3 incumbents facing 5 challengers in Rigby City Council race
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is first of two articles covering the Rigby City Council race in November 2023. To see the remainder of the candidates, click here.
RIGBY – Incumbents Douglas Burke, Aliza King and Roarke Burke are facing five contenders in the race for Rigby City Council.
The five challengers include Timothy Howe, Tonya Hillman, Theron Andrus, Reed Stone and Roger Stone, who are related. Roger is Reed’s father.
EastIdahoNews.com made the same eight questions available to each candidate. Each response was required to be 250 words or less.
Douglas Burke, Aliza King, along with Howe and Hillman’s unedited responses are included below. The other four candidates’ responses are posted here.
Election day is Nov. 7.
Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office.
Douglas: RESIDE IN RIGBY SINCE 1983 LIVING ON CLAREMORE. RAISED 2 BOYS. INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE SALES. BEEN CITY MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2015. LIASON WITH CITY AIRPORT, URBAN RENEWAL. VOLUNTEER WITH BOY SCOUTS, BASEBALL BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL YOUTH SPORTS.
Howe: I am a happy husband and father of four. For fifteen years I’ve worked as a Graphic Design Animator and have been teaching Graphic Design full-time at Brigham Young University-Idaho since 2016. I received my undergraduate from BYUI and a Master of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design. My wife and I volunteer through our church, and we are foster parents. I have never served in a public office.
Hillman: I’m an Idaho native, born and raised in the Rexburg area where I attended Ricks College.
For the past 39 years my husband Michael and I have been blessed to live in Rigby and raise our four children.
I worked for 17 years as a substitute teacher for the Jefferson School District focusing on the high school. I loved the interaction with the staff and most especially, the students. I later worked as an office manager for a local mental health clinic.
I’ve been serving on the Rigby Urban Renewal Committee for the past 6 years. Since being on the Committee, I have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to offer critical input regarding development, in an effort to manage growth wisely.
Religion and high standards of morality are important to me. I love serving others and have been provided with opportunities to serve and work with a variety of people in many capacities.
I previously served on the Rigby City Council to complete the term of a council member who had resigned. I enjoyed the time I served on the Council and I enjoy serving on the Urban Renewal Committee. I have learned a great deal and it has been a great opportunity.
As a member of the City Council, I would use the experience and knowledge I have gained while serving in these capacities to make wise decisions that are in the best interest of Rigby City residents.
King: I Have lived in Rigby for 9 years. I own a business with my husband since 2018. We have three beautiful daughters, two of which are all-star cheerleaders. My youngest does Karate locally. I have volunteered in the humanitarian in Rexburg years ago. I also volunteered to run the Rigby Trick-or-treat main street for the last three years. I feel like community events are important in keeping our small town feel we love about Rigby. I’m happy and usually first to volunteer with community events or needs.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
King: My proudest will always be my children. They always surpass my hopes and dreams on what they can be. They are truly God’s greatest gifts.
Hillman: Without a doubt my proudest accomplishment has been raising my four children. Family means the world to me. All four of my children pursued higher education after high school. They all have sought honorable professions and now have successful careers. As a parent, it has been very rewarding to watch my children grow. They are kind and productive. They are self-sufficient, contributing members of society. These are values and attributes that are important to our family and it is extremely rewarding to see that they continue to live up to these standards. They all still love to come home to spend time with their family. As a parent, this is the cherry on top!
I also have seven wonderful grandchildren, ranging in age from almost 16 to five months. I’m always prepared to show everyone pictures of just how adorable they are.
Howe: I would say that our family is my proudest accomplishment. A thousand good and little choices have made us into a tight knit crew.
Douglas: FAMILY AND SERVING RIGBY – WORKING WITH HOT CLASSIC NIGHTS AND STATE GRANT TO GET THE NEW LIGHTS AND RESTROOMS AT WILSON PARK. EXPANSION OF THE RIGBY AIRPORT. WORKING TO GET $20 MILLION GRANT FOR THE MANDATED UPGRADES ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT INSTEAD OF FUNDING WITH DEBT AND LOANS. WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS DEPT. TO KEEP THE WATER SYSTEM AND ROADS UP TO PAR WITH ANNUAL IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADES. OBTAINING ROAD EQUIPMENT TO ASSIST WITH THE NEEDS FOR THE ROADS. OBTAINING EMPLOYEES WITH A LOW TURNOVER RATE AND INCREASING THEIR PAY. BRINGING IN MORE EVENTS AT THE RODEO GROUNDS.
Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.
Howe: I married a Ririe girl, and we love Rigby. I want to be more involved in the community as I pride myself on being impartial and having a level-head.
