Drew Dodson here with this week’s edition of the Valley Lookout newsletter. I’ll be off on vacation next week, but Valley Lookout will roll on. Several original news stories are queued up for next week, and the BoiseDev team will fill in the gaps in my absence. Next week’s newsletter will be a bit of an abbreviated “vacation edition,” but will still be in your inbox on Wednesday morning. As always, thanks for your support and patience!

This week, we’ve got a sneak preview of what will be on the ballot for the upcoming Nov. 4 election, including a contested McCall City Council race. I am planning to publish candidate Q&A’s with each candidate’s verbatim responses, just like I did for the May primary election. This time, however, I would like to include questions submitted by readers in the Q&A.

So, please send me any questions you have for this year’s crop of candidates as they come to you. I won’t promise that all will make it into the final Q&A, but I will try to make sure the most relevant questions make the cut.

First up

McCall City Council election preview

Five candidates will vie for three seats on the McCall City Council in the upcoming Nov. 4 election.

McCall Mayor Bob Giles and council members Julie Thrower and Lyle Nelson will seek re-election to four-year terms, while challengers Wayne Dolik and Michael Weaver will look to unseat one of the incumbents. The three candidates with the most votes will win seats on the five-member council.

Valley Lookout will publish Q&A’s for each candidate leading up to the Nov. 4 election.

The McCall City Council is the City of McCall’s decision-making body and sets the city’s policy direction for department heads to execute. City Manager Forest Atkinson is the city’s chief executive. He oversees day-to-day operations and serves as an advisor to the city council.

The deadline for candidate declaration was last Friday. Write-in candidates can apply to be on the November ballot until this Friday.

The mayor, who is appointed by the council and serves as the ceremonial head of the city, earns $1,153 per month, or $14,292 annually. Council members earn $953 per month, or $11,436 annually. All city council members also receive full benefits, including health insurance and the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI) retirement package.

The city council meets at least three times each month. Meetings range from 30 minutes to beyond four hours. Meeting information packets for agenda items can exceed 500 pages, City Clerk BessieJo Wagner said.

“In 2025 to date, there have already been 33 meetings covering 180 topics,” Wagner said.

Council members are also assigned to other groups, committees and commissions to serve as the council’s liaison and provide periodic reports during council meetings.

(Incumbent McCall Mayor Bob Giles (far left) and council members Julie Thrower and Lyle Nelson will be challenged for their seats on the McCall City Council on Nov. 4. Photo: Courtesy City of McCall)

Rock Fire inching toward complete containment

More than 350 firefighters were continuing to battle the Rock Fire as of Tuesday afternoon, creeping closer to complete containment of the lightning-caused wildfire near Tamarack Resort, according to the Boise National Forest.

Containment was up to 74% on Tuesday, which means fire managers are confident that the wildfire will not jump some 24 miles of containment lines built around the 33-mile perimeter of the fire.

The Rock Fire has burned 2,796 acres since it started on Aug. 12, though it has seen no growth beyond fire lines for over a week. No structures have been destroyed, though homes within Tamarack Resort and along West Mountain Road were threatened. Valley County’s West Mountain Zone 7 remains under the “Ready” evacuation stage, which was improved from “Set” last week. All other evacuation designations in the area have been cleared.

Most work on the fire in recent days has involved “mop-up” of lingering hot spots and smoldering brush, stump holes, and downed logs.

“These hidden heat sources can smolder for days, so crews systematically locate and cool them,” the Boise Forest said in its Sept. 2 Rock Fire update.

Personnel assigned to the Rock Fire peaked at 887 firefighters, but has steadily dropped down to 355 firefighters as of Tuesday, or by about 60%. Firefighters from 28 different states responded to the Rock Fire, including as far as Alaska, South Carolina, Connecticut, and Louisiana.

(A stump burns during the Rock Fire. Photo: Courtesy Boise National Forest)

Civic Lookout

• New Meadows City Council: Monday at 6:30 p.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• Cascade City Council: Monday at 6 p.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• Valley County Commissioners: Wednesday starting at 9 a.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• McCall-Donnelly School District: Regular board meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• Cascade School Board: Regular board meeting next Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission: Sept. 16 at 4:30 p.m. Agenda to be posted here (Editor’s Note: Correction from last week’s newsletter).

Valley Lookout Original Reporting

Bald eagles, wild elk, and traffic: Neighbors list concerns while appealing large subdivision near Donnelly

Concerns related to wildlife and traffic dominated an appeal hearing last week for a 374-acre subdivision near Donnelly that received county approval to begin the first phase of construction earlier this year. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

‘Our community has spoken’: Public fieldhouse proposal set for November ballot

McCall-Donnelly voters will see a new tax measure on the Nov. 4 ballot to fund a year-round indoor recreation space. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

Mountain Happenings

McCall

• Farmers Market: Today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Customer Appreciation BBQ: Ed Staub & Sons to raffle a new grill and serve food and refreshments on Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Summer Party & Fundraiser: Valley County Pathways to host party on Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Depot Park to raise money for trail work. More information available here.
• Gallery 55 Reception: Devon Smith’s photographs and digital collage images to be featured from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. alongside live music.
• On Mountain Time: Roots and Relics Gallery to host painting workshop on Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. More information available here.

Donnelly

• Farmers Market: Every Wednesday in Donnelly City Park from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. through September.
• Wednesday Yoga: Weekly starting at 10:30 a.m. in Tamarack Resort at the Arling Center.

Cascade

• Live music: Dave Nudo to perform at 8 p.m. Thursday night in The Local at Clear Creek.
• Chop with a Cop: Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at Kelly’s Whitewater Park. Bring gloves, chainsaws, and log splitters to help distribute firewood to those in need.
• BSU Gameday: Warm Lake Lodge to serve smoked prime rib French dip sandwiches all day for 7 p.m. kickoff on Friday.
• First Responder Appreciation Night: Saturday at 7 p.m. at Lakefront Bar and Grill.
• Free Tech Class: Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Cascade Public Library.

New Meadows

• Farmers Market: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Dorsey Warr Memorial Park.
• Potluck and Bingo: Next Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Meadows Valley Community Center starting at 5 p.m.
• Summer sale: All short-sleeves, shorts, capris, and summer shoes on sale for $1 at the Little School House Thrift Store on Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• New Meadows Youth Center: Grand opening set for Saturday, Sept. 13, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 400 Peterson Memorial Ave.
• New Meadows Bike-a-thon: Bike from the New Meadows Train Depot to Zims Hot Springs and back for a chance to win a bike. The race is a fundraiser for the newly renovated youth center. More information available at City Hall or by calling/texting 208-347-2171.

Mountain Pet of the Week

Meet Winston, a one-and-a-half-year-old Basset hound! Winston’s owner Mark Morgan of McCall says that Winston’s priorities are keeping us safe from ground squirrels, while ensuring he is comfortable and well rested!

Click here to nominate your pet for Mountain Pet of the Week for a chance to be featured on a weekly newsletter!