Fun fact: Post Falls was the first city I ever visited in Idaho, for a church function nearly 25 years ago. I’ve become much more familiar with the Treasure Valley since then, but it still holds a special place in my memory.
The city was founded in 1871 by a German immigrant named Frederick Post, who built lumber and grist mills on the Spokane River. Post secured an agreement with Chief Andrew Seltice of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to access the water in exchange for milled grain. The early settlement relied on the river’s power to process lumber and flour.
Post Falls grew slowly compared with its Kootenai County neighbor, Coeur d’Alene. Interstate 90, constructed starting around 1960, linked the city to Spokane in the west and Coeur d’Alene in the east. Population growth, however, has accelerated over the past few decades, rising from just over 7,000 residents in 1990 to more than 45,000 today. If this growth continues, Post Falls could surpass Coeur d’Alene as North Idaho’s most populous city within the next decade.
As with every growing community in Idaho, the next mayor and council members will make important decisions about what the city will become as we enter the second quarter of the 21st century.
It starts at the top. Mayor Ron Jacobson, in office since 2013, is running for a fourth term. Challenging him are City Council Member Randy Westlund and retired Police Chief Scot Haug.
The Inlander recently published a good overview of the mayoral race, so I won’t reinvent the wheel.
Mayor Jacobson emphasizes his experience and dismisses his challengers as too focused on national politics. He acknowledges, however, that the increase in high-density construction has been unpopular, and wants to change the comprehensive plan.
I recently ran into Westlund and came away impressed. In interviews, he stressed the importance of going beyond a plan for growth and instead presenting a positive vision for Post Falls. He frames a “golden age” for the city and wants to give city employees incentives to propose cost-saving ideas. He was elected to the council last year.
Haug says he wants to bring a DOGE perspective to city government, starting by cutting $1 million from the $165 million budget. He points to his experience leading the Post Falls Police Department, which has over 100 employees, as relevant experience for running the city as a whole.
The age differences among the candidates in this race jumped out at me. Jacobson is 66 and has served 12 years as mayor, plus 14 years on the council before that. Haug is 57 and retired from a 32-year law enforcement career in 2018. Westlund, on the other hand, is 36, with a young family. This race could be a fascinating case study in how Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials each exhibit different political perspectives.
Three of Post Falls’ six council seats are also up for election this year. Incumbent Nathan Ziegler is running unopposed for Seat 4, but the other two seats are contested.
Aaron Plew, the incumbent in Seat 2, is being challenged by James Steffensen. Plew was appointed last January to fill a vacancy and is now running for a full term. Steffensen has run unsuccessfully for council several times in the past.
Seat 6 features a three-way race: incumbent Ryan Davis faces Eric Petersen and Mark Lucca. Davis was appointed to fill a vacancy a year ago and is seeking a full term.
The Kootenai County GOP recommends Randy Westlund for mayor, Aaron Plew for council Seat 2, and Mark Lucca for council Seat 6.
Long squeezed between the metros of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls appears poised to assert itself in the coming years. The outcome of next Tuesday’s election will shape the course of this growing community and influence the direction of North Idaho. As always, the future is in the hands of the voters.
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About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
