Friends and colleagues of Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam are expressing shock and sadness over his death. He was 47.
Mayor Hogaboam was attending a regional town hall with other mayors and commissioners in Eagle when he collapsed. Eagle Mayor Brad Pike administered CPR before emergency services arrived on scene. The City of Nampa later confirmed Hogaboam had passed.
On Thursday afternoon, the Ada County Coroner's office reported the cause of death as a cardiac tamponade.
The City of Nampa announced a memorial service will be held on Tuesday, March 31 at 5 p.m. at the Ford Idaho Center.
Hogaboam was sworn in as Nampa Mayor in January. Prior to his election, he was on the City Council, worked as Mayor Debbie Kling’s chief of staff and served as the Canyon County Clerk.
At the state legislature Thursday in Boise, Senate Chaplain Doug Armstrong offered a prayer.
“I come to you with a broken heart,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion. “We lost a great public servant last night.”
Armstrong said Hogaboam sometimes served as a substitute senator at the Capitol and had been a pastor for almost a decade. Hogaboam had also worked as the Executive Director of the Lifeline Pregnancy Center.
On the Senate floor, Armstrong spoke about the mayor’s deep faith.
“Heavenly father, we come before you broken yet trusting because Rick taught us how to do that,” he added. “And as a pastor, he shepherded your flock. He served your people. He led with a heart anchored in you. And now we lift up his wife, Mimi, their five children and their grandchild into your hands. Be their shelter. In this bewildering time.”
At an emergency council meeting Thursday, Council President David Bills was voted in as acting mayor. He will serve until an interim mayor can be appointed and carry out the duties of the position until the next election.
During the meeting, council members expressed grief at the sudden passing of their colleague.
“The best way we can honor him as council members and city staff and as members of the community, both in Nampa and Idaho, is just be kinder to each other, have more grace for each other, and just have appreciation for the time that we have while we're here,” said council member Sebastian Griffin.
“Every day for Rick was a gift. Every day that we got to have with Rick was a gift,” he added. "And we should honor him by living similarly as he had shown us.”
In a message released Wednesday, the City of Nampa asked for grace as his colleagues and friends navigate the "unbelievable loss.”
“We ask the community to please keep his family and loved ones in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement read.
