03/11/2025
Clay Larkin's daughter, Alison Larkin McArthur, reached out to me the other day, wanting to set the record straight about her late father's endorsement. Below are Alison's words in their entirety to do with as you will.
Hello Erin,
My father and I had many discussions about the city he loved and served before he passed. He was sad to see that the close-knit community he had helped create was falling by the wayside. During his illness, Ron never once called or stopped in. Today, Ron is touting my father's endorsement for mayor, but the reality is that endorsement was one of my father, Clay Larkin's, greatest regrets. Scot Haug, on the other hand, was like a son to my father. Scot was checking in and visiting with my father during his illness and his last days. Scot had no intention of running for office when my father was alive, but if my father were alive today, he would wholeheartedly endorse Scot. My mother recently passed, but not before Scot announced his run for Mayor. My mom and I often talked about her support for Scot. One of her last decisions with her was to give Scot a donation and to make sure his election signs were in her yard.
1. Ron was not present or available to the citizens of Post Falls. He's not a people person to the typical resident.
2. Ron dissolved community programs that united this community for many years
3. Ron discontinued the Mayor's Youth Awards. Created by my father to highlight the outstanding service from our community teens.
4. Ron discontinued the practice meeting with our local schools/students to learn about local government. It had been a great collaboration with our schools. No more.
5. As Mayor, Ron stopped the tradition of Mayors who were present at Veterans' / Memorial Day events, honoring our local heroes.
6. My father was disappointed that Ron stopped the tradition of the Mayor reading to children at Winter Fest.
7. New and expanding businesses would reach out to my father because Ron would not be available to listen to their hopes and concerns.
8. Until recently, Ron sent staff or another council member to sit on the CDA Economic Development for our region. Under my father's leadership, serving on this board, companies such as Buck Knives and Cabela's, ALK, and many others chose Post Falls as their home, building a strong economic base. Ron has built apartments.
9. My father was disappointed that other city mayors expressed to him that Ron wasn't a collaborator and didn't work with neighboring cities.
10. City staff and former employees would reach out to my father to say that Ron was absent with city employees and never took the time to get to know them. They were numbers, not people.
11. My father was disappointed in Ron's lack of attendance at the Association of Idaho Cities. An association that Post Falls use to have leadership roles and formerly won several awards under my father's tenure.
12. People would stop my father in the grocery stores and express how disappointed they were in Ron as mayor. My father echoed those comments in his disappointment with Ron's leadership.
Scot Haug was like a son to my father because of Scot's heart for our community and his experience in leading with excellence, kindness, and intelligence.
1. Scot grew the Color Guard program for the city, recognizing veterans, fallen first responders, and law enforcement, attending Veteran's Day events, and more.
2. Scot will bring back the collaboration with our students/schools, including Mayor Larkin's Youth Award program.
3. Scot will be present and speak at community events like Post Falls Days, Winterfest, and other city gatherings.
4. Scot will represent the City of Post Falls on all commissions and boards, without a self-serving agenda or appointing someone else to represent the mayor.
5. Scot will empower employees to innovate and collaborate, and he will know them by name. He is a community uniter, not a dismisser.
6. Scot will be a mayor of the people - he will meet people where they are at, open public access for community input, and most of all, he will continue to provide his greatest asset to the job of Mayor - listening. He will always do what is best for Post Falls.
