Sentinel Media records · public agendas and minutes, text only, refreshed nightly from each body's own site · not a newspaper
minutes meeting date 2026-04-21 · fetched 2026-09-09 · 8212 characters · official file · plain text
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Page 1 of 3
JEROME COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
PRESENT: Ben Crouch, Chairman
Charles Howell, Vice Chairman
Art Watkins, Commissioner
Ryan Treanor, Deputy Clerk
Meeting convened at 9:30 am.
Swearing in of Sheriff
Gary Taylor, Judge John Lothspeich, Jennifer Mandis, Rachel Robinson, Julie Taylor, Kirsten
Hartley, Craig Stotts, Duane Rubink, Don Newman, Jack Johnson, Mario Umana, Doug Harris,
Steven Byers, Chris Hogan, Aaron Koopmans, Scott Bishop, Katrina Gratzer, Anthony Gratzer,
Eric Goodell, Jesse Vallez, Carli Petruzzelli, Alyssa Osborne, Douglas Jugden, Jesus Mendez,
Andrew Vangelisto, Kenny Emery, Matthew Spencer, Jon Daubner, Clint Doerr, Michael Nerrig,
Rick Bernsew, Marisela Aguirre, Leticia Beltran, and Vicki Liles were present.
The Board thanked everyone for showing up. The Board explained that there is quite a process of
appointing a new sheriff. The process included narrowing down the candidates from 8 to a final
candidate, which is Gary Taylor.
Judge Lothspeich swore in Gary Taylor as the Jerome County Sheriff.
Gary stated that he wanted to thank everyone for the support during this process. It has been a
very humbling experience. It is a stressful experience to be in the political arena. He is very
protective of his family. He wants to do the best job that he can and to earn back the trust of the
community. He wants to get to the point where he is elected to the position officially and that is
his goal.
Meeting recessed at 9:42 am.
Meeting reconvened at 3:30 pm.
Commissioner Howell was not present due to other obligations.
2026 State Legislative Update
Jack Nelson, Mike Pohanka, Ron Taylor, Luke Rummel, Anita Janis, Mark Barnes, and Cy
Lootens were present.
Jack created a list of items that he feels like may affect Jerome County. He discussed that the
Board should consider inviting down Kalee Younger, from the governors office, to discuss
energy facilities. He went to a meeting with her earlier this year and was very impressed by her.
There were some bills that Jack went over that were created this year. One was regarding the
raising of daily per diem for prisoners to $80. There was another bill regarding inappropriate
contact between jailers and prisoners. Another bill was created that discussed having someone
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Page 2 of 3
get out of jury duty by being a poll worker instead. Safety on election days for precincts in
schools was discussed, and a bill was created to have election days no longer have school in
session for the safety of students. There was a bill created regarding short-term rentals and the
safety of the property. There were three departments that were discussed and having the head of
those boards appointed by the governor, and that the head would be reporting to the governor.
There was also a bill regarding personal property rights. Starter home subdivisions were
discussed to allow for housing costs to be lowered by lowering the overall space. Another bill
discussed adding an accessory building to an individuals property. There were bills regarding
how much water a data center can use, as well as a bill discussing the creation of new electric
accounts. Personal wells had some more definitions created and added to further define the
difference between in home and out of home water sources. A bill was created regarding cloud
seeding and making those facilities more . There was a new law discussing the right of
maintaining a ditch to your personal property. Homeowners exemptions had a bill created that
will have the exemption take in effect for the whole year. There will no longer be stickers for
license plates, and that plates can be kept on a car for more than five years if the plate is still
legible. A bill was created regarding farm equipment on roadways that makes it to where they
don’t have to pull over if there is no safe place to. The last bill that was discussed was a bill to
allow all trucks to drive 80 miles per hour like all other traffic.
Mike discussed the highway districts and how they received a hit in the most recent budget. He
discussed the budget that will be received by all of the districts in the county. He discussed a new
bill regarding housing in small communities and hiring for positions in cities. There was a bill
regarding home owners insurance being cancelled and that there will need to be a 60 day notice
of services being cancelled. Another bill was discussed regarding ground water storage in the
state. There was another bill discussing the ability to site individuals who are reckless driving
especially in school zones and construction zones. He discussed that there are over 23 million in
unpaid citations, and that licenses will be suspended until citations are paid. A bill was taken to
take away thermal imaging and the use of drones in finding game. Another bill that was passed
was regarding the banning of cratum. There was a bill to increase the amount given through
project choice for ISP troopers to be hired.
Ron wanted to thank the Board for allowing them to be here today. After this session there are
350 new laws. There was unanimous agreement on 6 different bills. There was a committee
created to discuss the use of these funds throughout the state. There was a bill passed regarding
taxing districts that would allow for fire, ambulance, and library districts to merge for saving
benefits. Another bill that was passed was regarding new housing developments pay for the
required infrastructure to the development. There was a declaration regarding a state wide
drought. There was a bill regarding the snake river plane aquifer and improvements that need to
be made to Milner dam. It also supported other projects in the greater magic valley area
regarding water. He also wanted to thank the Board for being approachable when he reaches out
regarding different issues that were discussed in the legislature. He will miss having Jack Nelson
if he is reelected and working with both of the other individuals from this legislative district.
Jack also wanted to thank both the Association of Idaho Cities and the Idaho Association of
Counties for their help with different items that were covered during the legislature.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Page 3 of 3
The Board asked if it was felt that the cuts to the budget were a bit extreme. Ron stated that there
was a consensus that the cuts were a bit too extreme compared to what they should have been.
Jack described that the cuts were closer to $400 million instead of what the governor was hoping
for. The governor was hoping for around $100 million in cuts. There were a lot of issues with the
cuts and not really having good explanations for why things were cut, and where they were cut
from. The Board asked if there will be a possibility of there being a surplus this time next year.
Ron answered that there could be a possibility of a surplus, but that there shouldn’t be a plan to
depend on a surplus. Mike discussed how the cuts will affect different districts throughout the
state. Jack stated that another thing that could help with increasing funds will be the new Micron
factory which will have almost all of the workers earning more than $100,000 a year. With the
area in Boise growing so much as well it will continue to help as well. The Board also asked
about how much consideration is taken with the suggestions from the IAC on what to pass or
work on. Jack feels like those suggestions help. There is a lot of money that is coming into Idaho
as well that is trying to help with pushing bills.
There was a question asked regarding the law that was passed about trans people not being
allowed into certain bathrooms and how that will be policed, or if more police will be hired for
that. Ron stated that there won’t be anyone hired for this or anyone to police this specific issue.
Meeting adjourned at 4:14 pm.
________________________
______________________________
Ryan Treanor, Deputy Clerk
A. Ben Crouch, Chairman
______________________________
Charles M. Howell, Commissioner
______________________________
Art Watkins, Commissioner
Text is extracted by machine from the official file linked on each page; the official file is the record. Sentinel Media, LLC.