Bear Lake District 2 County Commission race underway
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MONTPELIER — Four candidates are vying for the Bear Lake County District 2 commissioner seat: Steve Allred, Lance Fitzsimmons, Micah Rigby and Richard Barako.
The winners of the May 19 primary election will advance to the general election on Nov. 3.
EastIdahoNews.com sent a questionnaire to each candidate. Responses were limited to 250 words or fewer. Barako did not respond to the questionnaire. Below are the unedited responses from Allred, Fitzsimmons and Rigby.
For more candidate questionnaires and further information on this year’s primary election, check out East Idaho Elects.
Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work, and any prior experience in public office.
Allred: I am proud to say that my family for the most part are all Bear Lakers. My wife Carol and I have raised our five children here and have enjoyed calling Bear Lake our permanent home for the past 36 years. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Business Management and went on to a successful almost 40 year career in banking most in the Bear Lake valley.
Over that career, I had the opportunity to serve on almost all local boards and committees relative to business, chamber, economic development and the arts. I served 15 years as a board member of Bear Lake Memorial hospital, 20 years on the National Oregon/California Trail center board, 6 years on the Montpelier city council and 12 years as commissioner and later chair of the Idaho Commission on the Arts.
Fitzsimmons: • I am happily married to Kalene Hillier. Between us, we have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. One of our children and grandchildren live here in Georgetown.
My experience is having been an entrepreneur for most of my life with some certificates, I have specialized in specific markets. Perhaps not the most sophisticated Pedigree but it has never stopped me before.
Volunteer work has been a part of my life since I was 19 with the latest being President of our local chamber of commerce in 2025 and now Vice President in 2026.
Rigby: I was born and raised in Bear Lake Valley and come from a family with deep roots in this community. I was raised on a small ranch in Pegram where I learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and taking care of what you have. Today, my family and I are raising our children on that same ranch, and we are grateful to be part of this community.
Professionally, I have spent 13 years in law enforcement. I served seven years as a Deputy Sheriff and the last two years as Chief Deputy in Bear Lake County, along with six years in Lincoln County, Wyoming. In that role, I worked with budgets, grants, policies, and daily operations, and I regularly attended county commissioner meetings. That experience gave me a strong understanding of how county government works and the importance of responsible leadership.
In addition, I own and operate two businesses here in Bear Lake County. That experience has given me firsthand knowledge of the challenges local businesses face and the importance of responsible financial management.
I have always believed in serving where I can, and I care deeply about this community and its future.
Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.
Allred: My reason for running for county commissioner is easy; I enjoy volunteering to provide civic and community service and helping people. Having developed and utilized a strong set of leadership skills, financial acumen and community service experience over the past four decades, I believe I am uniquely qualified to assist in moving the county forward.
I am proud of being a fiscal conservative together with traditional values. That said, listening to both sides of every issue is important to me in order to develop an informed decision. I also believe in treating people with respect and dignity.
Fitzsimmons: This is the 2nd time running for this position even though I highly dislike politics. It is painful to see what happens when the public becomes disengaged with the political process from neglect. Citizens sometimes forget that the quality of their government can and should be determined by them.
My platform is Transparency, Trust, Together. Transparency is rather simple to solve and no, I’m not delusional thinking it can happen. With transparency comes trust in government and the only way it can happen is if we do this together. One determined
person still needs the help of the community. We have been on a 2 year loop.
Politicians making empty promises, voting and then repeating every 2 years with little to nothing being resolved. Why do I say this? Because this is what people tell me. One comment I found interesting was someone voted for the candidate with the best picture. Probably not the best selection method but no worse than some others.
I am not doing this feed my ego or to make friends which I may lose a couple in the process. Bear Lake is broken and I want to help the great people of this county fix it. We have some of the most talented, hard working and wholesome people I have ever
met here. I intend to be available to listen to anyone that has a concern and or a solution. Imagine what could happen if we work together!
Rigby: I am running because Bear Lake is home. It is where I was raised, where I work, and where I am raising my family. I want to help preserve the values that make this community special while ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to return and build a life here.
My platform is focused on protecting property rights, supporting agriculture, maintaining our roads and infrastructure, and practicing responsible fiscal management. I also believe in supporting local businesses and creating an environment where they can succeed and grow.
I believe in keeping government local, efficient, and accountable to the people it serves.
What are the greatest challenges facing people in your county? What is your plan to meet and overcome those challenges?
