KRISTIE MOSS / Scroll
This billboard greets everyone from I-20 as they come into Rexburg, already giving a little bit of information about our city. Rexburg 101 was implemented to give even more information to citizens on how the local government operates and a class gives students the opportunity to ask questions about BYU-Idaho’s role in the city.

Rexburg 101: a class on how the city operates

Ashley Walker WAL02016@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

Raised hands and eager faces dot the city council chambers at City Hall. Rexburg 101 is in session.

The city of Rexburg offers the class Rexburg 101 twice a year — once in the spring and once in the fall. Community members and students can attend the class for free. The class was implemented to inform citizens of how the local government operates.

“Each class goes over a different aspect of how the local government influences everyday life and how it can run a city,” said Taryn Martin, a senior from San Diego, Calif. This includes all areas of local government such as waste and water management, parks and recreation, city streets and budget.

The class includes five sessions, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

At the end of one class, members were given an informal open forum with the City Council. They were allowed to ask any questions or concerns they had with the city. The discussion involved the growth in Rexburg.

One question asked was, “What do you see as being the biggest challenge for Rexburg in the future?”

“The growth,” said council member Randall Schwendiman.

Rexburg has grown 12 percent each year for the last two years, said Mayor Shawn Larsen, making Rexburg the fastest growing city in Idaho.

Part of this growth includes BYU-Idaho.

“The university is like the big elephant in the room. … I mean when they sneeze we catch a cold. … When they decide to grow, we grow,” said council member Christopher J. Mann.

Council president, Donna Benfield, has lived in Rexburg for 25 years. She believes this has been a continual growth even when the university was Ricks College.

Past and future events at the university will not only affect BYU-I, but Rexburg as a whole.

“The change in the system — as far as your semesters — that’s going to have a huge impact on our economy,” Larsen said.

The only downfall, council member Rex Erickson said, is the money spent on growth and how it affects the budgeting situation.

“Just like in any other household or any other budget process, you just have to go through priorities such as wants or needs,” Benfield said.

Class members asked how the city was planning for the growth.

“I think we’ve done a good job of planning. We have a comprehensive plan and we also have a county-wide, 10- year transportation plan where future roads will be built,” Larsen said.

The future of the city includes BYU-I goals.

“We have a great working relationship with the university. They care about us; we care about them. I think our goals go hand in hand,” Mann said.

As Rexburg 101 came to a close on Wednesday, April 5, Martin had this to say:

“I find it very interesting. It gives a more hands-on and in-depth experience that you would not be able to get from a textbook or sitting in a class room,” she said.

If you have any further questions about Rexburg 101, contact the Mayor’s Administrative Assistant at 359-3020, ext. 341.