Star’s three incumbents — Mayor Nate Mitchell and council members Chad Bell and Tom Erlebach — are running as a team.

And they make a good case for themselves. In an extended housing and economic downturn, City Hall has held the line on budgets for five years, eschewing the 3 percent annual increase allowed under state law. Yet this rural community has continued to make progress on a sports complex, and Star has done its share to enhance a valley-wide Greenbelt network by developing a nature trail on a 5›-acre parcel.

Based on the record, we endorse Erlebach.

We will, however, withhold our endorsement in the other council race. Bell did not respond to repeated invitations to meet with the editorial board. But Heidi Prigge is running on a narrow platform — the community’s shortage of midsized, “move-up” homes. Richard Lockett’s key issue is the need for a community pool, but even he says this won’t happen soon. Neither made the case for an endorsement.

We’re also making no endorsement in the mayor’s race. Mitchell faces only a write-in opponent, Terry Malarkey, who had originally dropped out of the race. The Statesman generally does not endorse in elections involving only a write-in opponent.

“Our View” is the editorial position of the Idaho Statesman. It is an unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman’s editorial board.