These Caldwell voters want to recall Mayor Wagoner, council members. Here’s why
Voters in Caldwell filed a petition to recall Mayor Jarom Wagoner and four of the city’s council members as the public reels from their decisions to approve a hotel development and support their police chief amid sexual harassment accusations.
Lifelong Caldwell resident Jim Hollis, who worked for the Police Department for eight years, told the Idaho Statesman over the phone that he filed petitions, which each had at least 45 signatures — 20 more than the required amount — with the Canyon County Clerk’s Office on Monday. Once the petitions are approved, residents will have 75 days to gather additional signatures.
Hollis said the petitions largely stem from city leaders’ approval of a Marriott hotel despite public outcry, paid parking meters that the city installed, then removed, and their statements supporting Police Chief Rex Ingram after he was accused of sexually harassing a female officer.
He also pointed to concerns over the city’s prioritization of development without improving infrastructure and the loss of over $1 million in impact fees, a one-time charge on new developments that help offset the cost of certain projects, after a miscommunication left the funds uncollected.
“We’re sick and tired of the non-transparency,” Hollis said by phone.
The petitions, which Hollis posted on a community Facebook page, called for the recall of Wagoner and four of the six council members: Brad Doty, Geoff Williams, Chris Allgood and Mike Dittenber.
Doty, Dittenber and Allgood in statements to the Statesman said they were grateful to be able to represent the city and do their best for the public when faced with making difficult decisions. Williams didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Doty said that while the public has the freedom to express disagreements, he has the right to be free from harassment.
“It would be my hope that the individual or individuals who prepared the petition would focus their efforts on pursuing legitimate grievances in a lawful and civil manner,” he said. “At the end of the day, I trust in the process, our constitutional freedoms and the rule of law.”
Allgood, who worked for the city’s police department for 30 years, eight as the chief, said he’s seen Caldwell go from “a crime-riddled gang town to the absolute pride of the valley.”
“Together we have built a wonderful place to live, work and raise our families. Now is not the time to go backwards or lose sight of our future,” Allgood said. “I will not back down, quit or stop making the decisions necessary to continue Caldwell’s success.”
Through a spokesperson, the city declined to comment on the petitions.
Elected city officials can be subject to a recall under Idaho law if at least 20% of registered voters from the time the official was elected sign a petition. If the petition is submitted on time with enough signatures and approved, the elected official has either five days to resign or the secretary of state will call for a special election. The majority of voters must be in favor of the recall. Votes in favor of the recall also have to equal or exceed the number of votes cast at the last general election for that official, according to state law.
Council members Chuck Stadick and Diana Register weren’t named in the recall. Register told the Statesman she respected the democratic process and remained committed to doing what’s best for Caldwell “no matter the outcome.” Both Register and Stadick voted against a controversial hotel project. Hollis said the two council members are extremely communicative with taxpayers.
“This is a challenging time for our city, and it’s clear the community has concerns that need to be heard,” Register said in an email. “My focus has always been on serving the people of Caldwell, and I believe it’s important we work toward rebuilding trust and ensuring transparency.”
Petition raises concerns over police complaints
The recall petition comes as Ingram has been embattled with allegations, many of which are in several lawsuits filed against the chief and city. Three employees — two of whom no longer work for the city — have filed complaints in the past five months.
It’s “too many lawsuits,” Hollis said.
Concerns against Ingram arose in January 2024 after an internal complaint from Caldwell Police Officer Allison Butler prompted Wagoner to direct the city’s then-Human Resources Director Shelli Boggie to investigate the allegations. Butler accused the chief in a lawsuit of making “offensive” and “gendered” comments toward her and violating her civil rights by creating a hostile work environment, discriminating against her, and retaliating against her when she reported her concerns.
The city commissioned an outside law firm at Boggie’s direction to conduct an independent investigation into gender discrimination and sex-based hostile workplace environment complaints against Ingram, according to a lawsuit filed by Boggie. She alleged that the City Council didn’t reappoint her to her role as an act of retaliation by the city.
Months later, the investigation sustained several of Butler’s allegations “but abstained from concluding clear violation of law” or of the city’s policy, the lawsuit said. The report found that some of Butler’s allegations were substantiated. Many of them weren’t, though, some of them because they couldn’t be corroborated, the complaint alleged.
