Former Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney Fritz Haemmerle has announced he's running for Hailey City Council seat No. 4, which will be vacated by Rick Davis in January.
Haemmerle joins current Planning and Zoning Commission Chairwoman Stefanie Marvel and Geoffrey Moore in contention for the position, which will be decided in November's general election.
Haemmerle, who was raised in Ketchum, has lived in Hailey for 18 years and is a partner with his wife, Jennifer, in their Hailey-based law firm, Haemmerle & Haemmerle. He served as the county's prosecuting attorney from 1991 to 1995.
Haemmerle filed his candidacy with the city clerk on Friday, Sept. 7. In a recent press release, he listed a number of priorities, including protecting the historical identity of Hailey, ensuring transparency in the governmental process and avoiding wasteful spending.
"One thing that charges me the most...is that Hailey has a nice townsite that could end up going the same way as Ketchum, with a downtown core filled with vacant commercial space," Haemmerle said during a recent interview. "This is unacceptable and would not be a desirable place to raise a family."
Haemmerle said that he has spent a significant portion of his private practice litigating against wrongful government acts. Last year, Haemmerle successfully argued that Blaine County's plan to fund a new jail facility through surplus budget funds was illegal, saying that county officials misled the public on the cost of the new facility by failing to include interest and inflation in the $9.5 million estimate.
The father of two said that if elected, he would continue this drive to make sure the actions of the city government are both open and obvious to the public.
"There's a real worry out there that our cities are for sale," Haemmerle said. "For too long I have observed government officials ignoring rules."
Haemmerle added that city officials need to be more conscientious when spending taxpayers' money, avoiding contributions to "pet causes" that haven't been approved by the public.
"My reason for getting involved is a combination of big and small things," Haemmerle said. "I've lived here since 1989 and still have no water pressure in the summer and the streets aren't completely plowed in the winter."
Also on Haemmerle's list of objectives are the relocation of the airport, support for the local police, and protection of the city's essential assets, such as water and sewer.
Fritz Haemmerle announced Friday, Sept. 7, that he will run for one of two open Hailey City Council seats in November?s general election. The Hailey-based attorney is looking to increase the transparency of the city government process and to maintain residential community atmosphere.
Express photo by Jon Duval.
