Post Falls: Overcoming challenges, celebrating success

High inflation and gas prices.

Increasing mortgage and interest rates.

Tragedies at home and abroad.

“When I look at an interest rate right now of 7.2% and hear people complain, I understand why they're complaining," Post Falls Mayor Ron Jacobson said Tuesday.

It's nothing new, he said, but rates are significantly higher than they once were.

"Much of what we’re dealing with today, we the people of Post Falls cannot control," he said. "What we have to do as a city, and what you have to do in your businesses, is you have to be flexible, resilient and creative to deal with the cards that we are dealt. These are some of the challenges we’re facing, and we will get through this as we have in the past."

Jacobson spoke words of determination and encouragement as he delivered the State of the City address during the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce's Connect4Lunch event in the Red Lion Hotel Templin's on the River.

Jacobson discussed the River City's accomplishments and challenges, praising the work being done on Post Falls' arterials and in its urban renewal districts.

Urban renewal districts are created in areas where increased values are projected. The districts receive property taxes on the amount the property increases in value.

The Expo Urban Renewal District on the west side of Post Falls jumped from a base value of $4.7 million in 2001 to more than $66 million when it closed earlier this year.

"I think Post Falls is still the leader in the state for urban renewal and how we handle it," Jacobson said. "We have an outstanding urban renewal agency. The members do a very good job. We've accomplished significant projects. We have already closed out five urban renewal districts. We were the first urban renewal agency in the state to close out a district. We’ve closed out five and we will close out two more in the upcoming years.”

He talked about the progress of Idaho Transportation Department projects in Post Falls. Work on the Interstate 90 interchange project will continue for some time, as it is a three-year job, but work has been completed on Highway 41.

"That project is completed, which is good,” Jacobson said. “We went from single-lane each direction to two lanes, turn lanes, pedestrian and bike paths. So that is going to be a huge improvement, and with the overpasses, it will take the trains out of play."

Work continues on the Post Falls Wastewater Treatment plant, which is in the second phase of a $46.7 million update and expansion. Jacobson said it won't hit the timelines expected by the Environmental Protection Agency, but the agency is aware of supply chain setbacks.

"We’re in the process of discussing with them and they're aware of what has caused these problems," he said. "But we will achieve the levels that we are required to achieve."

Post Falls' commercial presence is growing, as is the downtown area, Jacobson reported. The city received 45 commercial site plan applications in 2021 and 43 more in 2022, as of Oct. 31.

"We are starting to see some additional commercial growth in Post Falls, and they're spread throughout the city," he said.

Population growth has created some challenges as Post Falls works to maintain open spaces and quality of life for its residents.

"Oftentimes, we hear that we've got to do something to preserve the open space out on the prairie," Jacobson said, adding that Post Falls has secured 644 acres on the prairie for a wastewater site, in addition to 314 acres the city of Rathdrum has secured in that area.

Prairie land has also been set aside for future Post Falls school sites, Jacobson said. On the subject of schools, he gave a shout-out to Treaty Rock Elementary School teacher Karen Lauritzen, who was recently announced as the 2023 Idaho Teacher of the Year.

"Kids in Post Falls have the opportunity for great education and it's because of our staff, our administrative staff, but also teachers such as Karen," he said.

Regarding growth, he showed maps of how Post Falls has expanded in the past decades. He said it's important for people to understand the city of Post Falls is not going out asking to annex people's properties — it's developers and property owners asking the city of Post Falls to do the annexing.

He said growth is a huge issue, but Post Falls has not solicited it. People are concerned building more houses will force up the price of housing, but Jacobson said supply and demand shows that prices go up on existing houses if others aren't available for those who continue to move into the area.

"It's a very difficult situation to be in," he said.

Despite the perception Post Falls is experiencing uncontrollable population growth, Jacobson shared a chart showing the city's average annual growth rate of 4.7%. In 2021, it spiked to 9.2% as 3,523 people moved to Post Falls, but this year's numbers have returned to 4.7%.

"It's really not anything we can control," he said. "It's something we will continue to stay on top of as far as infrastructure and the ability to handle the growth."

The cost of housing is impacting the local workforce. The Post Falls Police Department is in need of 10 patrol officers and seven emergency communication officers. The city needs parks, streets and maintenance workers.

"That's an ongoing battle," Jacobson said.

On a brighter note, Jacobson touted the longevity of Post Falls Police volunteers.

"There are some people up there with 17 years of service, 15 years of service. There's a lot of people who don't hold a job for that long, and these are volunteers," he said. "I sincerely appreciate the dedication, the commitment, the contribution these people have made to the city of Post Falls."