‘No nepotism’: Should some Idaho mayors get to hire their relatives?

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Donald Powell, the mayor of a small town in Eastern Idaho, had a problem.

The police department in St. Anthony, outside of Rexburg, was understaffed, he told members of the House State Affairs Committee on Monday. But the city attorney objected when his son, who works in law enforcement, tried to help cover some shifts, he said. The pattern repeated years later with his younger son and then later his son-in-law, when St. Anthony couldn’t find qualified applicants for other positions.

“I was frustrated,” said Powell, who was at the Capitol to testify on a bill that would allow cities under 10,000 people to hire relatives of the mayor or city council members if they can’t find anyone else to fill the job. St. Anthony had a population of just over 3,600 people, according to the 2020 census.

Other mayors, from Tetonia (population 308 as of the 2020 census) to Roberts (population around 500) expressed the same concern in written and verbal testimony.

“We do have a couple of occasions where we needed to hire somebody part-time, looking to hire a high school kid to mow grass,” said Roberts Mayor Robert Berlin. “The only kid willing to do it was the son of a city councilwoman.”

But the city couldn’t hire a relative of the council member, so they just “didn’t do things that needed to be done.” His own kids, Berlin said, have been “voluntold” to do things for free at the city. “They’ve all moved away for some reason,” he quipped.

Under the bill, cities would have to meet several requirements before hiring the family member of the mayor or council member. The position would have to be open for 45 days with no qualified applicants. Family members who arehired could receive raises only from cost-of-living or other across-the-board raises, unless they get city council approval.

“This is for my small communities,” said. Rep. Mike Pohanka, R-Jerome, a member of the committee. “I think they’ve done a good job in making sure there’s no nepotism in this bill.”

Lawmakers voted unanimously to send the legislation to the House with for a vote. The committee recommended its passage.