City Council

JANUARY 14 , 2016 The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Regular Council Meeting, Thursday, January 14, 2016, in the Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 7:30 p.m. There were present: Mayor Rebecca Casper Councilmember Michael Lehto Councilmember Sharon Parry Councilmember Ed Marohn Councilmember David M. Smith Councilmember Thomas Hally Councilmember Barbara Ehardt Also present: Randy Fife, City Attorney Kathy Hampton, City Clerk All available Department Directors Mayor Casper invited Craig Lords, former Municipal Services Director, to come forward and lead those present in the Pledge of Allegiance. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: The City Clerk requested approval of the Expenditure Summary for the month of December, 2015. FUND TOTAL EXPENDITURE General Fund $1,540,776.95 Street Fund 61,799.10 Recreation Fund 52,715.25 Library Fund 58,736.25 Municipal Equipment Replacement Fund (MERF) 355,873.43 Electric Light Public Purpose Fund 575,014.42 Business Improvement District 12,500.00 Golf Fund 62,057.46 Self-Insurance Fund 47,144.41 Street Capital Improvement Fund 59,332.37 Traffic Light Cap Imp Fund 63,731.24 Parks Capital Imp Fund 3,000.00 Airport Fund 116,064.77 Water and Sewer Fund 412,019.11 Sanitation Fund 9,146.37 Ambulance Fund 98,822.05 Electric Light Fund 3,449,051.46 Payroll Liability Fund 3,737,397.44 TOTAL 10,715,182.08 The City Clerk requested approval of the Treasurer’s Report for the month of December, 2015. Dear Mayor and City Council Members: 1  JANUARY 14 , 2016 Attached please find the City of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Monthly Treasurer’s Report for the above referenced month, as required by Idaho Code Section 50-208. This report was filed in the City Clerk’s Office on or before the 10th day from the end of the month of the Report. s/ Kenneth McOmber December 9, 2015 Kenneth McOmber Date Signed It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Parry, to approve all items on the Consent Agenda according to recommendations presented. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Parry, Ehardt, Smith, Marohn, Lehto, Hally. Nay – none. Motion carried. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS: Mayor Casper proceeded with the Swearing-In Ceremonies for Councilmembers-Elect and administered the Official Oath of Office and Presentation of Certificates of Election in order of seniority to: Council Seat No. 3–Councilmember Thomas Hally, Council Seat No. 2–Councilmember David M. Smith, and Council Seat No. 1-Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman. The administration of the Official Oath of Office and Presentation of Certificate of Election for Council Seat No. 5 to Councilmember John B. Radford was administered by Judge Michelle Mallard, Councilmember Radford’s sister. New Councilmembers Ziel- Dingman and Radford took their seats at the Council Table. Mayor Casper presented her “2016 State of the City – Idaho Falls” as follows: Members of the City Council, Directors, City Employees, and Citizens of Idaho Falls. Welcome. As is tradition, I come before you this evening to deliver the Mayor’s annual report on the state of our great City. Introduction It hasn’t escaped me that these remarks follow some other, fairly significant “State of” addresses given by government leaders this week. I am referring to the State of the State given by Governor Otter on Monday and the State of the Union given by President Obama on Tuesday. While our community’s State of the City may not carry quite the same gravitas of those important events, I would like to share an observation. When making the State of the Union address, the President addresses the 535 Members of Congress. Likewise, our Governor addresses 105 Legislators. I, on the other hand, have the luxury—and the privilege—of simply addressing my community. And, unlike Congress and our State legislature, this legislative body—the City Council—is not divided by partisanship. Instead, we are friends and neighbors, fellow citizens of Idaho Falls and Eastern Idaho who are united in our quest for solutions and for ideas that will enhance the quality of life we share at the local level, in this place we call home. As I prepared my remarks for this evening, I reflected back upon 2015, and my thoughts immediately went back to last March when we unexpectedly lost Councilman Dee Whittier—a local public servant. Barely elected in the fall off 2013, Councilman Whittier had only given about 14 months of service before he left us. But in that short time his efforts exemplified the best of what elected officials do—he identified problems, sought solutions, and then worked to get them implemented. And Councilman Whittier did so 2  JANUARY 14 , 2016 honestly, openly and optimistically. He was not discouraged by a difficult task. A good word to describe him might be dauntless. We honor this service and his dauntless approach to it. And by extension, we honor Dee’s graceful wife, Amy Whittier, and their children for their strength and their continued engagement within our city. Thank you Whittier family. 2015 Milestones and Accomplishments This past year several distinct honors came to our community and to our city government.  