Two-term Idaho Falls city councilman seeking re-election
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is part of a series of profiles of the 2025 Idaho Falls City Council candidates.
IDAHO FALLS – Jim Freeman, a two-term city councilman with a family history of public service in Idaho Falls, is seeking re-election for a third term.
The 69-year-old man is one of two candidates vying for Seat 6. His challenger is James Skinner.
In a Zoom conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Freeman cites unfinished business as his motivation for running again.
“We have a lot of things left to do. One of the things I’m really interested in (completing) — we’ve started developing a plan for a river corridor similar to what Boise has. I brought it up and we’re in the (initial) steps to follow through and develop a plan,” Freeman says.
Boise’s 29-mile tree-lined corridor follows the north and south sides of the river through the heart of the city, according to its website, and provides scenic views, wildlife habitat and pedestrian access to many of its riverside parks.
Freeman’s goal with the Idaho Falls corridor is to “protect the river for future generations.”
RELATED | Idaho Falls Police unveils new complex
Freeman says the unveiling of the Idaho Falls Police Complex last year is at the top of his list for greatest accomplishments. Making fiber optic internet available to every city resident is another “Herculean task” he’s proud to have been involved in.
“It’s starting to pay off now. We’re using that fiber optic network right now as we talk,” says Freeman. “It’s great to have that to every home.”
Freeman first ran for city council in 2017 after retiring from a 26-year career as a firefighter. A family history of public service is what prompted him to get involved in local politics.
His grandfather, Russ Freeman, for whom the street and city park are named, served on the city council for 18 years during the 1940s and 1950s.
His father, also named Jim, was on the city council for 16 years during the 1960s and 1970s.
Jim’s father was instrumental in the construction of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. In the years following the Teton Dam disaster, he was also involved in the construction of the bulb turbines for the city’s hydroelectric dam.
Russ helped create the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Riverwalk and served as the architect for the city’s parks.
“When he was on the city council, there wasn’t a tree in sight along the river and he started planting trees. He had a degree in forestry from Wabash College in Indiana. Once he got on the city council, Mayor E.W. Fanning tasked my grandfather with developing a green space along the river,” Freeman says.
Freeman is proud to carry on the family tradition of serving on the city council.
“I’d always had it in the back of my mind. I was very interested in politics growing up in that environment,” Jim Jr. says. “I was taught as a very young man that you want to give back to your community.”
If re-elected, the number one thing on his to-do list is a new community center. He’d also like to get a second sheet of ice for the Joe Marmo/Wayne Lehto Ice Arena.
“We’re at capacity at the hockey arena now. A second sheet of ice has been on my radar for a number of years,” says Freeman. “We’re in the process right now of getting a regional fire training center to become the leader in this area for fire training.”
With the increase in traffic and flight volume at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport, Freeman says there’s also a need for more expansion.
Freeman’s challenger, a 23-year-old college student, is a newcomer to the political arena. Jim Jr. says “experience matters,” and that’s what makes him a better candidate than his opponent.
“This is a pretty crucial time in our city because we’re growing so fast right now,” he says. “We need steady leadership, we need people who understand the history of the city. Going forward, we just gotta … control this growth and make sure Idaho Falls doesn’t change (into a place we don’t recognize).”
Election day is November 4.
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH FREEMAN IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.
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