Larry Rose seeks another term, says still work to be done

Larry Rose will seek another term as the District 2 Elmore County Commissioner. Rose has been served on the commission since 1997, but believes there still is a lot of work to be done, and he wants to be there to help the county address current and future issues.

"First of all, I would like to thank the people of Elmore County for allowing me the privilege of serving them as their county commissioner," Rose said.

Rose has been a commissioner for nearly 12 years, during which time he has worked with nine different commissioners. "My experience there has been very useful for continuity in the county. When I first became a commissioner, in 1997, the county budget was around $4 million. With inflation, growth and increase in required services, it is now over $14 million.

Addressing growth, and in particular its impact on the county's aquifer, is a priority with Rose. He notes that the county commissioners have tried for several years to bring the county's water woes to the attention of the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR).

Thousands of dollars has been spent on a groundwater study for the Mountain Home area, but state officials have yet to make any comments or offer any guidelines on how best to address the ongoing draw down of the aquifer. An omission that befuddles Rose, and does little to assist with a problem that could force county commissioners to take desperate measures to protect critical groundwater supplies.

As a commissioner, Rose said he would continue bringing the matter before the IDWR in hopes the agency will eventually recognize and address the groundwater crisis. Although Rose believes IDWR should take the lead on managing the state's water sources, he also thinks commissioners must be given the flexibility to make decisions on how to best manage the county's aquifer and surface water supplies.

Believing that resolutions to the county's growth issues must be addressed by all impacted agencies, Rose is eager to continue monthly brain-storming sessions.

For the past five years, members of the county commission have sat on a committee, consisting of mayors and council members from both Glenns Ferry and Mountain Home, as well as representatives from city and county fire departments, highway districts, emergency services, the sheriff's department and various other local agencies impacted by the county's rapid growth, particularly in the Mountain Home area.

Rose believes these meeting have been beneficial for all parties and are essential when it comes to making budget decisions.

Budget constraints continue to challenge the county commissioners. Rose noted that the county's contribution to the Meals-on-Wheels, and local senior citizens nutrition programs, has increased due to reduced funding at the state level.

Each year, the county pays Central District Health Department $109,000 to perform septic system installation inspections, conduct immunization clinics, pay for a mosquito abatement program, as well as defray some of the costs for operating the Meals-on-Wheels and senior nutrition programs.

Due a reduction in state funding, the commissioners approved an additional $5,200 for the Meals-on-Wheels, and senior nutrition programs for the 2008-09 budget year. Rose believes these programs are important and that the county commissioners must rise to the challenge of making sure these programs remain viable.

Another area of concern for Rose is the increase costs associated with the county's judicial system. With the rise in criminal activity comes the need to address funding for probation officers, victim mediation programs, and parenting programs. Rose says much of the money for these programs come from grants, but notes, those funds dry up after a few years and the county must find a way to take up the slack.

As a commissioner, Rose believes the best way to address the county's budgetary needs is to address spending priorities, and he foresees that growth will bring in additional tax revenue to help with these programs.

"I believe that the budget--ensuring that expenses do not exceed revenue--is the primary duty of a county commissioner. Each year is more of a challenge in making this happen, but with the excellent working relationship I have with the other elected officials, and employees of the county, we have been, and will be able to continue to, achieve these goals."

Rose believes that, political affiliations aside, the lines of communication between an elected official and the public is paramount to seeing that the county continues to move in a positive direction towards the future.