Just this week, Idaho Falls and other localities were named as being in the top five Idaho cities for achieving work-life balance.  Last week Idaho was ranked fourth in a measure of those moving into our state—suggesting a positive growth trend ahead.  In 2015 Idaho Falls was officially recognized as a “Playful City USA.” (That’s a real thing which reflects well on our Parks and Rec Department.) Those are the fun awards. But 2015 brought other, more prestigious professional honors to various city departments:  The Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) received an elusive top ranking for our Property and Evidence Unit after an outside audit.  The River Gardens Park on the west side of the Snake River won its third award in two years—this one from Idaho Smart Growth.  Our Community Development Services Department won an American Planning Association Award for our city’s comprehensive plan.  The Idaho Falls Airport was recently recognized for training excellence—one of 92 out of 2500 airports nationwide. That puts us in the top 3-4%.  Idaho Falls Power was awarded the—Reliable Public Power Provider, “RP3 Diamond” designation—one of only 54 power utilities in the nation to be so honored for providing reliable and safe power—that puts us in the top 2-3%.  Our Idaho Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant was awarded a 1st place designation at the 2015 Engineering Excellence Awards Competition through the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Idaho. You can see that award-winning performance excellence is the daily standard for our city. Idaho Falls residents are fortunate to have the caliber of professional leadership that we do have in our departments. Besides the awards, we have made a great deal of progress. Time does not permit me to give you a department-by-department rundown as I have in the past, but here are a few highlights: Idaho Falls Power — Idaho Falls Power (IFP) had a terrific year with many accomplishments The transition to advanced metering was completed, we paid off a 30-year bond, a significant anniversary was memorably celebrated, large commercial customers became partners in energy conservation, we continued collaborating with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and we more than solidified our industry and regional 3  JANUARY 14 , 2016 leadership. But one of the most important things IFP achieved this year was to deliver a decrease in electric rates this year—and this was in spite of Bonneville Power Administration’s rate increase. Idaho Falls Fire Department — Work on funding, siting, designing and planning for a new Fire Station #1 took most of 2015. We celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony last week. Barring something unforeseen, our new downtown headquarters should be in operational within the year. Idaho Falls Police Department — Everyone knows this has been a rough year for policing throughout our United States. Yet here in Idaho Falls, we have seized upon the opportunity to lead out with community engagement efforts. The IFPD initiated many social media and public relations events; such as “Blue in the School,” “Chief Chat,” “Cop2ition,” and “Coffee with a Cop.” The Department also reinstituted its bike patrol. All of these programs are aspects of community policing—the policing model we use to control and reduce crime in our city. Clearly, this was the right response at the right time. The results have been heartening. This past year the IFPD has received more positive letters and email, was the subject of more positive editorials, and received other forms of appreciation and expressions of thanks from the public for the hard work and dedication of our officers and staff than ever before. Idaho Falls Airport — New air service, a terminal expansion and a considerable increase in passengers topped the list of 2015 accomplishments for IDA. Our passengers increased by 12% which is remarkable growth in the airline industry. Our airport continues to operate in the black and does not rely on city general fund assistance for any of its improvements. Public Works — I would like to share a quick list of Public Works projects that speaks for itself:  Construction on Hitt & Sunnyside Road was completed in the summer season.  Parts of Woodruff Avenue were fully reconstructed.  Pancheri Road was beautifully widened from Skyline to Bellin. And, with the installation of three HAWK (High-Intensity Activated crossWalk) crossing signals, the road is now safer than it has ever been for student-pedestrians.  Broadway Bridge was improved by the construction a concrete wall that separates vehicles from pedestrians as well as the installation of attractive new railing to increase safety on both sides of the sidewalk.  The stoplight at Hitt and 25th street was reconfigured to facilitate traffic exiting the Target parking lot.  Phase 1 of the Auto-load refuse Collection Program was successfully completed. Phase 2 rolls out this summer.  