Garden City sits in the middle of the Treasure Valley in more ways than one.
With just over 13,000 residents and a footprint of a little more than four square miles, it is a small city surrounded by larger ones—connected by the Boise River, the Greenbelt, and a network of relationships that extend well beyond its boundaries. It is a place where businesses, recreation, and community life intersect closely, and where growth looks different than it does elsewhere in the region.
For newly elected Mayor Bill Jacobs, that setting defines the work.
Jacobs came into office with more than 35 years of experience owning, managing, and developing businesses, along with service on the Garden City Council. He was familiar with the mechanics of the city. What he has come to understand more fully is the scope of its connections.
“One surprise,” Jacobs said, “has been the ownership of the relationships.”
Those relationships stretch across the Treasure Valley—to local and state agencies, other mayors, Ada County Highway District, the Idaho Transportation Department, county commissioners, business owners, chambers, and developers. In a city like Garden City, where there is little open land left to develop and no ability to annex, progress often depends on how well those relationships function.
Every day, Jacobs finds himself in multiple meetings—working to build, maintain, and navigate those connections.
That interconnectedness is part of what makes Garden City distinct. It is also part of what makes the role of mayor both complex and personal.
Jacobs says one of his priorities is strengthening communication with residents. He has begun hosting town halls, meeting with homeowners associations, and planning a city newsletter to keep people informed and involved.
“I like it,” he said. “Garden City is small enough to get to know individuals and businesses.”
That scale allows for a kind of accessibility that is harder to maintain in larger cities. Jacobs emphasizes an open-door approach, inviting residents to reach out, ask questions, and share ideas.
At the same time, the city’s physical constraints shape its future. Garden City is largely built out, with development happening parcel by parcel rather than through large-scale subdivisions. It has its own water system, with nine wells, and works within existing infrastructure to support both residents and businesses.
Those realities influence Jacobs’ approach.
“We want to say ‘yes’ more than we say ‘no,’” he said, describing a goal of making the city easier to work with—for the public, for businesses, and for partner agencies.
He also speaks about wanting Garden City to “be the envy of the Treasure Valley,” not in size, but in the quality of its services—police, public works, parks, and the Greenbelt that runs through the entire city.
That Greenbelt is central to how residents experience Garden City. It connects neighborhoods, businesses, and public spaces, and remains one of the city’s most defining features.
“Everyone in Garden City can walk to the Greenbelt,” Jacobs said. “I want to protect that.”
The city continues to evolve around it.
Expo Idaho, though owned by Ada County, sits within Garden City and remains a major regional draw. The Boise Hawks continue to play in their longtime stadium. The Athletic Club Boise soccer team has taken shape in a renovated facility, drawing strong community support. Nearby, a 50-acre park along the river is planned for completion in late summer 2026, adding to the network of public spaces.
Garden City’s history is layered into its present. Incorporated in 1949 and named for the Chinese gardens that once flourished in the area, it has grown into a place where creatives, small businesses, recreation, and residential life meet along the river corridor.
Jacobs sees that mix as part of the city’s strength.
Looking ahead, he speaks with optimism about its future, describing Garden City as “the heart of the valley” because of its central location and the activity that flows through it.
For Jacobs, the role is ultimately about service.
He is active in the community, serving on YMCA boards, volunteering at the Morrison Center, and coaching youth soccer. He enjoys time outdoors—hunting, fishing, biking—and remains involved in his church. He and his wife, Kristen, have been married for 33 years and raised two daughters, and their years living in Latin America left him fluent in Spanish.
Those experiences inform how he approaches the work.
“I enjoy the City and the staff,” he said. “We work together to solve problems for the good of Garden City and ongoing improvements.”
It is a practical outlook, grounded in collaboration and steady progress.
In a city defined by its connections—to the river, to surrounding communities, and to the people who live and work within it—the work of leadership often comes down to something simple: staying engaged, staying accessible, and keeping those connections strong.
And in Garden City, that may matter more than anything else.