs and makes homeownership harder. Our focus should be lowering barriers to buy, build, and keep a home.

Support only with clear voter approval, strict purpose (public safety/roads/recreation), sunset clauses, and citizen oversight. Local decisions, local guardrails.

Support and protect it. It helps people stay rooted.

Index to inflation, explore portability for downsizing seniors, and strengthen “circuit breaker” relief for fixed-income neighbors.

Yes—saves money and reduces confusion while preserving strong local visibility and access.

Housing supply, workforce readiness, childcare, water and street infrastructure, broadband, downtown vitality, and excessive state pre-emption.

Fast, predictable permitting; modern zoning for starter homes/ADUs; site-ready business parks; ISU partnerships; small-business facade/streetscape help; invest in public safety and parks that attract talent.

Key partners. Early input on plans, timely notice, mini-grants for projects, and a seat at the table. At NeighborWorks Pocatello, we understand the importance of this and even brought Bonneville Neighborhood Associations residents to table as we were planning the Bonneville Commons subdivision.  I’ll bring this same approach to City Hall.

Yes. Publish a public map/dashboard so taxpayers see the full picture.

Only for life-safety/critical infrastructure, with a higher-than-simple threshold (e.g., 60%), strict dollar caps, independent audits, and sunsets.

Housing affordability (modernize zoning, speed permits), first-responder staffing/equipment (targeted funding, recruitment), aging streets/water (five-year prioritized plan), fiscal transparency (open checkbook dashboard).

Pocatello raised me. I’ve spent decades rebuilding neighborhoods and solving problems block by block. I’m running to keep decisions local, make housing attainable, and ensure every family feels safe and heard.  

I also have extensive business knowledge.  I have work experience managing large teams in both the private/corporate sector (Farmers Insurance) and the Nonprofit world (NeighborWorks Pocatello).  I understand budgeting, personnel management.  I’m recognized and respected for my great stewardship of Pocatello and being Mayor will allow me to make an even greater impact to the community.

Growing up, every road trip ended with that view from the Clark Street hill—Pocatello spread out like home. I’m a Highland grad, ISU business alum, and former Farmers Insurance manager who learned to build teams, balance budgets, and solve problems without drama. Service anchors me: Leadership Pocatello graduate, years on the Chamber Beautification Committee, Portneuf Greenway and Portneuf Valley Partners projects. At NeighborWorks Pocatello, I’ve led block-by-block revitalization—new homes, rehabbed houses, helped first-time buyers—and served as president of the Homeless Housing Coalition of SE Idaho. I listen, convene, and deliver. I’m ready to serve—and ready to get results for every neighborhood.

Neighbors kept telling me the same story: housing costs are squeezing families, basics take long to get done, and economic development opportunities are not reaching the finish line. I’m running to put our community back in driver’s seat. My life has been spent building teams, revitalizing neighborhoods, and helping folks put down roots. I know how to stretch a dollar, fix processes, and bring people together without drama. We deserve attainable housing, safe streets, transparent budgeting, and a city hall that treats everyone like a neighbor. I’m running because I love this place—and I’m ready to serve.

• Make housing attainable again. Update zoning for starter homes, speed permits, expand down-payment/rehab tools for homes.

• Back first responders. Fill vacancies, modernize equipment/training, strengthen transparency so every neighborhood feels safe.

• Be disciplined with your dollars. Zero-based budgeting, clear scorecards, plain-English reporting so folks see where every penny goes

• Fix basics citywide. Pave streets, upgrade water/sewer, improve snow removal, take care of deferred maintenance issues at our parks

• Grow local jobs. Cut red tape, support small business and ISU partnerships, and reinvest in downtown.

• Customer-service City Hall. One-stop permitting, reliable timelines, and a “neighbors first” culture.
  

Here are some out of the gate goals:

• Open the doors: Dashboard for budget reports, police, fire, streets, permits, and parks.
  
  

• Cut red tape: A 10-day target for simple permits and a one-stop help desk.
  
  

• Back first responders: Fill critical vacancies and audit equipment/training needs, roundtable discussions with the public.
  
  

• Jump-start housing: Draft zoning updates for starter homes, and ADUs; find resources for critical home repairs.
  
  

• Clean and green: Expand the citywide cleanup. Effective code enforcement. 

That’s the stewardship I was raised on—neighbors first, money spent wisely, and progress you can see. For more information, visit my website.

I see four fixable challenges if we stay transparent:

1. Housing that fits real budgets—modernize zoning for starter homes, townhomes, ADUs; set permit timelines; partner to rehab aging homes. 
   

2. Core infrastructure—publish a five-year fix list, coordinate work, chase state/federal dollars.
   

3. Public safety and trust—staff, train, equip; publish response times and key data; improve lighting and parks.

4. A local economy that keeps our kids here—concierge City Hall for small business, fill storefronts, grow sectors with ISU. Day one: coordinated homelessness response, one-stop permits, transparent budgets, local control. Let’s care for Pocatello—block by block, with honest stewardship.

This campaign isn’t about me—it’s about us and the home we’re building. I was raised here, mowing lawns, picking up litter, showing up when a neighbor needed a hand. That’s how I lead: listen first, roll up your sleeves, finish what you start. I’ve done it in business, at NeighborWorks, and through volunteer work that delivered cleaner gateways, safer trails, and more families in homes. As mayor, we’ll publish the numbers and focus on basics: affordable housing, reliable streets and water, and public safety built on trust. City Hall will be a partner—clear rules, predictable timelines and costs, careful stewardship. I’ll be on your block, listening and working. Let’s build a Pocatello we’re proud to pass on. I’d be honored to earn your vote.