Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Blaine County’s name is secure


By JASON KAUFFMAN
Express Staff Writer

At the request of Blaine County Commissioner Larry Schoen, the Idaho Mountain Express ran an online poll starting last Wednesday that asked, "Should Blaine County change its name to Sun Valley County?"

Based on the unofficial results, the answer is a resounding "No."

The query generated 393 votes in all, ranking it among the most-voted-on online polls in recent Express history.

The result of the admittedly unscientific poll, which was shut down Tuesday at noon, indicates that many county residents like things just the way they are. In all, 82.7 percent of voters said they like the county's name just the way it is.

That left just 17.3 percent of voters checking "yes," that the county's name should reflect the skiing and touristy side of things around here.

Online commenter and Bellevue resident Cathy Zaccardi was among the anti-name change voters who also felt compelled to comment on the matter. As with others, her antagonism to the idea is largely based on the fact that the history of Blaine County is not just about fine corduroy skiing, but also of hardrock miners, ranchers and farmers.

"The rich heritage of this county was not founded on Sun Valley nor the resort business industry," Zaccardi wrote. "We, Blaine County citizens, are subjected to enough criticism and are all lumped in with the rich and spoiled.

"A rename of the county would only reinforce the common misconceptions of us statewide."

Contacted for comment on Tuesday after the poll had closed, Schoen didn't express disappointment regarding the result. He said he had received a number of calls from the public both for and against the idea since the question was raised.

Schoen said he doesn't have an opinion as to whether the county should change its name. Rather, the two-term commissioner said he thought the question would stimulate discussion about what the economic future of the county should be.

Part of a commissioner's job is to occasionally ask uncomfortable questions, he said.

While the calls Schoen received indicated wide-ranging views of what the Blaine County name means for locals, the same is not true beyond its borders, he said.

"To the outside world we are known as the Sun Valley community," he said.




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