The City Council adopted a Master Water Facility Plan which will inform city water policy for the next several years. Community Opportunities The high professional standards achieved and maintained by our Department Directors allows me the time to cultivate additional opportunities for our city. As the nation’s economy slowly improves and as businesses look for promising opportunities and places to expand, Eastern Idaho starts looking better and better for investment and all sorts of innovation. I 4  JANUARY 14 , 2016 believe this is one of the reasons why the beginning of this new year has seen a steady stream of news about future opportunities for Idaho Falls. Energy — Many of these new opportunities involve energy and power. Owing to the presence of INL and the many talented contractors and support industries it attracts, Eastern Idaho has become a hub for energy development and innovation. The Lab has gathered a wealth of regional talent that does research into batteries, biomass, geothermal, and grid dynamics—all in addition to new variations on the nuclear work that our Lab has always pioneered. Speaking of nuclear, we have other recent initiatives like GAIN, announced by the White House last November, that INL is lead on. We’ll hear more on that in the coming months. And just today Senator Crapo announced that he is introducing a bipartisan bill (we are fortunate, by the way, that most energy legislation is bi-partisan.) that would allow for more private-sector partnerships when it comes to researching nuclear technologies. This is great news for potential private sector Lab partners—many of who already call Idaho Falls home. One up-and-coming nuclear project in particular has the potential to change the world. Idaho Falls Power, owing to our membership in Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), is one of several utilities leading out in support of bringing Small Modular Reactors (SMR) to the marketplace. Work on this project is proceeding carefully and methodically, as it must and should. It is exciting work as many eyes throughout the country, and indeed the world, are watching our progress. Should this SMR technology be fully realized, our community will see great benefits in energy production and power reliability as well as tremendous economic and environmental benefits that will doubtless, change the energy world. Power— Idaho Falls is a city based on the production and delivery of hydroelectricity. We are very fortunate that former city leaders saw fit to invest in and develop our hydropower capabilities. Hydro is both renewable and green. Our local power utility strives to provide us with reliable power. But our grid is stretched thin. We are always looking to expand our service with an eye toward reliability. Just today we received notice that a federal DOE grant we applied for has been approved—this will allow for approximately $1M to be spent in support of modernizing our local grid—this will translate into improved power delivery for Idaho Falls Power customers. We are excited to work with the Idaho National Laboratory and other industry partners on this grid modernization project. Congratulations to IFP. And as you know, there are also multiple wind projects in Eastern Idaho—and it is from one of these that Idaho Falls Power purchases electric power. And so between wind, hydroelectric, and a great potential for the future application of SMR nuclear technology, Idaho Falls has, and will continue to have, a very small carbon footprint for its electric power generation. This positions us well for the future vis-a-vis all those communities in this country that are struggling with not-so clean carbon-based power like coal and natural gas. This is a very real marketplace advantage. Water— Eastern Idaho’s water has been in the news this past year. If you have lived in this desert for very long, you know that drought has always been a feature of water management for us. Yet we are blessed by the 5  JANUARY 14 , 2016 presence of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. A rich source of clean and safe groundwater is what makes the growth of Eastern Idaho cities like ours possible. Managing the aquifer is critical. In the past several decades we have seen water levels in the aquifer decline—partly because we are drawing more out and partly because we are putting less in through what is called incidental recharge. Our challenge today is to manage the aquifer intelligently. I believe this includes engaging in managed recharge—or deliberately putting water into the aquifer. As mayor, I am working to ensure that we are able to do as much recharge as possible to sustain the aquifer. I believe that every drop we put in supports our city’s water future. We also are working with other city leaders throughout the state who are planning for their city’s water futures. In this past year, as calls on less senior water rights have been made, many of Idaho’s cities have been seriously impacted. It has become clear that not all water users are the same and certainly agricultural use and municipal use are not the same; the effects of water use curtailment on people are very different from the effects of curtailment of crops. We do understand that Idaho’s water law naturally evolved from its agricultural roots, and I respect that rich heritage. But as water becomes more valuable, we cities must now seek legal clarity and protection in the face of scarcity. It is important that I share this with you. Years of drought and growth