Merrill re-elected as Rexburg’s mayor, newcomer Bryanna Johnson wins city council seat alongside incumbents

REXBURG – Jerry Merrill will serve another term as Rexburg’s mayor.

Merrill defeated newcomer Travis Brown by 793 votes. Merrill received 1,383 votes (70 percent) and Brown received 590 (30 percent).

In an interview last month, Merrill says he’s done a lot over the last four years to secure relationships and beautify and build the town of 27,400 people. He plans to continue that work.

“We’re always looking for more ways to be efficient so that we can spend the taxpayer’s money in a more cost-effective way as far as our road constructions and repairs, and snow plowing in the wintertime,” Merrill said in the prior interview. “We try to do that as efficiently as we can.”

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City council race

Bryanna Johnson, who is also a newcomer to politics, won a seat on Rexburg’s city council.

She defeated Robert Chambers by 169 votes. Johnson received 1,494 votes (25 percent) and Chambers received 1,325 (23 percent). There were three seats available in this race. Incumbent candidates Tisha Flora and Jordan Busby were re-elected for another term.

One of the things Johnson wants to focus on is making Rexburg more business-friendly.

“As I’ve gone around talking to people door-to-door, everybody has said they’re interested in seeing more business come to Rexburg,” Johnson recently told us. “A lot of the families I’ve talked to really wish there were more recreational opportunities.”

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She also wants to help the city with their plans to expand the trail system and the number of parks, and would like to see more indoor recreation as well.

“I’m interested in the future for my children. I think I have the drive to work to get some things done. I want my children to have jobs here if they choose to stay. I have a desire to put forth the work to resolve some of these issues,” Johnson said.