AMERICAN FALLS — Lynn Scherer, a Democrat running for the Power County Commission, says he’s concerned by an apparent trend of both jobs and people leaving the county.

In his eighth bid for the commission, he’s challenging incumbent Republican Commissioner Delane Anderson, explaining he’s been persistent in running because he continues to believe the county needs a new perspective.

Anderson said the county has taken steps to position itself for future growth, such as purchasing a large water right that could be leased to new industry. Anderson said improving access to recreational opportunities in the county has been anther priority of his, since his election in 2011.

“We’re a strong agricultural-based economy, but there’s also a great opportunity for recreation and tourism,” Anderson said.

Scherer, who works for Winfield United in Pocatello, has served as a commissioner with the American Falls Rural Fire District for the past 21 years.

Scherer, who was raised on an American Falls ranch, said U.S. Census data shows the county has lost more than 200 people since 2010, and too many businesses, such as the potato equipment manufacturer Double L, have left town lately.

“We’re not looking at the broad picture of what do we have to do to attract or keep the businesses we have,” Scherer said.

He agreed all three commissioners are “great guys” and have “everybody’s best interests at heart.”

But Scherer believes the county must make it a priority to improve communication with the public and strive for better “follow-through.” For example, he said county leaders don’t update their website often enough, leaving outdated meeting minutes on the site and failing to post about current issues and events.

Scherer is also concerned about a trend of the state passing on “unfunded mandates” to rural counties, as well as an effort to increase the personal property tax exemption, which he said would strip funding away from county budgets.

Anderson, who runs a collision and auto glass shop in American Falls in addition to holding his part-time commission seat, said the county took a significant step to position itself for a better future when its voters approved a bond to purchase a large groundwater right that had been held by Magnida for a proposed fertilizer plant that fell through. Anderson said the county has gotten a return on its water investment by leasing it to help Snake River groundwater irrigators provide mitigation for their effects on declining spring flows. Having the water available might eventually remove a hurdle to help a new industry build in the area, Anderson said.

Anderson said the county also worked to keep permitting simple and easy for Valley Ag, when the cooperative went forward with plans to build a new fertilizer distribution facility at the former FMC site near Pocatello.

The county now funds dual enrollment programs to help its high school students earn college credits for in-state community colleges. He said the county has also partnered with Idaho State University Adult Education to offer a learning center in American Falls, where workers can go to continue their education or pursue workforce training.

Regarding recreation, Anderson said the county has upgraded the parking area and facilities at the west boat ramp serving American Falls Reservoir. Furthermore, Anderson said the county reached an agreement that kept Seagull Bay Yacht Club operational and provided a new public boating access point. He explained the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation had been leasing the property to the yacht club, until a policy change prohibited the federal entity from leasing to a private entity. The federal agency now has a lease agreement with Power County, which subleases the facilities to the yacht club, while also insisting that the public be allowed to use the access.