There will be a new Mayor for Ballard City in 2026 and the unopposed Mayoral candidate recently participated in a question and answer session focused on the challenges facing Uintah County’s west side. Nile Mathisen and his wife Annette are lifelong Uintah Basin residents who raised a family here and run a farm in Ballard. Nile has served on the Ballard City Council for 10 years while also spending time serving on boards, including planning and zoning and Uintah Animal Control and Shelter Special Service District. When asked about the greatest challenge facing Ballard City, Mathisen made it clear that water and growth are ongoing issues. Currently, the water for Ballard City is owned and distributed by the Ute Tribe and new water connections are not available, though leaders are exploring additional possibilities like connecting to the Victory Pipeline. Another priority for Ballard, according to Mathisen, is maintaining roads. The big trucks that service the oil field tear up the roads and make it difficult to properly keep up with. When asked, Mathisen also noted that, in general, more attention from Uintah County would be helpful. Finally, when asked about growth anticipated with the potential railway, Mathisen said that right now Ballard is not prepared but that he is hopeful they will be by the time it happens.