Boggie in the lawsuit said she reviewed the report and based her recommendation included looking at how the human resource department handled employees who had “exhibited similar conduct in the past,” the lawsuit said.
It’s unclear in the lawsuit whether Boggie recommended the chief’s resignation or suspension. But she said her decision was based on her opposition to gender-based harassment, discrimination and hostile work environments.
Boggie’s lawsuit was resolved through “mutual agreement,” her attorney Brian Ertz told the Statesman. The Statesman filed a public records request for documents related to a settlement between the city and Boggie and was told Wednesday the matter was pending.
Wagoner and the then-city attorney declined to consider Boggie’s recommendation, according to her complaint. Voters who signed Wagoner’s petition also took aim at him for not following her recommendation, and raised concerns about the city’s decision to publicly support Ingram hours after the lawsuit was publicized.
Wagoner urged the public during a brief news conference to “avoid drawing any conclusions” while also saying, “We are confident in Chief Ingram’s leadership and professionalism, and firmly stand behind him during the legal process.”
Hollis questioned why they didn’t come out and support Butler.
“She’s still an officer, right?” he said by phone. “Why don’t they do anything to defend her?”
Ingram is also under investigation by Idaho State Police over allegations he misused public funds. The investigation has been sent to the Boise County Prosecutor’s Office for review, said ISP spokesperson Aaron Snell. He added by email that the prosecutor will advise on a “charging decision” but that they don’t have an expected timeline.
Then-Caldwell Police Nathan Douthit also sued the city. In November he said he raised concerns over the agency’s increased spending and alleged he was fired “because he dared question” the chief’s conduct.
Ingram previously told the Statesman he had done nothing wrong and that all of his purchases were approved through the proper channels. Wagoner also stood by the chief over the spending concerns.
“I support the chief 100%,” Wagoner said, adding that they planned to fully cooperate with the state police investigation.
‘We’re not here because of developers’
Some of the petitions also focused on the city’s push for development and concerns over a dirt lot located near the Canyon County Fair and the grounds of the Caldwell Night Rodeo.
Caldwell’s City Council entered into a development agreement last month to construct a Marriott-branded hotel at the lot despite hundreds of letters opposing the construction, according to the Idaho Press. More than 100 people protested the development following the council’s approval citing concerns over the loss of parking spots and increased urbanization.
“They’re all too poised on development,” Hollis said. ”The mayor is responsible for every department — and he needs to get the hell out of the development department and leave it alone.”
The hotel was approved by four council members during the Feb. 3 council meeting, with Register and Stadick voting against it. Dittenber during the meeting said he’d “rarely seen anything bring about more disinformation” than the hotel proposal. He said
projects like the hotel will encourage economic development and bring property taxes to the city.
“I understand nostalgia and the desire to keep Caldwell a small town, but the people and desire to work cooperatively in a unison manner is what makes our community a small-town feel,” he said.
Register brought concerns over the legality of the agreement, pointing to three leases the city already has on that same land. But Dittenber told the Statesman that the city attorney reviewed the contracts and the process, and found no problems before a vote was taken.
The meeting turned chaotic when Williams cut Register off by making a motion to stop all discussion and vote. Members of the public watching the meeting protested, with one shouting, “Let her speak.” Register attempted to keep talking and pointed out that she didn’t interrupt anyone else.
“If we sign this, it’s illegal,” Register can be heard saying before Wagoner stops her. He then announced the council would be taking a five-minute break before the audio of the recorded meeting cuts out. When the council returned, Williams withdrew his motion, and Register was given 10 minutes to finish her comments.
“Once this land is gone, it’s gone. There’s no turning back once there’s a massive building on here,” Register said toward the end of her time. “The current leases we have in place need to be modified first to protect the city of Caldwell and its taxpayers before moving forward with any consideration for the hotel.”
“We will not survive another divide in our community, another legal battle based on rushed or failed process nor should we have to,” she continued. “Nobody is against progress, but it needs to be responsible and it needs to make sense.”
Stadick also opposed the development. Of the over 200 emails he received regarding the dirt lot, only 4% were in favor of building the hotel, he said during the hearing.
“I’d like to remind the council members, we’re here because of the taxpayers,” he said. “We’re not here because of developers and everyone else.”