Allred: The delicate balance of encouraging county economic growth and retaining our rural and traditional way of life is important to me. The county has done well with offering great schools and medical services, low crime and a family friendly environment. Growth brings its own challenges, and we need to have a forward-thinking county government that is able to manage the issues appropriately.
The county is tasked with providing and protecting specific services to county residents which must be prioritized. Bear Lake County is an agricultural county with cattle and all types of farming which also needs to be encouraged to thrive, The county strategic plan needs to be updated since it has not been addressed in many years although the process is underway.
Likewise, the planning and zoning ordinances reflect issues of many years ago and in part doesn’t address the challenges facing today, so updating the plan is of utmost importance. My experience in budgeting, financial management, government service and business development brings to the commission unique perspectives and knowledge needed to navigate the challenges we face as county residents.
Fitzsimmons: When talking to people, I find the biggest challenge facing the residents of Bear Lake County are the effects of short term rentals on the year round residents. Now Boise has seized more control with no relief for the locals.
Just to be clear, I am all for property rights as long as the STR’s can be good neighbors to those that came before them. There are also safety considerations that need to be addressed.
The solutions to this and other issues have been expressed by the people who live here. I am not a magician but I do ask questions and listen to people.
Rigby: Some of the biggest challenges facing our county include managing growth while preserving our rural way of life, maintaining infrastructure such as roads and services, and ensuring there are opportunities for our younger generation to stay or return home.
My approach is to support responsible, well-planned growth that respects property rights and agriculture, prioritize maintenance of roads and essential services, and work with local businesses and community leaders to encourage sustainable economic opportunities.
It is important that we protect what makes Bear Lake special while planning carefully for the future.
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?
Allred: There is a vicious political divide in this country that is opposite of my more appreciative approach. I welcome all opinions and then form a plan of action that makes sense to me. I am not beholding to any particular constituent or special interest group.
I prefer to sleep at night so once I have uncovered all the potential details necessary, I ponder and form a well-reasoned opinion that I can stand behind based on my values and standards. I can also revise and move forward if more purtinent information comes to light. Open communication is the key.
Fitzsimmons: The best way to represent the views of my constituents is to listen to what they have to say in consideration with any other information and discuss the issues in order to find viable solutions.
Differing opinions and partisan politics can be ugly these days. I am always interested in having productive discussions on any issue with anyone. Over my life I have found that you never know where the next good idea will come from and often comes from the least likely source.
Rigby: As a county commissioner, my responsibility is to represent all residents of Bear Lake County. I believe that starts with listening. I will make myself available to constituents, seek input, and make decisions based on what is best for the county as a whole.
While I am running as a Republican, county government should focus on practical solutions, not partisan politics. The goal is to solve problems, be respectful, and make decisions that benefit the entire community.
What parts of the county budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget where cuts could be made?
Allred: One may ask every county department if they could use more funding, and they all would say absolutely and rightfully so, but Bear Lake County does not have the largest budget. Required services such as law enforcement, emergency services, county roads and bridge maintenance, and other basic services must receive priority funding especially in light of the 2026 Idaho legislature’s budget cutbacks this year affecting all 44 counties.
The question should be how we managed the reduced amounts, not how we increase spending. My background in business, government and agricultural budgeting would be beneficial since I am trained to develop budgets and how to remain in compliance.
Fitzsimmons: I’m sure if each department were asked, they would all say they need more money. I do know that with the budget cut from Boise, our road and bridge department has taken a hit and have already been in conversations on how to ease the cut.
It would be somewhat arrogant of me to say where budget cuts could be made without having all of the information needed to make that determination.
Rigby: Public safety and infrastructure are always important priorities, and I believe we should ensure those areas are adequately funded. This includes supporting law enforcement, emergency services, and maintaining roads.
At the same time, I believe in carefully reviewing all areas of the budget to ensure funds are being used efficiently. Where cuts can be made, they should come from unnecessary spending or inefficiencies, not from essential services that the public relies on.
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?
Allred: I am willing to visit with any of my constituents about any public topic since I depend on open communication. I believe that county residents also have a responsibility to read the contents of agendas for upcoming commissioner meetings in order to contact commissioners if they have thoughts on the subject to be discussed.
Limited time should be made available in commissioner meetings for public comment, but prior to the meeting is the most effective so that commissioners can ponder the input. Commissioner meeting minutes are also posted on the county web site to ensure transparency and can be a critical tool for future reference.
I am also a staunch supporter of following Idaho statute concerning executive sessions and to ensure that those sessions are utilized exactly as prescribed in the statute.
