Rathdrum: All about community

Rathdrum Mayor Vic Holmes wanted the State of the City address Thursday evening open to the entire community.

The community came. The Lakeland High School auditorium buzzed as friends visited, children played, and city staff handed out chocolate chip cookies.

“The mayor thought it would be a great idea to have it open to everyone,” City Administrator Leon Duce said.

Holmes enjoys telling stories. Over the years he has given 15 state of the city addresses, even though he just entered his 13th year as mayor. One year, when Holmes was a council member, the mayor just didn’t show up. Holmes happily jumped in to tell the story of Rathdrum.

It is a story he knows well. Today Holmes sees great promise in Rathdrum’s ability to grow with community input.

“The comprehensive plan is what we want to be when we grow up,” Holmes said. “I know the growth is required. This comprehensive plan is about controlling how the growth happens.”

Holmes encouraged the community to provide input for how they want growth to happen.

“I really like the small-town feel of Rathdrum,” Holmes said. “But I think that feeling is about the people. It’s about working together. It’s all about the community. As Rathdrum grows, no matter where you go it’s still Rathdrum.”

He introduced two new city planners: Cary Siess from Leavenworth, Wash., and James Agidius.

“We will use their expertise to build the city that the citizens want,” Holmes said.

Over and over again, the mayor stressed the importance of community involvement in creating the future of the rapidly growing city.

“The state of the city is financially stable,” Holmes said. “We are a growing and vibrant community.”

In 2019 Rathdrum annexed 525 acres of commercial or industrial zoned land. 320 acres were already owned by the city and are earmarked for future land application. Seven industrial lots were approved in the 208 Industrial Park Subdivision. A mechanic shop and a welding shop will likely find a future home at the location.

“Kids grow up in Rathdrum and they have to move away,” Holmes said. “That’s not a very good society. I know a lot of people are counting on growth — businesses, young families.”

Holmes deeply believes the right kind of growth will help keep Rathdrum residents living and working in the community throughout their lives.

The city approved five different phases for subdivisions, introducing 198 housing lots. Residential growth declined by 35% in 2019, from 184 residential building permits issued in 2018, to 119 issued in 2019.

With that growth comes traffic.

“We’ve got a traffic problem, but it’s not our traffic,” Holmes said. “It’s traffic coming through, going to other places.”

The city’s public works department will continue working several infrastructure projects in the coming years. The Boekel Road and Meyer Road intersection will see improvements largely funded by a federal grant in 2021. The wooden Latah Street Bridge will be replaced and brought up to code in late 2020. Additional improvement projects are scheduled for Highway 53 and Meyer Road intersection, Highway 41 widening from Prairie Avenue to Boekel Road. The latter is expected to cost the city $1.9 million.

Holmes praised the Parks and Recreation Department for its efforts to establish the Rathdrum Mountain story walk trail, reintroduce monarch butterflies, start an adult co-ed softball program, and host the community Easter egg hunt — stuffing and hiding 15,000 eggs with American Legion Post 154.

The Rathdrum Police Department added an additional drug dog to its force, with funding from the City Council. With 24/7 coverage, the police department was able to answer every phone call — all 6,705 — that came in 2019.

“We’re the third safest city in Idaho,” Holmes said. “It’s the highest we’ve ever been rated.”

The mayor presented two youth awards to high school students that bring the city great pride and embody the values of hard work and dedication.

Erika Gallus, a senior at Lakeland High School, couldn’t attend the award ceremony because she was singing at the all-state choir competition in Boise. Her accomplishments, Lakeland High School principal Trent Derrick displayed, were two pages long.

The biggest accomplishment, however, arrived several days ago.

“Erika just received official word from the United States Air Force Academy that she will be attending in the fall,” Derrick said. “She will be serving our country.”

The packed auditorium applauded.

Holmes also presented North Idaho STEM Charter Academy senior Ezekiel Gehr with the mayor’s youth award.

“Ezekiel is that kid,” STEM Charter principal Scott Tomson said. “If you are an educator you know what I am talking about.”

Gehr brings positive energy to the classroom. He loves music and math. He has a certification in welding and an electrician apprenticeship.

As the evening ended, people mingled, visiting different city department and volunteer booths, learning about all the exciting work and play Rathdrum has in store for 2020.

“Visit the booths,” Holmes encouraged. “We work with every group we can. Without volunteers we would be nowhere.”