really have made water more valuable. In economic terms, water becomes more expensive as it becomes scarcer. To ensure that city revenues for water are spent wisely, we in city management will be looking for more and better ways to conserve or otherwise use our community water more efficiently. And Idaho Falls residents, as you plan for your own household use, I would invite you to do the same. Look for ways to save and be careful about water waste. You can also look for more information about our state’s water profile at the highly educational Smithsonian water exhibit that will come to our library later this spring—thanks to a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council. Education — Much has been said about education in the past few days. As one who has benefited from the public education opportunities in my life, I know first-hand how important a strong system of public education can be. I also know how important nurturing a strong education system is for a community like ours. In the short run, we want to be attractive to new residents who are looking for the best schools for their kids. But education is also a form of long-term investment into our community’s future. In the past year, several reliable sources have sounded an alarm in Idaho about education and job training. If we do not act to change the status quo, Idaho will see a shortage of trained workers to support local industries and businesses. I see this fact as nothing but a great big opportunity for Idaho Falls. What we are hearing from the Lab and other tech-based industries is that really good jobs will be there in the future, we simply need to step up to ensure that our children—the next generation of Idaho workers—will be prepared and ready. Preparation and readiness means education and training. This is why I am more than ready to help our community have the conversation about how to do this. I was very excited to hear of the Governor’s offer of $5M to aid with the start-up costs for a community college here in Eastern Idaho. In the coming year I will work to support a serious dialogue about education. Simply put, I believe that the education we fund today determines the economic future we will enjoy tomorrow. 6  JANUARY 14 , 2016 Economic Development — Very quickly I wish to report that the promise of regional economic development cooperation has been realized. This past summer, REDI—Regional Economic Development for Eastern Idaho—was launched successfully. The organization currently comprises both Bonneville and Bingham counties. I can report that a dynamite director was hired and progress is being made. Speaking with a unified voice gives us a larger presence when it comes to attracting new business. REDI is proving that multiple cities and counties can pool their resources, efforts and assets to achieve greater visibility for our promising part of the world. We also hired an Economic Development Coordinator for our city a short time ago. This position serves as the primary point of contact for contractors, developers and business owners in an effort to streamline the communication and coordination process for those professionals who make local growth possible. This, along with the recent roll-out of software that completely automates planning and building applications, reviews, inspections and public notification processes, is the essence of the “one-stop- shopping” voters said they wanted back when I was running for office. Emergent Themes I hope you are starting to see why Idaho Falls is a really exciting place to be these days. I see several large themes emerging out of all of these city and community efforts this past year. Excellence — The city achievements I have noted are not exceptions to the norm—high standards, ambitious planning and professional merit from city managers and local industries are the norm. Leadership — Idaho Falls is at the center of many of the efforts I have discussed. We clearly have the talent in our midst. And right now, we also have a lot of opportunity. Leadership happens when someone with talent seizes upon an opportunity and brings the rest of us along. Without question, this is what is happening here in Idaho Falls. Cooperation — This year, we have seen the good that can come from intergovernmental cooperation. Our tremendously hard-working, all-volunteer Planning and Zoning Commission has begun meeting together with the County’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Likewise, the County Commissioners and City Council members also have met together in preparation for the months-long Area of Impact process. And, through intelligent budgeting, and a smart partnership with Bonneville County, the residents of Swan Valley can expect enhanced services as the Idaho Falls Fire Department expanded its service territory to provide ambulance service to Swan Valley. We will also see an additional ambulance in the Metropolitan area. Over time, all Bonneville County residents will pay less in tax and receive more in service. It is a good story about what can result from intergovernmental cooperation and good management. Working together, Idaho Falls and Ammon also have demonstrated that win-win cooperation among cities is possible. This past summer construction on the Hitt & Sunnyside Road intersection was completed just in time to facilitate much new growth. And it was this same inter-city cooperation that enabled the Target parking lot solution to roll out just in time for the holiday shopping season. 