Pocatello and Chubbuck consolidation talk intensifies

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Talk of consolidating the cities of Pocatello and Chubbuck seems to be intensifying.

Chubbuck has always fiercely resisted, but now the question is expected to be on the November ballot as an advisory question.

Chubbuck Mayor Kevin England says the majority of the neighbors he has talked to in Chubbuck want to keep their city.

He also says he thinks the ballot question that was added by the Bannock County Commission was an overstretch of their authority and is not really a county issue.

He believes it's a city issue.

"If there is a consolidation the larger city becomes the city, and the smaller city just dissolves, it just goes away," Mayor England said. "And I just thought we needed to know that. But I also thought we needed to recognize that as the leader of this community we are, Chubbuck is headed in a great direction. Wonderful things are near the horizon. It would be a huge mistake to have a course correction on that right now."

Chubbuck has seen big growth over the last few years.

Construction on the new city hall is well underway, and they hope to be in the offices by next July.

Mayor England says he doesn't have anything against Pocatello, he just thinks both cities would be better off as separate entities.