In brief, I am interested in:
- Fiscal Responsibility: I pledge to manage Rigby’s finances with prudence. I will watch for wasteful spending, reduce bureaucracy, and vote to keep taxes low.
- Public Safety: I’ll support law enforcement to make sure they have the resources they need to protect our neighborhoods.
- Transparency: I am dedicated to open, honest, and transparent governance, always putting the needs and voices of our constituents first. I will work to bridge divides, seek common-sense solutions, and ensure that our city remains a place that families thrive, businesses prosper, and individual liberties are preserved.
- Representation: Rigby encompasses a large area, with many living outside the city limits. I would make sure that those living out of the city limits had a voice on the city council.
King: I have been in office this last term and learned so much. I also see things that I would like to continue to build better for my community. Being in office is very different then what you may think. We have to abide by the rules, and can’t always approve or disapprove things that we want. I have learned that if our codes reflect how we want our community to grow, it won’t allow the things that wouldn’t benefit our community and protect it.
Hillman: I’m at a stage in my life where I would like to focus on helping to improve my community.
Serving on the Urban Renewal Committee has really brought to my attention some important issues that Rigby is facing. The rapid growth and development Rigby is experiencing brings with it both blessings and problems. Smart and responsible growth will be an asset to the City and its residents. This is very important. We need to ensure our infrastructure can sustain the growth before it happens. If not, we put ourselves in a tough situation where we are trying to play catch-up. It is also crucial that we make sure our budget is spent in ways that benefit all citizens and not a small few.
Douglas: I DON’T HAVE A POLITICAL PLATFORM MY PLATFORM IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS. MAKING SOUND BUSINESS DECISIONS NOT BASED ON EMOTIONS. STAYING WITHIN THE ALLOWED BUDGET GIVEN FOR THE CITY. LOOKING TO IMPROVE CITY PARKS ADDING BALLFIELDS SUPPORT YOUTH ACTIVITY AND OTHER AREAS WITHIN THE CITY.
What are the greatest challenges facing people in your community? What is your plan to meet those challenges?
Douglas: EXPLAINING THE GROWTH AND EDUCATING THME ON WHAT’S HAPPENING WITHIN THE CITY AND THE LIMITS THAT A CITY COUNCIL HAS AND DOES NOT HAVE. GETTING COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IN THE CITY. SUPPORTED HIRING THE ECON DEVELPER TO ASSIST IN THAT REGARD TO EXPAND THE TAX BASE OF THE CITY.
Howe: I would say the biggest challenges facing Rigby are related to the growth we’ve experienced over the past 10 years. It has affected infrastructure including education and public safety. I plan to balance growth with preserving the town’s character and resources. I will prioritize access to quality education and address the sustainable needs of our schools and students. I will maintain and enhance public safety including supporting law enforcement.
Hillman: I love the small town feel of Rigby. It is a top priority for me to maintain that small town feeling while embracing and managing smart growth. This is something I’ll work hard to keep. Growth and new development must be beneficial to our City and to all residents and citizens. Increasing our tax base is a priority for me. New businesses tax rates must be reevaluated and restructured to ensure that they do not become a tax burden on existing City residents. Residents of Rigby should not be subsidizing growth or development in all zones of the City. Tax rates continue to increase as we edge closer to becoming a bedroom community. Increasing and encouraging smart business development will ease the tax burden on residents.
King: Our greatest challenges is growth! When Asked about how I feel on growth I say it’s like a farmer and his fields. When a farmer Burns his fields, you want a controlled burn. If you control it, it can be very beneficial to the fields and promote good growth. If uncontrolled, it can be very destructive and harmful for the fields just like our community. I plan on promoting good growth that will be beneficial to all our community members. Without growth a community will die. It’s an important balance to keep.
How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How will you communicate directly with constituents?
King: I always try to listen to all of our community members equally. My phone number is public and I’m always available to take a call. Everybody has valid points and views and deserve to be heard. I have always loved that there are six of us on council, all from which come from different areas in our community. With that, hopefully one of us has the knowledge in helping that certain area. I am very community oriented so I speak to a
lot of people outside of certain groups that others advocate for.
Hillman: I will represent the views of the constituents by intently listening to all sides of each issue. I will thoughtfully consider all information and then make the best informed decision I can possibly make.
It seems that several members of the council have made up their minds before they hear any comments or concerns made by citizens. I do not think that’s the most beneficial way to approach any issue. We all have opinions, but I think it’s vital to listen and consider others’ views before making decisions. It’s important that we listen to the concerns of the residents of Rigby and do our best to make the correct choice. I will do my best to be available to communicate with constituents about their ideas or concerns, through email or by phone.
