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Planning and Zoning Board chairman has a full plate of duties By
Melanie Price LEWISTON -After eight years on the Planning and Zoning Board, including the last four years serving as chairman, Bruce Karren may have to step down: his plate is just too full. Thom Smith, the man who would possibly replace Bruce if he were to leave, said, "Why mess with a good thing?" The other council members voice this sentiment. Meanwhile, Bruce has told his board that he will remain for the time being. However, he adds, "If I say uncle then the board will have to let me go." Besides Karren's planning and zoning board duties, he also serves as the chairman for the Soil Conservation District, works with the FSA County Committee and fulfills church assignments. Bruce Karren has been doing this juggling act his whole life. Bruce was raised in Lewiston. His father was actively involved as a leader in the LDS church, serving as a bishop, a stake president and a patriarch. It seems Bruce learned hard work from his father. After being involved in high school athletics, Bruce enlisted in the armed forces and was a commissioned artillery officer, serving as a battery commander in Smithfield. Bruce served a two-year mission for his church in Chile. Following his mission, he attended Utah State University where he met his wife, Alice. They married sophomore year. Bruce's college days started at 4:30 a.m. He would first milk the cows, do his chores and then commute to Logan for 8:30 a.m. classes. Bruce graduated in accounting and economics. He would have become a CPA, but when he took into account the time it would take to certify - not to mention his service in the national guard - he decided to stay with farming. He has been doing it ever since. Bruce and his wife Alice have five children, three boys and two girls. All of their children were high school honor students and all of their boys earned their Eagle scout rank and played football. The two oldest boys became Air Force pilots after serving missions and graduating from college; one just left for Afghanistan. The third boy is serving an LDS mission in San Antonio and will continue attending college when he returns. His older daughter was a dairy princess and is also a college graduate. His youngest daughter is a Sterling Scholar and will attend Utah State University in the fall. With his children all gone, Bruce is left to care for the farm alone. He recently sold his cows and is planning to focus solely on farming. If added up, Bruce's life has basically been busy since birth. He has dedicated himself to becoming educated, raised accomplished children, maintained a farm, participated in every facet of the community, served our country and managed to find time for his interest in reading historical books, playing the piano and writing musical lyrics with his sisters. His deliberation to resign as chairman is understood by the other planning and zoning board members although they don't want to see him go. It goes without saying that if the board ever does let Bruce go, the next chairman has mighty big shoes to fill.
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