Sun Valley wants membership on housing board
By PAT MURPHY
Express Staff Writer
Although delaying the decision to sign a contract with the Blaine-Ketchum Housing Authority, Sun Valley Mayor Jon Thorson said Thursday he wants to see his city make an ?attitudinal shift? in thinking and become active in the community housing movement.
?We can participate in a thousand ways,? Thorson said, even if community housing is not likely to be built in Sun Valley because of costs. ?We need to get up to speed. My personal interest is to get more involved.?
At their meeting Sept. 16, the mayor and council delayed signing a contract with the housing authority after two questions were raised.
First, Sun Valley Police Chief Cam Daggett criticized the authority?s eligibility point system that gave police officers a 12 rating, while fire fighters were rated higher at 16 because of their 24-hour duty status. The chief suggested that police, too, are on 24-hour call if not actually on duty.
Second, the council agreed it should have a member on the seven-seat housing authority, although it now only has five members: two representing the city of Ketchum, two representing Blaine County and one at-large member.
Housing authority executive director Michael David said Thursday that the disparity in police and firefighter point ratings had been equalized at 16, and Daggett had been informed of the change.
David said the authority would take up the Sun Valley board membership request at its Oct. 6 meeting.
Thorson said he would attend that meeting to make the case for a Sun Valley membership.
?It just makes sense,? he said.
