Jacob Flamm 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.

Although my home growing up was in St. Anthony both sets of my grandparents and the Flamm Family business were here in Rexburg, so I spent much of my childhood in Rexburg. My wife Krista, and our six children have established a home here with an appreciation for everything this community has to offer. I attended Ricks / BYU-I and finished my education in Cincinnati, OH with a Degree in Mortuary Science. I worked in the Funeral Industry for a time and for the past 11 years my wife and I have built a small international business from the ground up, manufacturing and retailing Home Décor. I handle the management/business side and my wife is the creator and designer of our products. Some of my hobbies include restoring old cars, enjoying nature, and I always appreciate a good game of chess.

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

I will answer this more to the point of what brought me back. I have lived in Brazil, Ohio, and in Utah all in short spurts. What brings me back is my love for the people here, the reality that there is not a better place to raise a family, and the safety and security we enjoy while also being in some of the most beautiful country the world has to offer. We have the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets one could ever dream of.

3. Why are you running for City Council?

I am running for city council for a few reasons. First and foremost, I love this Community, I love the people here and I love the attitude and ethics that we share.

Second, there are some concerns that are facing us as residents of Rexburg; some of those issues include the development of the city, planning and zoning of business districts, apartment complex zoning and keeping functional residential areas intact. We are facing gridlock issues with traffic congestion that need to be addressed and probably one of the biggest concerns at the moment is how we are going to handle issues surrounding Covid. Some of the proposals that have been put forward by our current council shouldn’t have ever been considered. Examples being; narrowing Park Street, going roughly a million dollars over budget on Center Street, even considering making 2^nd East a one-way street. Implementing fines and misdemeanors for not wearing masks, was an idea that was met with backlash and then just months later, they decided to hold the businesses in Rexburg responsible for mask enforcement which included a $100, then $300 fine and the third violation would result in the city pulling the business license. The worst part about these mandates they were considering is that they tried to pass both without properly informing the public which was met with large crowds of upset protestors. Transparency and communication are vital in order to maintain trust, trust is always easier to maintain than it is to regain.

4. What makes you a good candidate?

Having grown up here and in the surrounding areas I know many of the people here, I have seen the growth first-hand and have a good understanding of how we need to go about making decisions. We must make responsible, fiscal and empathetic decisions as they affect the local population. As I run my own debt-free business, I have a firm understanding of keeping within budget. Having a background in the Funeral Industry, I know how important it is to put yourself in another’s shoes and truly listen to and try to help them. I’m also very skilled at dealing with stressful situations and neutralizing high emotional circumstances. Having an Education in the Health Sciences, I understand the importance of Health and Wellbeing and as someone who studies the constitution and the founding fathers and how they saw the communities of this nation, I have a solid belief in personal responsibility and limited government. Government is not a tool to get what you want at someone else’s expense.

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

A simple answer here is we should never put the cart before the horse, and at the same time be very aware of what measures need to be taken so that we don’t end up redoing what we have already done. This includes having foresight on what we should and shouldn’t be doing with proposed and implemented traffic solutions. Synchronizing the lights, keeping access open to both second east and the sugar highway can be accomplished with the proper use of turn lanes and traffic lights.

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

At the moment COVID restrictions are affecting us all throughout the country/world. We have avoided in part some of the burdensome mandates being placed on many people outside our little Rexburg borders, however, we continue to face overreach from both state and federal levels. I believe in educating and inspiring people in particular at the local level and allowing the residents to govern themselves. As city council we should be focusing on planning and zoning issues, traffic solutions and budgets that we receive and how to properly allocate those funds, we do not need to be enforcing health directives or demands.

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

I want us to regain and rebuild confidence in our City Council to where we can count on them to be mindful stewards of the city and truly have the best interest of the public in mind.

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

One thing that we definitely need to improve is the way we are utilizing LID’s. Many of the streets or areas within city limits that need upgrades the most are older and more established neighborhoods. Many of these residents are retired and are on fixed income, or in lower income brackets and they should not be burdened with the city council coming in and forcing additional expenses on homeowners for so-called improvements that the city deems necessary and simply overrides the opinions or perspectives of the residents whom will be directly affected. Especially when the majority don’t agree to or strongly oppose the plans. (Which is the current situation with the Park Street renovation.)

9. Any closing thoughts?

In finishing, I would like to reiterate the love I have for Rexburg and the people here and the sheer will that we possess to keep this America’s Family Community. We always have and will have each-others backs. From the very beginning when we settled and cultivated an area that was deemed uninhabitable by the U.S. Government. We are not looking to be like Washington D.C., Salt Lake City, Idaho Falls or Driggs. We are looking to be the Best Rexburg we can be. We are all drawn here for a reason, because we love it here. While the world wages war we can wager friendships, being a good neighbor all while keeping our liberties and freedoms intact. We must protect our way of life here. We must hold fast to our freedoms. The Freedom of Press/Speech, the Freedom of Religion, Medical Freedom, Freedom to Assemble and Travel, Rights to Petition and Keep and Bear Arms are all under the umbrella of Liberty. Let’s not make the Solution worse than the Problem and Let’s enjoy our Pursuit of Happiness.

-Jacob S. Flamm