Colin Erickson is a candidate for a seat on the Rexburg City Council. Election Day will be Tuesday, Nov. 2.

1.Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in a big family on a farm in Star Valley. I met my wife, Jean, at Ricks College, and after finishing my education in criminal justice at WSU, I was hired with the City of Rexburg Police Department and worked my way up through to being Lieutenant over Community Policing. I have loved raising our four wonderful children while being a resident of Rexburg for almost 30 years. I claim it a privilege to be a part of this community and great state of Idaho with all of the outdoor opportunities we have right in our backyard. Participating in outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, ATV riding, and camping are all things I enjoy doing with my family and friends. I have spent my career being proactive in working with all the stakeholders involved to focus on preventative measures and in building sustainable programs with businesses, schools, and community members. I recently celebrated 33 years with my wife, Jean, who has been an educator for Madison School District for 20 of those years. With both of us being involved with the public through all those years, it has brought a great love for the people of Rexburg and all that the city offers.

2. How long have you lived in Rexburg and what brought you here?

I first lived in Rexburg to attend Ricks College, before and after living in California for two years. After graduation from Ricks College and then WSU, I returned once again to begin my career in law enforcement with the City of Rexburg and have been happy to be here ever since.

3. Why are you running for City Council?

I have been involved with this community for the past 30 years. I want to stay involved and continue to serve the citizens of Rexburg and be a part of the equation that continues to bring resolution and unity to our community. I want to be proactive instead of sitting back and doing nothing. I want to be able to help resolve the issues at hand by working together with the citizens to come up with the best solution for the current times and current issues, but also looking ahead to the future.

4. What makes you a good candidate?

As a citizen and employee of Rexburg for almost 30 years, I am uniquely qualified to be a member of the city council. I have been involved in many community programs, various leadership positions, and heavily involved with details such as security, safety, and budgets. I am extremely familiar with the various city entities and have vast knowledge on how they work together. I know that it takes each piece of the bigger picture to help the city be successful.

5. What are your beliefs on managing the city’s growth?

Ever since the announcement of Ricks College going to Brigham Young University-Idaho, we have been experiencing growing pains at a rapid rate. I feel like this steady growth has brought on challenges with our infrastructure and our safety. One particular area that I feel needs to be addressed is looking at smart growth and taking care of needs for the future, as well as the present. Another challenge with our infrastructure that our community faces is keeping up with the roads and providing safe routes throughout the city. With the influx in automobiles traveling on our roads, it is having a major impact. Our first responders also have an increased load. Our community has been very supportive of our emergency services, but we must keep up with the ever changing demands.

6. What are the most important issues that you think affect the lives of Rexburg citizens?

The rapid growth we are experiencing affects the citizens in a variety of ways. This affects everyone, including those who have lived here for decades, on down to those who just moved here to attend the university. I have already talked about infrastructure and safety. Further down I talk about smart growth and stability. I think the most important issues that affect the lives of the citizens pertain to how we deal with the issues that arise. In taking all the various stakeholders and working together, solutions can be implemented. Electing officials who will listen to the citizens’ concerns and then work hard together to come up with solutions is an important part of the equation. We need to keep ahead of the growth. We need to think outside the box on how to come up with solutions instead of dwelling on the problems.

7. What do you want to achieve during your time on the City Council?

I promise to be a positive part of the equation by working hard to understand the situations, being out and in the community through personal involvement, and listening to the concerns from the citizens. In all my efforts, I have always tried to do what is best for the city as a whole. My approach is based on solid common sense. I will continue to do my best to keep the spirit of Rexburg alive by making sound and honest decisions.

8. In what areas do you believe Rexburg can or should improve, and how would you go about encouraging those improvements?

As Rexburg continues to grow, we need to look to the future and promote smart growth. We want to bring in businesses and homes to increase our stability instead of just providing for the current needs. What will our city be like five years down the road, ten years down the road, and twenty years down the road? We need to be keeping the next generations in mind as we plan and move forward.

9. What do you love about Rexburg?

I love Rexburg because it has been an amazing place to raise my family and to live and work for the past three decades. In my career, I have especially enjoyed being around the citizens, and especially the youth of our community. We live in an awesome city that is totally different than most other places in the country. We have individuals who are genuinely concerned about the well-being of their neighbors. We support each other and are willing to get in and give help where help is needed. I have seen firsthand the countless hours donated and the amount of caring that takes place. I am proud to call Rexburg my home.

10. Any closing thoughts?

We all need to realize that we are all just doing our best with the situations we are currently in. We all have strengths and weaknesses and none of us is perfect. We need to be tolerant of each other and do what we can to be builders and problem solvers, but also have and show respect for ourselves and for those around us.