POCATELLO — Hannah Sanger is retiring after 17 years as science and environment division administrator with the city of Pocatello.

In a Dec. 3 email, Sanger said her decision to leave was partly spurred by the hiring of new Public Works Director Tom Kirkman and the reformation of her job, which included dissolving the Science and Environmental Division and creating new job descriptions effective Oct. 4.

”Critically, these new job descriptions (environmental compliance coordinator and public works outreach coordinator) did not mention management of the Portneuf River Vision or grant management, which had been much of our recent work and are well-integrated into the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan and other documents,” Sanger said. “I was last told Nov. 5 that Public Works leadership wasn’t sure who was going to lead these efforts. I hope that my departure will spur city leadership into finding both a home and funding for these efforts.”

Sanger has been heavily involved in the Portneuf River Vision and city grant management but has decided to move on with renewed focus on her and her family’s health and well-being. While Sanger said she would love to work with new Mayor-elect Mark Dahlquist, she feels it’s time to pass the torch to new leadership.

”There’s a lot of work that still remains on the Portneuf River Vision, and we have a number of grants that are still ongoing,” Sanger said. “We have grants I wanted to apply for to do other projects. If you look at the river vision implementation plan, we’re not close to being done.”

Sanger said she considered the work she was doing part of an outreach component for the city’s stormwater permit, adding that Kirkman did not see it in a similar light.

”He indicated to me the river vision was going to be transferred elsewhere by the beginning of November,” Sanger said. “Obviously, it’s taking longer than that, and the grants would be transferred elsewhere, or (at least) some of them. He had a very different management style and all of that combined to make me see that this was a good time for me to leave. I think the city and the community need to rethink the river vision and put some funding toward it and have full staff to do the work. It seemed clear that was not where we were going.”

Sanger also emailed city leadership with written recommendations on who should manage the river vision and the associated grants. She suggested moving the river vision to a new position in the Parks and Recreation Department to provide related field-based project management.

”These positions could get some stormwater permit funding for their river vision work, as the river vision satisfies some of the stormwater permit outreach requirements and has been well supported by both the Environmental Protection Agency and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality,” Sanger said. “It will take significant work and funding to fully transfer the river vision to a new home in the city.”

Sanger said she also believes progress with the Portneuf River Vision would take significant work, dedicated funding and the support of the community and its leadership.

”The city owns like 3,500 acres of open space,” Sanger said. “We need a dedicated person to manage that open space. It’s a top priority for the community, and it ties in with the river vision and all these community priorities that we are a recreation destination. If we want to attract residents and tourists to use these resources, we’ve got to invest in it and invest in staffing.”

Sanger also provided a list of projects that require additional fundraising and planning, including Centennial Park, the North Portneuf River and the Oxbow Project.

Support for Centennial Park would help move the levees and create wetland and stormwater ponds, with some funding helping with the creation of parking lots. The project’s consultant, Harmony Design & Engineering of Driggs, is finishing the design with construction beginning in 2026.

Funding for the North Portneuf River would reshape its banks, and additional funding for the Oxbow Project would bring the consultant design to completion and help install the project.

Sanger thanked her many wonderful co-workers, community partners and volunteers who helped make many of the city’s projects successful.

”There’s a lot of work to be done,” Sanger said. “I hope the council and the community work with city staff to implement needed changes so that the river vision and these grants continue and have funding.”