NAMPA, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Every time the city of Nampa is ranked No. 1 best-run city by the personal finance site WalletHub, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling feels proud, and a little on edge.
Nampa was recognized as such for the sixth year in a row, Kling said during her annual State of the City address Wednesday. While that honor is determined by complex data, she is concerned people might ask what changed if the city’s rank were to fall.
“So it makes me nervous every year when it comes out, but I’m thankful that we have been recognized and we’re doing our best to be the best city,” Kling said.
Her speech was part of the Nampa Chamber of Commerce’s October luncheon. Kling expressed gratitude for the people dedicated to improving the city and making it a community people are proud to call home. She outlined the city’s accomplishments of the previous year, upcoming developments in the works, and recognized individuals for their accomplishments.
Kling said one of her main goals as mayor is “that we are a safe and healthy community where people prosper, that we’re a clean and neighborly city.”
The city conducts an annual community survey in the spring that lets the public share their opinions on the city's direction and helps guide improvement projects and budget considerations, Kling said. The next one conducted in the spring will be the city’s sixth annual survey, Kling said, and she encouraged more people in the room to take it.
Through the survey, the public has consistently identified three focus areas: infrastructure, safety, and economic opportunity, though the order of importance has shifted, she said. This year, infrastructure superseded safety just slightly compared with the previous year, she said.
Kling highlighted a number of road projects the city or the local highway district have undertaken, including improving the intersection of Midland Boulevard and Lake Lowell Avenue, as well as Midland Boulevard and Orchard Street. Looking ahead, she mentioned projects that will be accepting citizen input, including four options to realign Highway 45.
The city also has plans to implement a new intelligent transportation system that will allow transportation signal timing to be adjusted remotely.
City staff are also pursuing grant opportunities to help pay for infrastructure improvements, Kling said. Since 2020, the city has gone from receiving $2 million in grant money to $17 million in fiscal year 2023, she said. The city awaits a decision on $30 million in grants staff have applied for, and are planning to apply for an additional $12 million by the end of the year, she said.
Recently, the city received a $5 million federal RAISE grant to fund a cyclist and pedestrian bridge on 14th Street, she said.
“I so appreciate our team that’s constantly going after grants to help us achieve what we need to achieve,” she said.
The mayor also discussed the creation of the city’s Drought Task Force, designed to educate the public about wise water use. Though the local drought this year was not as severe as initially predicted, the task force will continue to guide community action on the issue, she said.
“We have a really good aquifer here,” Kling said, “but we do need to be concerned about water as we grow ... it’s critical that we stay ahead of this discussion and push the discussion as we look to the future with our growth and our water supplies.”
One change last year regarding safety was the city's fire department joining the Nampa Fire District, which took effect in January, Kling said. Having the district allows for the funding of needed improvements, including building fire stations. The fire district is a taxing district that collects taxes separately from the city, as previously reported.
The city is currently constructing fire station six, which it has needed for 10 years, the mayor said.
Kling also emphasized her and the city’s support for the police department, noting that just because there are openings in the department does not mean that it is underfunded.
Though the city has seen a decline in crime over the previous four years despite its increasing population, there has been a recent uptick in violent crime, which “is related to drugs and gangs,” Kling said.
She acknowledged Police Chief Joe Huff’s work to establish “unwavering high standards for hiring.”
On economic opportunities and development, Kling discussed the growth of the city’s third Thursday event, attributing its success to leaders in the city’s business improvement district, Main Street board, and the city's economic development team.
A new sound system will be debuted during the city’s Christmas tree ceremony on Sat. Nov. 26, Kling said. She said she also has a vision to have Christmas lighting on every building in downtown, which will require some fundraising, she said.
Kling also gave special recognition to four people in the community for their contributions during her address.
Tau Jeppesen, a Nampa mechanic who works in Boise, will be representing the U.S. in the Subaru World Technical Competition in Japan in the coming months, she said.
Cindi Hartley was recognized for her service with the city’s pedestrian and bicycle committee and her efforts to make the city more ADA accessible. This included challenging staff and city council members to try navigating the city by wheelchair.
Mari Ramos, the operations director for the Nampa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was recognized for starting the Nampa School District’s family resource rooms and her volunteer service with the city’s food access subcommittee and a traveling food pantry.
Juan Vergara, a city code enforcement officer was also acknowledged for locating the owner of a hunting bow he had witnessed fall from a vehicle, and for retrieving and returning a wallet that had fallen on the road, loosing dozens of fluttering bills.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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