(Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, September 4, 2026)
The public was told “No single draft, no early feedback, no outside group—whether a solar company, an agricultural association, or a neighborhood coalition—gets preferential standing in this process.”
So why is it that some parties – parties with a vested interest in the future outcome of the Land Use and Development (LUDO) ordinance – were denied requests to meet with Commissioners in 2025? Here is one example.
The only reason given was . . . “When commissioners discuss a matter with constituents outside of a public hearing, it creates the possibility that they may have to RECUSE themselves from voting on the issue. Addressing them all together at the hearing avoids this potential outcome.”
Yet – other third-party interests (Balanced Rock Power, private landowners, etc.) in favor of industrial solar projects, etc. are allowed access to Commissioners with no acknowledgement of any conflict and no concerns for a “possibility they (the Commissioners) may have to recuse themselves from voting on the issue.”
This is a classic example of what “preferential standing” looks like.
Our interest as P.A.G.E. is to ensure that government decisions are made fairly and without bias, especially when it comes to the Land Use and Development Ordinance that will impact entire communities. We all need to do our part to ensure our elected leaders are receiving (and allowing) ALL the information to be presented and considered.
Editor’s Note: for supporting documentation, see P.A.G.E.’s Facebook post, here.
