NAMPA, Idaho — Rick Hogaboam, Nampa's mayor-elect, is preparing to take office in January with plans to restore collaboration at City Hall while managing the challenges of Idaho's third-largest city, which continues to grow at a rapid pace.
In his first one-on-one interview since winning the election, Hogaboam outlined priorities focused on improving council dynamics, managing growth impacts, and strengthening partnerships with local agencies.
WATCH: Mayor-elect Hogaboam discuss priorities
"I think we do need to have a discussion about etiquette and decorum," Hogaboam said. "You need to have some rules to make sure meetings are guided and focused on what's agendized and that you don't start discussing secondary issues."
Hogaboam brings extensive city government experience to the role, having previously served as a council member and chief of staff in the mayor's office. He believes this background provides a valuable perspective for leading the growing community.
"Being a city council member, I know what that experience is like from that seat," Hogaboam said. "Being in the mayor's office on the executive side of things, I understand how the operational decision-making on the day-to-day stuff goes."
Balancing growth and quality of life
As Nampa continues expanding with new homes and businesses, Hogaboam emphasized the importance of thoughtful development that enhances rather than diminishes residents' quality of life.
"My concern is making sure that we protect the quality of life and that any growth does not diminish our quality of life, that it contributes to it," Hogaboam said.
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Traffic congestion from new developments represents a particular concern. Hogaboam plans to work with city engineers to review the current criteria for requiring traffic impact studies from developers.
"I want to sit down with our engineer to reevaluate what criteria we have and take that to city council in a workshop," Hogaboam said. "Maybe we need to have different criteria and be more mindful that when you allow development to occur in this way, we're creating traffic load without controlling the entire corridor."
Strengthening public safety partnerships
Public safety collaboration remains another key priority, particularly in regards to the Fire District, which is seeking dedicated office space after years of sharing a city building downtown.
"Even though they're their own district, we still view fire as an important component within the city and beyond," Hogaboam said. "I know they are looking for a new home for their admin building, so I need to get up to speed with what the current status is."
Healing council divisions
Hogaboam acknowledged ongoing tensions within the current city council and expressed hope that his diverse government experience will help bridge divides.
"Council is going to disagree from time to time on issues, but this has just been this sort of drawn-out lingering deliberation that has created some tense moments on city council," Hogaboam said.
He plans to leverage his experience across multiple levels of local government to improve communication and public understanding.
"I think this experience from moving from city council to the mayor's office, to the county, and now the mayor's office, I hope to be able to educate the public and answer questions well," Hogaboam said.
Hogaboam will begin working with the reshaped city council in January on 2025 priorities, including budget discussions and the start of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan update.
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