Rodney Burch brings familiarity and long-term vision to Chubbuck mayor’s office
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth story in our Looking Ahead series featuring candid interviews with east Idaho’s new mayors. Read our previous stories with Idaho Falls Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw here, Ammon Mayor Brian Powell here, Pocatello Mayor Mark Dahlquist here and Blackfoot Mayor Scott Stufflebeam here.
CHUBBUCK — After serving as the City of Chubbuck’s public works director for seven years from 2015 to 2022, newly elected Mayor Rodney Burch said walking back into City Hall felt like coming home.
A Chubbuck resident of 34 years, Burch was sworn in as mayor on Jan. 7 after defeating long-time incumbent Kevin England in the November 2025 municipal election, earning about 55% of the vote.
“It was like I’d never left. I’ve worked in this building. Many of the same people I worked with are still here, and they are all excellent,” Burch said.
Burch brings more than three decades of experience in engineering, land surveying, and infrastructure and community development to City Hall. In addition to serving as Chubbuck’s public works director, he previously worked as executive director of the Chubbuck Development Authority, where he helped guide major planning efforts that shaped the city’s growth.
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Ongoing commitment to Chubbuck
One of Burch’s most defining contributions during his time in public works was helping establish the Downtown Village vision, a long-range redevelopment plan for the city’s core. It’s something he will expand upon as mayor.
“While serving in a dual role as public works director and executive director of the Chubbuck Development Authority, our urban renewal agency, I helped lead the creation of this transformative plan,” he said.
Burch also led the development of the city’s Parks Master Plan and a strategic plan focused on connectivity and recreational pathways. A key example is the multi-use path along New Day Parkway, which connects Chubbuck to the Portneuf Wellness Complex and demonstrates how infrastructure can enhance both mobility and community health.
“Historically, Chubbuck has been committed to parks going back to the John Cotant era,” Burch said. “I plan to continue executing the Parks Master Plan based on input from the community.”
Cotant served as Chubbuck’s mayor for 36 years, from 1970 to 2005.
To further advance recreational access, Burch also supports a concept to convert existing irrigation canals into a citywide walking and biking network, creating scenic and cost-effective routes throughout the community.
Transparency through technology
Improving access to city government is one of Burch’s top priorities as mayor. With the city now operating out of a new building equipped with modern technology, Burch wants to begin streaming City Council and other key meetings and posting them online.
“To truly understand residents’ concerns and ideas, we must create meaningful opportunities for public participation,” he said, noting that the city has not regularly streamed its public meetings.
Burch said he is committed to restoring and increasing the use of technology, including enabling remote participation through platforms such as Zoom for City Council, land use, and Chubbuck Development Authority meetings.
“Streaming these meetings will allow more residents to stay informed, voice their opinions, and be part of the process, regardless of their schedule or mobility,” he said. “If people cannot make it to our meetings, we will bring our meetings to them.”
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Beyond technology, Burch plans to create advisory boards focused on building and development, parks and recreation, economic development, and local business to strengthen communication between city leadership and residents. He also intends to boost the city’s use of social media to keep the public informed about upcoming hearings, decisions, and actions.
Growth and long-term vision
Chubbuck’s historical growth has primarily occurred to the west, driven by available infrastructure. With the construction of the Northgate Interchange, new development opportunities have emerged to the north and east.
Burch said the improved access has already spurred residential projects such as Harvest Springs and Northside Crossing, setting a high standard for neighborhood design and livability, and opening the door to additional commercial growth.
While Burch acknowledged the need for affordable housing in Chubbuck, he said the city’s role is limited.
“We need to streamline the permitting and approval process and make it more cost-effective, so developers want to do business in Chubbuck,” he said.
In his first year, Burch said his primary goal is to unite city employees, the city council and the town’s residents around a shared vision.
“If we can get our 125 city employees and 15,000 residents working toward a common goal, we can make a real difference,” he said.
Looking ahead, Burch said he plans to work closely with Pocatello Mayor Mark Dahlquist, sharing a commitment to improving the entire Portneuf Valley.
Burch said his favorite thing about Chubbuck is its small-town feel, and he never wants to lose that.
“We’ve grown a lot, but we haven’t lost our small-town charm and that sense of neighbors helping neighbors,” he said. “Chubbuck has good people. It’s a great place to raise a family.”
The city is preparing to host a variety of community events in the new year, including an America 250 celebration, as Chubbuck looks ahead under new leadership.