Fitzsimmons: There are already solutions to increase transparency, all we need is implementation. 3 of us candidates had a
discussion about it and all had valuable insight on how to fix the problem.
I already set up customer communication channels similar to how I provide customer service in my business. It basically covers the most popular means of communication. My constituents are my customers.
Rigby: Public safety and infrastructure are always important priorities, and I believe we should ensure those areas are adequately funded. This includes supporting law enforcement, emergency services, and maintaining roads.
At the same time, I believe in carefully reviewing all areas of the budget to ensure funds are being used efficiently. Where cuts can be made, they should come from unnecessary spending or inefficiencies, not from essential services that the public relies on.
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?
Allred: The county strategic plan and P&Z ordinances needs to be reviewed and updated to meet the issues of today. While the current commission is working on completing the updates this year, I plan to participate in the process. Public input is critical in this process since the issues of 20 years ago are different from the challenges of today.
The short-term rental discussion has also been addressed by the Idaho legislature and signed into law by the governor with opposing views on the matter. We will see how the implementation works and if it resolves the concerns on both sides. The law allows for several concerns to be addressed by local governments such as safety, parking and garbage, which will be reviewed by commissioners to protect residents, visitors and property owners alike.
My final top priority is to treat people with respect and represent the county as a public servant. Everyone has their own priority issue and it is the commissioner’s duty to address them respectfully. I enjoy hearing all points of view in order to form my own opinion in matters. Most assuredly, decisions I would be asked to make would be cased in the philosophy of being beneficial or not for county residents.
Fitzsimmons: The most concrete examples from the outside I can give is my support for a local lodging tax. Rumor has it that a local hotel owner fought it. The lodging tax does not give anyone an advantage or disadvantage. Everywhere I go and stay has a tax that I have to pay in order to get a room. Where else would they go? This would be a fair way to pay for infrastructure improvements. The visitors here are having an impact on our resources, why should the local residents have to pay for it?
Another problem being expressed are the new assessments being caused by the expensive 2nd homes and STR’s raising property values. I suggest we cap the property taxes on the locals. This would help the retirees who’s property values go up by nothing they have done. We also need to pressure our representatives to pass legislation that is in our Counties best interest.
Rigby: One example would be prioritizing road maintenance and infrastructure planning to ensure that our county roads are safe and reliable. This may include reviewing current road budgets and making adjustments to ensure funds are being used effectively where they are needed most.
Improving communication between departments and the public about ongoing projects is also something I would focus on early.
What experience do you bring that prepares you to manage county finances, and how will you ensure fiscal responsibility?
Allred: With a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in economics together with my lengthy banking career as a branch manager approving loans for consumer and commercial purposes, I have the tools to understand, create and manage budgets. This experience will be critical to ensure fiscal responsibility.
I also appreciated a stewardship when on the Montpelier city council and the Idaho Commission on the Arts to oversee governmental budgets and to ensure compliance. These tools I have learned over my career will be vital to successfully manage and be accountable for county residents’ taxes. Taxes are not the county’s money; it is the taxpayer’s money to be properly spent on their behalf to provide important county services for the benefit of all who live within its borders.
Fitzsimmons: That is a great question. I can already say that business owners have a different approach to finances and problems than a government or corporate employee. Typically, people look to borrow their way out of a problem and then the borrower becomes a slave to the lender.
My experience as a problem solver and hater of the word CAN’T has helped me find solutions that weren’t available at a bank or other institutions.
My wife and I started our business with nothing. We worked our way up by building parts while sitting on the couch watching tv. Together, we did what was needed to make it happen and we have a debt free company.
I’m no banker but managing finances in it’s simplest form is knowing what is coming in and prioritizing what gets spent. Managing finances is also managing the reasons funds get spent. Use it or lose it budgets are horrible, there is no incentive for efficiency. A rainy day fund is essential. So called FREE money comes with strings attached.
Fiscal responsibility comes from respecting other people’s money. Taxpayers always get the shaft for government mismanagement. I’m tired of it as are most people. As we have seen over the last year, there are government employees and systems that have no regard for the taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars. That needs to change. I am accusing anyone of doing this locally. However, If it can happen at the federal level, it can happen here.
Rigby: My experience as Chief Deputy gave me direct involvement with budgeting, reviewing expenditures, and making decisions about how resources were allocated. I also bring experience as a business owner, where managing budgets, controlling costs, and making responsible financial decisions are essential.
I will ensure fiscal responsibility by carefully reviewing budgets, asking the right questions, avoiding unnecessary spending, and making sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely and effectively.