Howe: As a city council member, I plan to connect with constituents in person and at council meetings. I will listen to concerns and work collaboratively to address specific challenges that face Rigby. I see myself as an ambassador between the people and the city as an entity, regardless of differing political opinions. I will represent those in Rigby living in and out of the city limits.
Douglas: AGAIN INFORMING THE PUBLIC. THE COUNCIL IS GOVERNED BY LAW AND NOT EMOTIONS. CITY DOES NOT CONSIDER POLICITAL VIEWS, CITY GOVERNMENT IS NONPARTISON.
What areas in your community need immediate improvement? What actions will you take to address those needs?
Howe: I would first like to make sure that our schools and students have the resources they need without committing to the long-term effects of potentially short-term population growth. In other words, I would like our kids to have what they need to succeed, without over-building.
Douglas: CITY BALL FIELDS AND OTHER SPORTS AREAS – PARKS AND RECREATION FINDING GRANTS TO ASSIST TO ACQUIRE THEM AND MAINTAIN THEM. GETTING WALKING PATHS AND BIKE PATHS AROUND THE CITY AND TO JEFFERSON LAKE.
King: Immediate improvement would be our travel ways. Rather it’s road or crosswalks for our walking community. We have so many children that walk and not every street has sideways makes it dangerous. For our streets we are working with ITD in improvement on the roads that are ran by them. I’m also working with ITD and our public works head in our parking issues. Hopefully we can getvmore parking in our commercial district.
Hillman: I believe that Rigby City needs to focus on smart, responsible growth. Growth that benefits
the city and its residents. Growth that will minimize the impact on the city and its infrastructure. I believe the City of Rigby would benefit by having more options for activities and entertainment, for all ages. While on Urban Renewal we have been working towards that goal. Improvements at South Park, upgrades to the rodeo grounds, and pickleball courts are just a few of the things we’ve been working on. It would be great to have the City join in and see what we could make happen.
What parts of the city budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget that cuts could be made?
Hillman: There are many intricate decisions that go into developing a city budget and I would not
attempt to voice where I think changes or cuts should be made without time for ample study and discussion.
However, I think the budget should be spent in ways that benefit the citizens of Rigby. I also feel that the budget should not be spent on things that are unnecessary. Currently there is a plan to spend half of a million dollars to straighten and widen a perfectly good road, citing a safety concern. There is not a record of problems or accidents on this road. I feel there are bigger safety concerns where we can focus our time and budget. Unnecessary spending is a waste of our money. Having funds available does not necessitate immediate spending. It is a wise practice to save money for unforeseen expenses.
Would this expenditure be a benefit to the citizens of Rigby or a benefit only to a nearby developer? The city budget should not be used to fund infrastructure or improvements that a developer wants or needs. Developers should pay for all improvements that would benefit them and not the citizens of Rigby.
King: We need more funding in our parks. Our community has such a amazing athletics and is always needing more out of our parks. As our community grows so does our needs. It’s hard to say what could be cut. All things in our budget are well thought of and all our heads work very hard to pay less for our community members. We have always looked at ways to save money from every department. I have been asking for impact fees since in office. I don’t feel like it should be the community’s burden for others developments in the community. We have been working on getting these finished so we can implement them immediately. That will help with the budget greatly.
Douglas: PARKS AND RECREATION LIMITED BY STATE CODE ON THE AMOUNT THAT CAN BE LEVIED.
Howe: I have no immediate concerns with the current budget. I eagerly anticipate engaging with
budget stakeholders to conduct a thorough examination and ensure responsible allocation of funds.
What is the role of local media in your community? How can city officials work to have a better relationship with the media?
Howe: Local media acts as a communication intermediary between the community and the city. I plan to keep the media abreast of happenings where appropriate to keep the community informed and help foster transparency in government.
Hillman: The role of local media is to report the facts or happenings in a town with an unbiased
view. Those unable to attend meetings or events look to the local media to stay informed and up to date on issues facing our city.
I do not feel that the media should report on gossip or hearsay, but strictly on facts without bias. This enables residents to make up their own minds on what to think and feel. When the media has questions or facts they need to verify, city officials should make themselves available for response. City officials in turn need to be able to trust that their comments will not be taken out of context or misconstrued. These efforts would strengthen the relationship on both sides.
King: I have a great relationship with my local newspaper. I’m always willing to answer questions and make myself available. I feel like the media could reach out to the city more often when they have questions . I’m always happy to help.
Douglas: TRYING TO PRESENT BOTH VIEWS AND NOT JUST THE ONE WITH THE HOT BUTTON TOPIC.