Boll Sworn in to Cambridge City
The New Year welcomed two new members to Cambridge’s City Council: Hayden Boll and Taylor Powell (Powell was profiled two weeks ago in The Record Reporter). Boll, a native of the Cambridge region, decided to run for City Council with the support and encouragement of his wife, Michaella.
“My wife and I are always looking for ways to contribute when we can,” he said.
Boll grew up in Indian Valley and attended school in Cambridge. He left the area to attend college, first at the University of Idaho, and, later, transferring to Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Oregon where he studied Rangeland Management.
After graduating from college, Boll worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Vale, Oregon. Currently, Boll is employed by the U.S. Forest Service in Council.
”I actually get to put my degree to use,” he said.
Boll credits his career at the Forest Service for introducing him to the inner operations of the government.
“I think mostly my experience with the Forest Service has really opened my eyes to the federal government and how it works.”
Boll’s employment at the Forest Service has also familiarized Boll with local mining activities.
“A lot of that exploratory drilling is going on on the Forest Service land,” he said.
While some may have trepidation regarding the impact of local mining activities, Boll looks at the future of mining in the Cambridge region with pragmatism and cautious optimism.
“I think it’s easy to hear the word ‘mining’ and think there is some large-scale destruction,” he said. But Boll has observed positive interactions between the mines and the Forest Service.
“In my line of work at the Forest Service, I would say there is plenty of emphasis put on evaluating the environmental impact,” he said. “I think there are plenty of checks in place.”
He believes that there are regulations in place that will allow mining activities and the environment to peacefully coexist. Boll sees mining as an extension of other land uses such as timber harvesting and cattle grazing.
“My gut feeling is that our landscapes need to be working landscapes.” With that said, Boll supports responsible land stewardship.
Other issues which Boll recognizes as important to the city of Cambridge are economic growth and housing. Boll values the need for carefully balancing growth with the desire to maintain Cambridge’s small-town lifestyle.
“I certainly don’t want to see the values change or the way of life change,” he said.
Boll is approaching his responsibilities as a new city council member with humility and an open-minded outlook. His current plan is to move forward with an eye on what’s best for Cambridge’s future.
“I’m always trying to leave something better than I found it,” said Boll.
