May 2026 Community Update

I can’t believe we’re already over halfway through May. This year is flying by! Here at the City, we’ve been staying very busy, and this month I’d like to highlight what our departments have been working on while also recognizing the incredible employees who help keep American Falls moving forward every day.

The golf course has been on a record-breaking pace this year, and really over the last three to four years. During the winter, we purchased two additional autonomous mowers, bringing us to four total, with two dedicated to the rough and two to the fairways. We also recently completed additional cart path paving projects. The golf course truly looks beautiful, and if you ever find yourself with some free time, I highly recommend getting out and playing a round. Our golf department does an outstanding job.
At the Street and Sanitation Department, crews recently wrapped up another successful spring clean-up. Thank you to everyone who participated. Efforts like that go a long way in keeping American Falls clean and beautiful. Crews have also been busy street sweeping, and as soon as the weather decides what it’s doing, they’ll begin patching streets throughout town. The employees in this department are rockstars, not only maintaining city streets but also keeping the city’s vehicles and equipment up and running.

In the Parks & Recreation Department, crews have been hard at work mowing, maintaining irrigation, and keeping our parks looking great. On the recreation side, don’t forget to get your kids signed up for Little League baseball. Our parks employees put everything they have into keeping our green spaces clean, beautiful, and ready for the next event, and that work is not nearly as easy as many people might think. Thank you to all of them for the pride they take in our parks.

The Police Department is always busier than most people realize. I have a tremendous amount of respect for our department and the work they do every single day to help keep our community safe. To our officers, thank you for your dedication and professionalism. I also want to recognize Sarah, our police secretary, who keeps everyone organized and moving in the right direction, as well as Judi, our animal control officer, whose heart for animals and commitment to their well-being does not go unnoticed.

Our Water and Wastewater Departments have also been working tirelessly this spring. The water project has created some unique challenges, and these crews have tackled every one of them with professionalism while putting in long hours to ensure residents continue receiving reliable water service. Our wastewater treatment plant also requires a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise to operate, and the team there does a phenomenal job keeping things running 24/7/365 while handling ongoing repairs and maintenance.

A few years ago, we made the decision to move to a full-time fire chief position. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t completely sold on the idea at the time, but it has turned out to be one of the better decisions we’ve made. Even in a small rural department, there is a tremendous amount that needs attention every single day. Chief Sweeney has done an outstanding job, especially when it comes to pursuing grants that help provide equipment to keep our firefighters safe and make their jobs easier.
Lastly, we have our Administration Department, which truly serves as the cog in the wheel that keeps everything moving in the right direction. We are very fortunate to have the administrative staff that we do. The team, along with Jeff, our Building Administrator, consistently does an excellent job and always seems to have the answers when they’re needed.

As a city, we currently have 56 employees, ranging from full-time staff to part-time seasonal workers. If you see them out and about, please take a moment to thank them for what they do. They work for the City of American Falls because this is their home too, and they genuinely care about making it the best little town it can be.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. That’s what I’m here for, and I truly enjoy hearing from the people of this community.