An open letter to Mayor Jared Fuhriman and the Idaho Falls city council.

We have requested meetings with city officials to discuss ideas and options to help solve the energy distribution problem Idaho Falls is facing.   Our requests have been denied over and over again by proud individuals hiding behind expensive attorney’s and unwilling to face facts.  Therefore we will try to communicate our thoughts through this letter.

It has been obvious that Idaho Falls Power is focused on a forty year old loop concept rather than working on obtainable ideas to update the city power grid.  We understand the loop design has been the only thought since it was conceived in 1973.  Nevertheless, quoting Judge Winmill; “I cannot see that burdening the backs of citizens who receive no benefit from this power makes sense”.  The court has interpreted the law to not allow condemnation by a city municipality extraterritorially.  And property will not be acquired by negotiation at this time due to the insolent actions of IFP officials.

The open houses your electrical division held as a way to show they reached out to county residents were a charade.  They solved nothing but pitting neighbor against neighbor.  Then the west side route was placed on the most densely populated road.  We were told this option was chosen because that was the line that Rocky Mountain Power needed updating.  The dense housing of 35^th West goes against your first criteria to reduce the impact on homes.    We then received offers which were grossly undervalued and informed us to either accept or Idaho Falls would condemn.  Many mistakes have been made by IFP.    Those mistakes have hurt your credibility and bring us to this point. 

It is now time for solutions.  Eminent domain is not an option.  This decision will not be overturned; Judge Winmill took great care in his decision because he knew it would be challenged.  IFP lost the option to use eminent domain ever again because they chose to push the question to court.  We cautioned Mayor Fuhriman this would happen.  Therefore the only option now is to upgrade its aging power system through internal, legal or respectful means to acquire property. 

Mayor Fuhriman told us he wanted all the information so he did not have an ‘Ah-ha’ moment when they realized a mistake was made.  Well, this ‘Ah-ha’ moment has happened over and over again.  It is now time to accept this fact and move to a solution. 

We encourage Idaho Falls elected officials to move past the mistakes and find a viable solution.  You are elected as problem solvers, leaders who can see the future and make adjustments when needed.  Always agreeing does not solve a problem.  Which one of you now will lead out and move this ongoing problem to a solution before more money and time are wasted?  We invite you to contact us to again open the channels of communication.

Sincerely,

Alliance for Property Rights