Resident urges Pocatello council to review staff transfers, finish financial policies and reassess fleet spending

Heather Hanson spoke during the public comment period and urged the incoming Pocatello City Council to "listen to all opinions" from employees and residents and to evaluate personnel and financial practices.

Hanson alleged that during a Dec. 11 work session some city employees were transferred to a different building "without a vote" and that an affected employee was not given an opportunity to speak; she said that employee has since retired. She described that "this type of disregard for employees and outside voices is disheartening and discouraging," and recommended the council consider an employee satisfaction survey to gather staff feedback.

Hanson also said former chief financial officer Eugene Hill began drafting more than 15 financial policies but left before the process was completed and asked the council to resume that work. She raised concerns about city vehicle use and maintenance, questioned whether the 2025 budget priority for a vehicle for every sworn officer is necessary, and asked whether some vehicles are leased. Hanson recommended departments present multiple spending options and suggested centralizing certain city functions to reduce costs and improve transparency, including a public-facing dashboard of projects and savings.

The council thanked Hanson for her comments, noting she stayed within the three-minute limit; no formal action was taken during the meeting on the issues she raised, although the presiding official said items brought during public comment may be referred to staff or scheduled on a future agenda.