We contacted each local candidate from Midvale to New Meadows who is running in a competitive race. The following statements and pictures are from the candidates asking for your vote. We hope that these are informative and help you make a decision come Election Day, November 4.
We also encourage voters to checkout www.voteidaho.gov where you can check the status of your voter registration, view your sample ballot and so much more.
Adams County sample ballots are on page 16. Washington County sample ballots will be printed next week.
Thank you to the candidates for submitting their responses and enduring numerous emails and calls.
Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name within their race.
I believe I am the best candidate to continue as Mayor of the City of New Meadows due to my leadership, experience and a history of bringing positive changes to the community. I have always responded to the requests and concerns of those who have reached out to the City and I have presented the City Council with information and potential projects that address our community’s needs and quality of life.
I bring over 11 years of experience working on the City Council in New Meadows, first as a City Council member – gaining an understanding of City operations - and then as the Mayor since 2020. Whenever projects have received City Council approval, I have followed through to see them completed.
One of my goals has been to increase communications between the City and the community. To achieve this, I started the MV Monday email newsletter with news and upcoming events in Meadows Valley. A text alert system and a Mayor’s report at every City Council meeting are other added communication tools that have been successful.
Another goal has been to keep the City Council actively involved in the finances of the City. The City now holds a detailed budget workshop each year where the City Council reviews the budget line by line to remain aware of where the money comes from and how it is spent. The City now has a Comprehensive Financial plan which can be updated periodically and is crucial to future planning for funding and growth.
I have worked diligently to build relationships and network with local, regional and state organizations to help the City achieve its desired goals and, if re-elected, I will continue to do so. This has resulted in positive changes in our community that would not be possible without these partnerships.
The creation of the free Gold Line Transit - a response to the need for transportation to and from McCall - is an example of these relationships built between the City and other partner organizations. The acquisition of the P&IN Depot, New Meadows Youth Center and Mehen Memorial Skate Park are other examples of this collaboration. The City has acquired assets valued at over $10 million, at no cost to the local citizens due to the networking and relationships built over the last 11 years.
In the next four years, I plan to increase the networking and collaboration with other local organizations such as the Fire Department, EMS, mental health providers and crisis counselors. This process has already begun with Memorandums of Understanding being drafted so planned growth and community priorities can be achieved by everyone involved.
If elected for another term, I will continue to represent the City and the needs of its citizens while maintaining due diligence on the many legal and procedural requirements that municipalities are required to follow. I would love the opportunity to continue to serve the citizens of our community as Mayor. Leadership and experience do matter.
I’m Richard Yelton. I am running for mayor of New Meadows, Idaho, as a write in candidate. I was born in Council, Idaho, and my parents lived in McCall where I was raised. I lived in New Meadows before leaving for work in North Dakota. I moved back to New Meadows last year and have been approached by several people to run for mayor.
My thoughts of small town politics is the people should be involved with all aspects in the way the city operates. I have been involved with all aspects of road construction, water, sewer, and storm drain installations as a supervisor for Knife River. I built subdivisions from bare land to paving streets with sidewalks, curbs, and gutters. These sub drains had city water, sewer, and storm drains. We also rebuilt the city streets with all utilities. I have been involved with the projects in several states and several cities. Many times I would have more than 100 employees to manage and budget. I also had the ability to make and manage budgets, and it was extremely important to me to make sure the company operated and made a profit.
I have been told of many complaints people have concerning New Meadows, Idaho. These go from city budgets to water prices. Too many other things if I were elected, I would want the people of new Meadows to help to find the solution to fix what they feel is wrong. The mayor and city council should be the voice of the people and we should all try to implement the solution that the city is recommending. This would mean that citizens would be involved in volunteers to help find the solutions. I know how to keep track of the cost of maintenance and repairs for a lot of different departments within the city. The city would be able to budget for road maintenance repair and construction. This would be the true and accurate budget instead of the general fund budget that is in place now, I also am capable of operating any equipment the city owns, in cases where the employees need help I could assist them. I feel no project should start without full funding, time, allotted and approval from city council and the citizens of New Meadows Idaho. Projects that fall short of any of these would be a failure. The city has many projects that need to be done and overtime have to be done, but as of right now there are projects being started without being finished, and if I were to be mayor, I would make sure no project goes without being completed.
I also feel that outsourcing some positions within the city should be kept in-house if possible the city employees can be trained for these. This would save the city money and give the employees that get the training a raise and pay. I am running because the people of New Meadows want a choice and our fore fathers said if you are asked to serve, you are obligated to serve! In my opinion, if anyone wanting run that is a pollution, should not get the job!! Vote for a change, vote to get your city, so please VOTE for Richard Yelton.
(Only residents of Zone 4 can vote in this race)
Barbara Dixon is a candidate for this race but was unable to submit a statement or picture.
As a parent of a young child who is about to enter the school system, I’m deeply invested in the quality of education he and his peers will receive. I’ve noticed that, currently, most of the members on the school board don’t have school-aged children themselves, which can create a gap between the decisions being made and the actual experiences of students and parents.
I believe it’s crucial that the voices of families who are directly engaged in the system are represented in the decision-making process.
As a parent, I understand the challenges and hopes that come with navigating the education system and in eager to lessen more. I want to ensure that our schools are not just places where students thrive, feel supported, and prepare for the future whether that’s college or not.
My goal is to bring a fresh, parent-centered perspective to the school board. One that prioritizes the needs of students, ensures transparency, and fosters stronger connections between the schools and the families they serve. I want to advocate for policies that reflect the real-world experiences of parents and children, and I believe that being an active, engaged parent will allow me to represent our community in a meaningful way.
