The fight over Bingham County Commission Seat 1 has begun
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BINGHAM COUNTY – A challenger in Bingham County is running to unseat an incumbent commissioner in Seat 1.
Incumbent commissioner Drew Jensen is seeking to get reelected by his constituents, who voted him into office on Nov. 5, 2024, after he was appointed by Gov. Brad Little to fill an interim position in October 2024. Challenger Tim Shurtz is running to replace him.
EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to Jensen and Shurtz. Their responses, listed below, were required to be 250 words or fewer and were not edited.
The primary election is on May 19.
Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work, and any prior experience in public office.
Jensen: I was born and raised in Firth Idaho. I am married to Nollene Jensen. We have four sons that we are very proud of, but the best part is they have brought four daughters into our lives and 14 grandchildren. I have farmed and ranched my whole life in Bingham County. Over the last year and a half, I guess you could say I changed hats when I was elected to serve as Bingham County Commissioner. Instead of getting in the tractor to work, I go into the office, or out in the community. I have enjoyed learning about our county government and working with the good people in our county.
I’ve served on the school board for 13 years, the Snake River Valley Water Board, the board for Bingham Co-op, and as a planning and zoning commissioner. I am currently the president of the Eastern Idaho Grazing Association and am a Bingham County Commissioner in District 1.
Shurtz:I was born in Morenci, Arizona and I grew up in Mesa. I graduated from Mesa High School, Class of 1978. Later, I served a mission for my church. My wife, Marlene Frandsen Shurtz, grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Her family helped found Firth. We have two children. I have served the Shelley/Firth community for 29 years. I was elected to the Firth City Council three times. After the third term, I found another person to take my seat. During my service, I intervened in utility rate cases involving the citizens of Firth and helped save millions of dollars for the people of Eastern Idaho. After the city council tenure, I joined the Shelley Firth Fire department and have served as a firefighter/EMT for 17 years. I have done over 4500 12-hour on-call shifts and responded to over 2000 911 calls. I have been involved with fundraising for both the EMS and the Shelley Senior Center. I have worked for Idaho Supreme for 35 years, and have held five professional licenses.
Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.
Shurtz:I have watched as growth has made it hard to provide the services needed in our area. The
cause has been large scale home building in the county. As a county, we need to work with all the cities, school districts, and the fire district to ensure the infrastructure needs are taken into consideration prior to approving any large-scale development. I feel reasonable impact fees should be considered to meet these concerns.
Jensen:I believe in honest, open communication. I care about people, and I am committed to listening, understanding different perspectives, and helping find solutions. Throughout my life, I have worked with others, solved problems, and helped bring people together. I will continue to do that as your commissioner. I believe in a careful, conservative approach to change, one that respects county codes, relies on sound legal guidance, and is grounded in common sense. I support the Constitution and try to live by the principals that it teaches. Good decisions come from listening, learning, and doing what is right, not what is easy.
What are the greatest challenges facing people in your county? What is your plan to meet and overcome those challenges?
Jensen: Like many of you, I see the growing challenges families face every day. Rising costs, inflation, and economic uncertainty put real pressure on households. I am committed to supporting responsible budgeting, maintaining a reasonable property tax base, and encouraging a strong local economy where good jobs and opportunities are available. Agriculture is an important part of our county, and some of the problems the ag industry faces today are water curtailment, water shortages, and commodity pricing. Though commissioners aren’t directly involved in decision making in these areas, we can keep ourselves informed on these important issues and support the organizations that are involved in making the decisions.
Shurtz: I believe growth is our number one problem. Controlled community growth is good. I propose impact fees to offset the cost of infrastructure needs, such as: streets, utilities, schools, and emergency services. As it stands, even with the increased tax base, it will be many years before the tax revenues pay for the needed improvements currently. I propose reasonable up-front impact fees to help meet the infrastructure cost.
How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How do partisan politics play into your role as an elected leader?
Shurtz: I have always been a republican and believe in conservative principles. I also believe a good idea deserves to be heard and evaluated no matter who brings it forward.
Jensen:I have been told that I am a good mediator, as I try to see problems from all perspectives. I am open to all topics of conversation. I have encouraged people to call, email, or text me with county concerns. It is interesting how few people do reach out, but for those that do, I have tried to address their concerns and work to come up with solutions to support them. Even though I am conservative in my views, I have been elected to support all views. I work to keep an open mind and listen to people from all backgrounds.
What parts of the county budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget where cuts could be made?
Jensen:Even though we have federal and state budget cuts, our county is still mandated to provide certain services to the public. As a result our department heads within the county are very conscientious of the budget and try to stay within their parameters, while providing these services. I applaud their efforts in balancing these budgets. Like any organization, we could use more funding in every area, but that would result in raising taxes, which is not a good option right now with the condition of our economy.
Shurtz: Having worked in the emergency services, I know that they could use more funding. It is sad when our first responders must do raffles and bake sales to make up for funding that should come from taxes. When I am elected as county commissioner, I feel it will be incumbent to review the county budget to find areas where cuts can be made, but I feel part of the funding needs can be met with reasonable increased impact fees, not by increasing taxes.
What specific changes can be made in this office to increase public transparency and access to public information? How will you communicate directly with your constituents?
Shurtz:When I am elected, I propose to post regular weekly meeting schedules in the Shelley and Firth Areas for my district and once a month in the Blackfoot and Aberdeen areas
whereby anyone can bring their concerns to me on a one-to-one basis.
Jensen:I have worked to build relationships with the city governments and try to keep open communication with them by attending city council meetings and local fire meetings. I have tried to be aware of their concerns and relay that information back to applicable departments at the county level. Our county has put together a great website that gives a lot of information for anyone wanting to request public records or information.
Can you give a concrete example of a policy or budget decision you would support to improve a county service within your first year in office?
Jensen: Due to the significant growth within our county, the ambulance and fire districts are stretched to the limit. If I were able to improve any service, that would be one of my priorities. Since coming into office I have developed a greater appreciation for our law enforcement agencies and emergency personnel. I am now more aware of the danger they may encounter on a daily basis. I honor and respect them. Also, as I have served this last year and a half, I have seen how many important volunteer programs we have within the county and how needed they are. Volunteers are truly the unsung heroes.
Shurtz:I will have the county services go to the different Senior Centers or another designated meeting places in Shelley, Blackfoot, and Aberdeen once per month to provide remote services to anyone needing a county service. I will encourage other government services to join to bring the government and services to the people. This program should be able to be stated and run at a minimal cost.
What experience do you bring that prepares you to manage county finances, and how will you ensure fiscal responsibility?
Shurtz:I have helped manage budgets for the City of Firth for twelve years, and I have worked within a budget at work for Idaho Supreme for thirty-five years. I have been successful in finding areas to save money. I am not afraid to try something new or a new approach. I will ask the county employees to help in identifying areas where savings can be found along with all citizens to help meet our fiscal responsibilities.
Jensen:Being self employed in the ag industry for 40 years, I have seen the ups and downs of markets, weather, and politics. I was able to maintain a balanced budget to stay within our means. Oftentimes it meant being able to diversify or change a course or plan. The county government must manage taxpayer dollars carefully, efficiently, and with respect for the people who earned that money. I appreciate being able to work at the county with a team that utilizes our budget responsibly. Fiscal discipline means making tough decisions, avoiding unnecessary spending, and ensuring county services are delivered effectively without wasting resources.
As we celebrate America 250, I encourage everyone to get out and vote on May 19th. Invite a friend that hasn’t been involved in voting. America 250 is also focused on creating a greater America through service. I appreciate our communities who have put focus on service this year.