Parts of Jefferson County investigating possible county split

Idaho hasn’t had a new county since 1919, but if some people in western Jefferson county have their way, that date could soon change.

Some folks in western Jefferson county feel the county no longer has their best interests at heart, and want to separate and start a new county.

“Our interests are getting farther and farther apart. So we’re just presenting information to the public, getting a feel for what the public thinks, and then we’ll go from there,” said David Spencer, an advocate for splitting the county.

So far advocates for the split have held several town meetings in several area towns. For the most part people are curious, but have a lot of questions. “The biggest concern I think most people have is they want more information,” said Janeal Johnson, who lives in Terreton. “They want to know more about where the money is going to come from.”

Others expressed their concern for the cost of starting up and running a county. Spencer says the move makes financial sense. “We’ve visited with Clark County, we’ve visited with Butte County, we’ve visited with several former commissioners, and so far financially this looks like a very viable thing. We have a stronger tax base than both Clark and Butte county, and so this doesn’t look like it will be a financial burden on us,” said Spencer.

The concept of splitting Jefferson County is still just an idea. Spencer says if enough people show interest, they’ll be able to move deeper and start drafting actual plans.