In the final stretch of a four-year term as Ketchum mayor, Ed Simon still sees beauty, problems and possibility in the ever-changing mountain hamlet.
On a recent afternoon, he eased back at a local eatery, reflecting on his accomplishments and the problems in store for whoever occupies the mayor's seat next year.
As Simon sees it, the city's government is better than it was before he was elected in 2001.
"My only agenda was serving the public," he said. "That requires consistent application of ordinances. That requires avoiding an appearance of favoritism. That's the only way to have fairness in government."
Some people met his changes with resistance, seeing the procedures as bureaucratic and alienating.
"The history of Ketchum is that people go to the post office to pick up mail," he said. "It's a social occasion. They want the same type of service from their city government."
Face to face, with a handshake and a smile often was the way deals were made, but such methods don't instill confidence, Simon said.
"If you ignore the process of government and the rules and regulations because of that ... you can't be effective," he said.
The efficacy of government is still a matter of debate, however.
When people complain, the comment Simon most often gets is that city government doesn't listen. He repeated the complaints: Government's a bureaucracy. It ignores the people who live here. City officials are always doing things for tourists.
There's some truth to all of that, he admits.
"We need to be more perceptive to the needs of residents while not ignoring our tourist-based economy," he said. "The Hemingway House is a good example."
The stream of traffic on state Highway 75 heading south out of Blaine County at 5 o'clock every weekday is an obvious sign of the area's changing demographics, Simon said.
Some of those changes can be attributed to the high price of real estate, he added.
"More than 50 percent of the population are second-home owners," he said.
A needs assessment completed in 1997 determined Ketchum should have 550 affordable-housing units.
"Since then we've torn down probably 100 to 150 of those," Simon said. "Developers are going to buy the land and tear down the houses. Every year to some extent, we lose some of the community."
Home ownership gives people a sense of inclusion in the community, the mayor said.
Although there are plans for more affordable-housing units, Ketchum currently has only 17 deed-restricted ownership units and six rentals.
Simon attributes part of the problem to the fact that Idaho is not a home-rule state, meaning communities can't set up their own rules of taxation. Resort towns like Aspen, Colo., can implement real estate transfer taxes, allowing them to build thousands more affordable-housing units, he said.
"We don't have taxing authority to improve roads or to fund mass transit," he said.
Still, Ketchum has much to offer.
"The outdoors is as pretty as it gets," Simon said. "The mountain is better than it ever was. The cultural activities are vastly superior to what they were. The quality of living here is better than ever."
Despite the straight talk about a number of issues, Simon demurs when asked whether he will run for re-election next November.
"That decision will be made at a later time," he said. "I have to ask myself, 'Do I have the fire inside to really push it?' I have to determine whether there are other goals to achieve. It takes a lot of time. You can't be ambivalent about it."
While his next move as a public servant is still in question, Simon speaks with certainty about local government requiring an active and informed electorate.
"Get involved," he said. "It makes a big difference when groups (show up) at City Council meetings. Ultimately, that is politics—expressing your viewpoint and showing your support. Elected officials typically respond to that."
For the more venturesome, Simon notes that, besides the mayor's office, two City Council seats will be up for grabs next November.
"I encourage everyone (to run) who has interest," he said. "There's great potential to make a change."
