November 15, 2021
The Citizens of Pocatello Deserve Better
Dear Editor,
I am writing to you one last time as election day approaches. The citizens of Pocatello have the opportunity to elect the right candidate to take them into the next four years. How you vote will affect how the City progresses and deals with the problems that have been given to it under Brian Blad.
The pending lawsuit from the Rupp family over the access to their property in the Northgate area is not going to be settled by the 30th and it has ramifications and implications you must be aware of. While like the Pavegate scandal, Blad will likely pass the blame to his staff, saying he didn’t have any knowledge, as a 23-year city employee I can tell you he knows everything that happens in management. While he does nothing to control it, he knows and is just as liable as the people who did it. The lawsuit claims are disturbing, to say the least. Claims of destroying evidence and a case of what seems to be pure retribution against the family for having some of their land annexed by Chubbuck is completely unethical. But this is not new under Blad. He was told by the State’s AG office to stop billing for the PILOT water billing program, yet he allowed that to continue for several more years before the lawsuit finally brought it to a stop. He has allowed employees to be surveilled by City employees in Bingham county for which he is also being sued. How much is enough for you?
The Northgate project has vastly changed from what it was touted to be at the initial meeting, (I know. I sat through the presentation.) and because Blad couldn’t work cooperatively with Mayor England the Citizens of Pocatello must now foot the millions of dollars for re-routing the sewage to an old pump station that has to be completely refurbished to handle the additional loads. On top of that, the City couldn’t find any suitable wells locations after spending $300,000+ dollars to drill test wells and now plans to drill an additional well in Alameda Park. All new lines and pump stations pumping water uphill to the development will cost taxpayers millions of additional dollars. It should have been the responsibility of the developer to find a suitable water source prior to construction beginning. This is poor management on Blad’s part. Understanding how to manage a city is just beyond his ability, as this has become abundantly clear.
Where are all the new jobs you have been promised? Many of the good-paying jobs have fallen through. Take for example, the pipe manufacturing company that was supposed to build at the airport. Not one business has opened its doors in Northgate, and the HOKU property is embroiled in its own problems.
The FBI expansion had little to do with Blad. They were coming here when they shut down all the other properties which the FBI did not own, but he is touting credit as if he brought them here through his efforts. Old town is still sitting vacant, and there is no plan to change the course.
For the first time, under Blad’s management, firefighters left employment for other cities. This was never heard of before. Fifty percent of the patrol officers on the street have five years of experience or less and you are losing veteran officers at a rate not seen in my 23- years of experience there. The City is failing, because it doesn’t have a leader, it has a cheerleader who doesn’t want to do the tough work that is needed. And yet has given himself some of the largest raises in the city, making him one of the ten highest-paid Mayors in the State of Idaho.
The City can’t hire a CFO, and while Blad will blame the council members, as mayor it is his primary duty to unite the council for the betterment of the City. How can you unite a council when you refuse to allow council members agenda items and discussion? Blad has lost his sense of duty to this City. It is time for a change. Four more years under Blad’s rule will be financially disastrous for the City.
David Worley has been falsely attacked and accused of being some sort of fringe candidate. Don’t let Blad’s fearmongering, power hungry crowd persuade you. David Worley believes in the Founding Fathers’ vision and the Constitution. This doesn’t make him a fringe candidate. It shows that he understands the true purpose of government, which is to serve and protect the people. Worley has spent his adult life serving his country and now wants to serve his hometown. I have been able to speak with him in person. I faithfully served the City for 23 years as a street cop and would never support a person that didn’t have the City’s best interest at heart. Worley is the right person at the right time for Pocatello. Blad and his group of allies that wish to maintain control of the City are afraid. They saw that in the November 2nd election that more people voted against Blad than for Blad. People understand that it is time for a change, and David Worley can bring you that positive change. Please get out to vote election day is the 30th.
Support David Worley and a better future for Pocatello.
Chad Horst, Bannock County
