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I have lived in the great State of Idaho for 56 years, 45 of those in our wonderful city. My husband, David McClain, and I have been married for 45 years and raised our two beautiful daughters here in Buhl. We now have three grandchildren, ages 19, 17, and 9. I am a partner at an accounting firm with an office on Main Street and have worked in that building since 1990.
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As mayor, I know the true work lies in addressing the tangible needs of the community—trash collection, parks, clean water, updated infrastructure, and public safety. These are essential services, and it’s a demanding role, especially with limited resources and aging infrastructure.
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Buhl is in one of its best financial positions in years thanks to a strong council and department heads who understand budgeting and care deeply about our town. They operate within their budgets and make thoughtful decisions.
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There are several unfinished projects I’d like to see through: the Burley Avenue project - going to bid this fall, securing grant funding for a downtown splash pad, and developing a solid plan for lifeguard hiring and training at our pool—one of our greatest assets.
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I also propose inviting a Buhl High School student to serve as a liaison at city council meetings. Continuing work on the Buhl Comprehensive Plan remains a priority. In a small town, the mayor is often the first point of contact—and I take pride in being hands-on and responsive to resident concerns.
Pam McClain
Mayor
Service
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How are you currently serving in Buhl? What past or current community activities have shaped your approach to leadership?
​My service on the Buhl School Board (2001-2007), the Buhl City Council (2005-2021), the Fifth Judicial District Magistrate Commission, the Buhl Chamber of Commerce Board, and many other local groups, commissions, and clubs has helped me to cultivate empathy, humility, and accountability through direct, hands-on experience.
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Transparency
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How do you plan to address the community’s concerns about trust and transparency in local government decisions?
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We file with Transparent Idaho each year and I am working with the new City Clerk to get more information on our website. Access to information empowers residents to question officials, hold them responsible for their actions, and ensure they are acting in the best interest of the community. Please check out our website at www.cityofbuhl.us and let us know what we can do better.
Division
How will you work to bridge divides in our community, especially among groups with differing views?
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Education is key and knowledge is power. I tried the “Coffee With Mayor Pam” when I was first elected Mayor and I’ve been thinking about trying that again. I would bring a department head with me and we would post the date and time on the City’s FB site. We are talking about recording the city council meetings and placing those videos on our website for those that cannot attend the meetings.
Public Input
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What role do you believe public input should play in your decision-making process if elected?
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​I love hearing from the public and there are those that do give me a phone call, visit me at city hall, email or stop me on the street to discuss matters or learn more regarding an issue. I appreciate that they call me or a council member to learn the facts. I strongly urge citizens to talk to all of the elected officials in their community.
City of Buhl - urgent needs
What is one specific issue facing the City of Buhl that you believe needs immediate attention, and how would you approach it?
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Our aging water facilities, increased traffic and crowded intersections, outdated city codes, and managing a thoughtful approach to growth are all serious concerns. I’m also interested in improving our website to provide citizens with a central place to access information, forms, and resources. A record number of public records requests have required costly staff time. We hope more residents will attend meetings and use the website for their needs.
Trailer Parking and the Pool
The city council’s decisions to close the community pool and ban trailer parking on city roads have sparked significant debate. How would you address these concerns and balance community needs with safety and budget restraints?
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Unfortunately, the challenge of finding qualified lifeguards for our city pool is a trend that has escalated since COVID. Our Public Works Department is working to hire a pool manager for next year. Community members can help by encouraging age-appropriate teens to consider lifeguard positions. Regarding trailer parking, we need to prioritize the safety of our citizens. We are currently working on solutions within city hall to present to the council and our city attorney.
City Infrastructure
What strategies would you propose to improve Buhl’s infrastructure and services while maintaining fiscal responsibility?
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I am working with our public works department and our city engineers to find ways to pay for our aging infrastructure through grants all of the time. We need to work with the IDOT and the county to see if there is a feasible way to move our truck route outside city limits.
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Economic Development
How would you support economic development in Buhl to attract businesses and jobs while preserving our small-town character?
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I believe in leveraging smart/thoughtful growth approaches and inclusive community engagement strategies to help us achieve our goals for growth and development while maintaining our distinctive rural character. We are currently involved in getting more community participation with respect to our Comprehensive Plan. We had our first virtual town hall September 18 and will schedule an evening session soon.
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