7  JANUARY 14 , 2016 Citizen Service — Recently, Idaho Falls city leaders have become more focused on the quality of options we provide for city residents. We seek to offer improvements in what many people call customer service. But as I have thought about it, I have realized that citizens really are not customers. Citizenship is far nobler. And the privilege of serving citizens demands that city employees and city officials give our citizens the best experience possible. This is reflected in everything from:  Staying open late on Monday nights for in-person utility payments, to  Offering one-stop shopping for developers, to  Offering free home energy audits, to  Providing safe, meaningful, worthwhile volunteer experiences for those who want to serve, to  Offering Free Wi-Fi and charging stations at the airport, to  Offering family-friendly and affordable recreation option such as movies in the park, to  Offering access to Rosetta Stone language learning opportunities for library cardholders. And the list goes on. If you find yourself not understanding why or how it is we do things the way we do in the City of Idaho Falls, please approach us with your questions. My office team and each of our Department Directors are prepared to help you get answers. We are committed to citizen service. Year of the Citizen — Last week when Mayor Kirkham offered her State of the City address in Ammon, she was the first to introduce yet another joint effort between our two cities—which is that we two mayors have determined to make 2016 the “Year of the Citizen” in our respective cities. What does this mean? As the year goes on, we each will share thoughts about the privileges and opportunities of citizenship. Tonight I want to emphasize the rich tradition of citizenship that has built Idaho Falls into the city that it is. Let me offer a few examples to illustrate. Consider Tautphaus Park. Named for Charles C. Tautphaus, the park was a personal project of his as he sought to develop his own private property into a beautiful garden spot. Later, this beautiful property was donated to our city though it surely could have fetched a fortune had it been sold off in parcels. And today the value we have derived as a community because we have such a beautiful park is simply too great to be valued. The Tautphaus family members were indeed citizens of the highest order. Consider Kate Curley. An early Idaho Falls citizen who organized the Village Improvement Society, she helped to remove trash from city streets and worked with others to get an ordinance passed to prevent livestock from roaming city streets. She worked with others to secure a grant from the Carnegie Foundation to help build our first library—now part of the museum—another rich city treasure. We have to ask ourselves what Idaho Falls would be like today without the early efforts of determined citizens like Ms. Curley who sought to tame our young and wild western city at the turn of the last century. We also can look to modern-day examples. 8  JANUARY 14 , 2016 The work of the Idaho Falls Rotary Club. Our River Walk was not always the jewel on the river that it is today. I am told the water’s edge once was not a place where polite people wanted to congregate. A combination of leadership and citizenship have resulted in many, many tens of thousands of dollars being raised and donated to the city to pay for River Walk improvements. Today, a walk along the river is a big part of how we enjoy good weather around here. In fact, city guests and residents actually wore out the original walking path. Recently, our Parks and Recreation Department responded by securing funding—some of it from Rotary—to rebuild and widen the most-used stretches of the river trail. We can thank citizen-Rotarians for this. The Exchange Club. If you have been to the Field of Honor at Freeman Park over Memorial Day weekend, you have experienced something very moving. I encourage all to visit this coming Memorial Day to experience heartfelt patriotism and citizenship in action—made possible by Exchange Club citizenship. The same can be said for the work of all of our civic clubs—Civitans, Kiwanis, etc. The work they do is pure citizenship. And Idaho Falls benefits. And when it comes to individual citizens, were you aware that in 2014 we had 1,250 volunteers in the Parks & Recreation department alone? This translates into more than 42,940 hours of time. That freely- donated labor brought us nearly a million dollars of what otherwise would have been purchased with tax dollars. A million dollars. That is more money than we could raise in a single year if we raised city taxes by the full amount allowable by law! Because Idaho Falls has citizen volunteers with civic spirit we are able to offer much, much more than we could if we simply limited our services to what we can provide with actual dollars. Volunteering is citizenship at work to be sure. These few examples illustrate the essence of citizenship and civic spirit and what can be accomplished