Madison County officials highlight growth, development projects during State of the City event
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REXBURG – Growth is the word of the day in Madison County.
That’s the big takeaway from the annual State of the City breakfast held in the Taylor building at the Brigham Young University-Idaho campus Tuesday morning.
Rexburg City Councilman Robert Chambers was one of five presenters who kicked off the event. He was speaking on behalf of Mayor Jerry Merrill, who is out of town.
Chambers noted Rexburg’s current population is around 40,000, according to the latest census data. The city estimates the population is about 45,000 and Chambers showed a graph indicating rapid upward growth.
“We anticipate that growth to continue,” Chambers said.
Coinciding with that growth is the increase of housing construction and business permits.
Social media has been a buzz with rumors about Winco coming to Rexburg in the near future. During Tuesday’s event, Chambers confirmed the company has submitted its plans to build a store across from Walmart on the northeast side of Second East.
Details about when construction will begin or an estimated completion date were not specified.
About $9 million in grants were awarded to the city in 2024. Of that, Chambers said about $2 million is being used to look into the possibility of adding an east-west connector on U.S. Highway 20 near Moody Road where the new temple is being built. Other sites being considered for a connector are 7th South and Poleline Road.
A mixed-use development project is also in the works downtown that would include retail and housing.
About 600 homes were connected to the city’s new fiber optic network in 2024. The remaining homes will be connected by the end of this year.
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“Rexburg is such a wonderful place to live and do business and it’s because of you,” Chambers told the crowd.
Similarly, Sugar City Mayor Steve Adams said the city’s population will more than triple, pending the completion of multiple “platted and approved” development projects.
Among them is some land north of town owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church’s plans for that property, according to Adams, “are actively being worked … to try and figure out how to best utilize it in the future.”
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He also noted a recent expansion at Top Notch Jerky and other business along North Frontage Road, as well as the completion of new tennis courts at Sugar Salem Junior High School.
“We’ve left these old tennis courts there by the church. We had a local businessman step up and build an ice skating rink. It’s a wonderful use of that park and a fantastic addition to the city,” Adams said.
Rocknaks Hardware recently moved into a building on Center Street formerly occupied by a mom-and-pop hardware store.
With Madison County support, Sugar City now has fiber optic internet.
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“Some really neat things business wise and residential that are happening,” said Adams. “We’re very appreciative to the county and the good work they’ve done with us and the good neighbor Rexburg has been. We’re excited to continue.”
Madison County Commissioner Todd Smith also spoke, noting the addition of a new 970-acre landfill in Newdale. The $30 million project is slated to go into operation this summer.
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He also referenced the county’s recent acquisition of a 78.5-acre parcel on the west side of Highway 20 near the Thornton exit. The space will be used to relocate the Madison County Fairgrounds to accommodate the growing population. That project will happen over the next several years.
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“Our fairgrounds were built when we were a community of 10,000. We are now a community of close to 60,000 and we’re still on the same 30 acres (on West 2nd North),” Smith explained. “We are at capacity.”
Brett Cook from BYU-Idaho addressed the steady increase in enrollment since its initial decline in 2020 and the renovation of the David O. McKay library. Construction on a new university support services building is also underway.
Madison School District Superintendent Randy Lords was the concluding speaker.
