VICTOR, Idaho — Victor Mayor Will Frohlich will be stepping down from his position, effective July 1, amidst a tense back-and-forth between Victor and Driggs over wastewater treatment facilities.
On Wednesday, the City of Victor released an open resignation letter from Frohlich, who wrote that it is not in the best interest of the City to be involved in a recent recall petition aiming to remove him from office. After seven years as mayor, and eight years with city government before that, Frohlich believes there are more pressing issues facing the community. According to the Teton Valley News, the Victor City Council will formally appoint Council President Stacy Hulsing as acting mayor at its July 1 meeting and consider next steps in the process.
“After learning who is behind the recall effort and who is financing it, I believe the unfounded personal attacks will only persist,” Frohlich wrote. “Out of respect for my family, our city, the community I care deeply about, and the responsibilities of my full-time career, I have decided I am no longer willing to remain involved in this dynamic.”
The recall petition, administered by local group the Victor Watchdogs, gathered enough signatures to trigger a special election. The petition stems from the months-long dispute between Victor and Driggs regarding wastewater treatment. In his resignation letter, Frohlich states that Driggs is obligated to treat Victor’s wastewater until 2041, under the current agreement, but that it would be in Victor’s “best interest to build its own, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant.”
In a May press release about the recall petition, Victor Watchdogs said that the gathered signatures represent a desire by Victor residents to work together with Driggs on upgrades to the shared regional wastewater treatment plant, instead of building a standalone plant. The organization stated the following: “This is not a personal attack on Mayor Frohlich. He is a good person and community member. We acknowledge his years of public service and dedication. However, longevity does not automatically equate to results that benefit the community.”
In Frohlich’s letter, he lists his concerns with the Driggs wastewater treatment plant, saying that the Idaho Conservation League ranks the plant among Idaho’s three worst performing facilities. He writes that in both 2022 and 2023, the plant released 36,000 pounds of ammonia into the Teton River, the “valley’s crown jewel.” In 2025, the City of Driggs paid a $400,000 penalty for chronic violations and ongoing failures to comply with its Clean Water Act permit. Frohlich said that financial irregularities, “prolonged failures” in communication, and failed mediation between the two cities led to Victor’ s lawsuit in March.
“My parting hope is that the residents of Victor prioritize the long-term health of the Teton River and responsible growth of this Valley,” Frohlich wrote. “Someday, it is my hope that the only excrement the people of Victor are concerned with is that coming out of the mouths of the ‘Victor Watchdogs.'”
