Mayor Brian Blad delivers his final State of the City address
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POCATELLO – The man who’s been mayor of Pocatello for 15 years gave his final State of the City address.
Mayor Brian Blad, who will leave office on Jan. 9, delivered the State of the City address at the city council meeting on Dec. 18, both with a prepared video and by addressing the crowd. In his final remarks, he expressed optimism for Pocatello’s future.
“I’m excited about the future for the city of Pocatello. We are set up to be extremely successful, and I’m confident that the future mayor and council will continue to move our community forward in making it successful and making the things happen that the community has been looking forward to,” Blad said.
One of the many accomplishments Blad touts in his video address is the construction of Optimist Skatepark, now located across the street from the city hall parking lot. This park, which was primarily funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, has a variety of skating features, like ramps, stairs, a pool that is six-feet deep at its lowest point and a drop-in ramp shaped like the state of Idaho.
“It’s a space built for skaters of all ages and skill levels. We enjoy seeing the talented skateboarders in Pocatello,” Blad says in the video.
Blad also praises the fire department’s new fire truck, a tractor-drawn aerial apparatus with a built-in tiller steering system and is equipped with a 107-foot ladder.
“This specialized truck includes both maneuverability and operational capability, representing a significant enhancement to the department,” Blad says.
In the video, Blad highlights Pocatello Regional Transit winning the Idaho Transportation Department’s Outstanding Public Transportation System of the Year award. PRT, the only provider of public transportation in southeastern Idaho, received this award in September.
“(ITD’s) recognition highlights PRTs ongoing commitment to service excellence, innovation and providing vital mobility options for communities across southeast Idaho,” Blad said.
To view Blad’s entire video address, click here.
Blad also shared his opinion on what the main priority of Mayor-elect Mark Dahlquist and the new city council should be. He praised the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which is a long-range master plan for Pocatello’s future development.
“What I would hope to see, is they would set goals, and they would consider the (2040 Comprehensive Plan). That plan is solid. The community has a lot of input in that plan… It’s a living, breathing document,” Blad said.
Blad also warned the future mayor and council to focus on the big picture, and not let “the minority govern the future of Pocatello.”
“I honestly think the biggest challenges that they’re going to run into is they need to focus on leadership, not on Facebook posts and trolls. They need to do what’s best for the city as a whole,” Blad said.