Bannock County Commissioner Ernie Moser and his challenger in the upcoming Republican primary, Joel Jolley, have both emphasized their willingness to listen to the public in their campaigns.

The candidates for the District 1 seat are Inkom residents: In fact, both men are former Inkom mayors.

Primary voters will cast their ballots by mail only due to the COVID-19 crisis, with requests for ballots due by May 19. All ballots must be received by 8 p.m. June 2.

Jolley finished a 14-year span as Inkom mayor in December. If he’s elected as commissioner, Jolley said he won’t commit to making any wholesale changes. Rather, he vows, “We may have the same results when it’s all done, but (the voters’) voice will be heard.”

Moser committed prior to being elected more than a year ago to hosting public meetings throughout the county. True to his word, he organized meetings in six of the seven Bannock County communities, bringing large groups of elected leaders along to answer questions.

Moser said he also routinely attends board meetings in small communities throughout the county.

“People want their voice to be heard. We’re there as full-time commissioners to listen and react,” Moser said.

Among the major accomplishments during his time in office, Moser said the commission has hired new personnel to help the county get up to speed with its building permits.

“When I came into office, at Planning and Zoning we were receiving calls constantly that building permits weren’t going through,” Moser said.

Moser said the county also hired a new emergency services director right before the COVID-19 crisis struck and should be in a good position to handle future disasters.

Jolley said a high tax burden in Bannock County is among his chief concerns.

“The budgeting has just gotten pretty crazy and the levies that are being put onto the taxpayers and things like that need to be looked at and find out if we really need to have those expenses and costs to the residents,” Jolley said.

As mayor, Jolley said he kept Inkom’s budget in the black, and he promises he would bring that same fiscal responsibility to the county.

“I’d like to look and make sure we’re living within our needs,” Jolley said.

Last summer, the county faced a public outcry surrounding steep property valuation increases made in the countywide reassessment. The county was overwhelmed by appeals, and Moser admits the relationship between the commissioners and the county assessor has been strained ever since.

“The first person I talked to when the assessments came out was my 91-year-old mother. I walked in and she had that assessment in her house and stuck it right in my face,” Moser said.

During the forthcoming reassessment process, Moser said assessments should be made with great consideration of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and how that has affected the housing market, as well as county households.

Moser credits the commission with holding the line on the budget last year, though 3 percent pay raises for workers that he backed were ultimately approved.

“I’m not saying we can do that this year. We may have to look at freezes,” Moser said, adding the county is evaluating impacts of COVID-19 during meetings this month. “We’re going to have to maintain last year’s budget.”

Jolley said tensions about the reassessment process rose further because property owners were offered “rehearsed” answers to their concerns.

“We need to give people a better answer and listen to people,” Jolley said.

Moser noted the county is working out details of a long-awaited expansion of beds at Bannock County Jail.

Jolley believes the voters have spoken on jail expansion by rejecting previous bonds to expand the jail. He said he would adhere to the voters’ will and focus instead on working with prosecutors and the criminal justice system on finding other resources to keep offenders with drug and mental health addictions out of jail.

Jolley is also concerned that the county-owned Portneuf Wellness Complex is costing tax payers far too much to operate.

Moser said the county has sought to more fully utilize the complex, scheduling a series of free outdoor movies at the facility for the summer. Furthermore, the county has updated its contract with the company that has booked acts for the facility, allowing the county to bring in its own events. The county will also have the right to take over sales of concessions at the complex.

“We’re trying to make that facility as tax neutral as possible,” Moser said.