Mountain Home names aquatics facility for City Clerk Tiffany Bell at one-year anniversary

Mountain Home officials and residents on Friday celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Mountain Home Aquatics facility, and Mayor Rich Sykes announced the center will be named for City Clerk Tiffany Bell in recognition of her leadership shepherding the project from concept to completion.

Tiffany Bell, who emceed the event and identified herself as the city clerk, described working on the pool “from the early designs to writing and presenting grants” and managing construction hurdles, including grant compliance and international shipments for pool materials. “Good enough is where progress goes to stall,” Bell said, urging future leaders to take on long-term investments.

Former city councilman and state representative Matt Bundy recalled the project’s beginnings and credited citizen input and staff work. In a lighthearted moment, Bundy asked the crowd to vote — by voice — on whether he should run into the pool; the group’s responses prompted laughter and an exchange with the mayor.

Former councilman Daniel Brennan reviewed the pool’s funding path, saying the city “had been awarded $750,000” from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation’s Land and Water Conservation Fund and later was “awarded another $550,000” to complete the project. Brennan thanked state grant reviewers, city staff and contractors and said he and his wife would donate $1,000 to the Mountain Home Parks and Recreation Ready, Set, Play Financial Assistance Program to help Elmore County residents afford swim lessons.

Councilman Scott Harjo praised city staff and administration for stepping up to manage a complex project midstream and noted the experience shows the city can deliver similar large projects in the future.

Mayor Rich Sykes said the pool’s completion demonstrates what the city can accomplish through diligence, partnerships and sustained leadership, and he personally recognized Bell’s work in carrying the project. After brief contractor acknowledgments, Bell led the ribbon cutting and a group photo to close the ceremony.

The event highlighted the mix of grant funding and local coordination that made the aquatics facility possible; officials at the ceremony credited the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation’s Land and Water Conservation Fund for covering a large portion of construction costs. City leaders did not announce further policy actions at the event.