As an opportunity for reelection approaches this November, Bryanna Johnson has spent a lot of time reflecting on her time on city council.
Bryanna Johnson has worked on the city council for four years. Photo credit: Rexburg.org
Before serving on the city council, Johnson involved herself in the community. She served as the Parent Teacher Organization president for her kids’ school. She also served on the city’s parks committee, which involved planning the city’s Independence Day festivities.
However, the biggest push to pursue an elected office was her neighbor Christopher Mann. Mann served on the city council for 16 years
“I talked to him a lot and the more I talked to him, the more interested I got in all the issues in the city,” Johnson said.
Over the last four years, Johnson expressed gratitude for the help she’s been able to offer the people of Rexburg.
“I really like listening to people,” Johnson said. “I think it’s kind of fun. It’s been pretty rewarding to hear people and their concerns. If there is a way to try to help, then I think that that’s pretty fun, to affect change even in small ways.”
As a member of the city council, conflict is part of the job. However, Johnson’s religious beliefs help her treat people with kindness and respect in times of conflict with members of the community and her colleagues.
“Tempers can get really heated and things like that even among council members,” Johnson said. “We all have different ideas. I feel like one of the biggest things is trying to remember to be kind. Try to be like Jesus, because it can get easy to respond in anger. And then if I do, to say, I’m sorry. I’ve had to do that.”
In addition to serving on the city council, Johnson teaches child development at BYU-Idaho.
“I really like teaching on campus,” Johnson said. “The students have so much energy and they’re at a time of life that’s considered pretty exciting. It’s fun to be around them. It’s fun to think that even if a few students in my class listen, it will change their future.”
Last fall, the city held a cleanup for Eagle Park. Even though it began as a stake service project, 500 students ended up participating.
“We had more students than we had work for,” Johnson said. “We had to share the tools and it was amazing. They had to just pick up one thing and the whole area was cleaned. I think that the students are a really important part in our community.”
Johnson said the Rexburg community plays a critical role in helping college students in the area.
“The students are coming here to better their life,” Johnson said. “If we do what we can to help them have a good experience while they’re doing that, they’re gonna go out into the world and help everywhere they go.”
Johnson’s term will finish this November when she’ll decide whether or not to run again.