when people in a community desire something more and step up to provide more than what tax dollars alone can provide. Conclusion I will conclude with a personal reflection. I want my fellow citizens in this great city to know how much I appreciate local government. One of the things that it means to be local is that we make our laws and we set our budget all out in the open. We meet right here several times a month in open meetings. And for those who cannot travel the few miles to be here in the room with us personally, we stream and archive our meetings over the internet. Another important aspect of local governance is that our problems are close and visible and we usually can apply local, tailor-made solutions to them. And I have to say that we manage really well with the many state and federal regulations that we must comply with. We cope well, we comply well and we do it economically. From my vantage point, in Idaho Falls there is no room for the kind of cynicism that we find at the state and national levels of government. In Idaho Falls we govern with optimism. This is not just something I am proud of, it is what makes Idaho Falls a gem in the State of Idaho. It is a great place to be. Finally, I happily report that Councilman Whittier was not the only citizen in Idaho Falls who is dauntless in the pursuit of a better Idaho Falls. Some are elected, some get paid, some volunteer, and some 9  JANUARY 14 , 2016 merely pay their taxes, obey city ordinances, mow their lawns, shovel their sidewalks, pick up their own litter when they visit the park and perhaps most importantly, teach their children to do the same. Tonight I salute you—the Citizens of Idaho Falls. Thank you. Mayor Casper and Councilmembers honored the following employees with Years of Service Pins: 20 Years: Kenneth Hartog, Community Development Services Michelle Clark-Quick, Community Development Services Darrell West, Community Development Services/BMPO Anthony Martin, Fire Eric Day, Fire Barry Dennert, Fire Cory Dennert, Fire Jeff Parsons, Fire Kelly Call, Human Resources Eric Buttars, Municipal Services/Equipment Maintenance Mark Goodman, Police Allen Hall, Police William Squires, Police Charlene Rumsey, Police/Dispatch Mark Reed, Power Paul Hathaway, Public Works/Streets Alvin Edwards, Public Works/Streets 25 Years: William Cutler, Fire Rick Lords, Fire Glenn Marks, Fire Brian Moncur, Fire Sam Villabisencio, Fire Terry Kofoed, Fire Cherlyn Landon, Library Heidi Carlson, Municipal Services/Purchasing Tim Lohse, Parks & Recreation/Sandcreek Golf Course Kelly Merrell, Parks & Recreation/Sandcreek Golf Course Kenneth Zaugg, Police Patrick McKenna, Police Paul Phillipp, Power David Waters, Power Yvonna Gunderson, Public Works/Engineering Manuel Ponce, Public Works/Sanitation Brian Newcomb, Public Works/Sewer Dennis Hendrickson, Public Works/Waste Water Treatment Plant Michael Ralphs, Public Works/Sewer 10  JANUARY 14 , 2016 30 Years: Mike Abbott, Fire Kenneth Anderson, Fire Ron Gebs, Fire Kim Sibbett, Fire Tim Arehart, Parks & Recreation Kevin Day, Parks & Recreation Linda Beard, Parks & Recreation/Zoo Terry Dutton, Public Works/Sanitation 35 Years: Brian Tomsett, Community Development Services Rod Moore, Power 45 Years: Dennis Tremayne, Police Mayor Casper presented the Council photograph and nameplate to Councilmembers Lehto and Parry and expressed her appreciation for their countless hours of service to the City over the course of several years. Following a brief recess Mayor Casper reconvened the meeting by calling for nominations for President of the City Council. Councilmember Ehardt stated it has been tradition of the City to nominate the longest serving Councilmember as Council President. She nominated Councilmember Thomas Hally to act as President of the Council for the coming year, not because of his seniority but she believes he is the best person to fulfill the duties as Council President. There being no further nominations, it was moved by Councilmember Ehardt, seconded by Councilmember Radford, that Councilmember Hally serve as President of the City Council. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Ehardt, Marohn, Radford, Smith, Dingman. Abstain – Hally. Nay – none. Motion Carried. Mayor Casper announced the 2016 Council liaisons assignments as follows: Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman- Community Development Services Police Department Public Works Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMPO) Policy Board Councilmember David M. Smith- Municipal Services Idaho Falls Power Community Development Services BMPO Policy Board Chair Councilmember Thomas Hally- Human Resources Parks and Recreation 11  JANUARY 14 , 2016 Idaho Falls Power Idaho Falls Redevelopment Agency (IFRdA) Board Senior Citizen Center Board Councilmember Ed Marohn- Fire Department Municipal Services Police Department Veterans Affairs Back-up for IFRdA, Regional Development Alliance (RDA), Idaho Innovation Center (IIC) Councilmember John Radford- Parks and Recreation Airport Fire Department Library Board Targhee Regional Public Transit Authority (TRPTA) Board Councilmember Barbara Ehardt- Public Works Legal Services Airport BMPO Policy Board The City Clerk requested approval of License Applications, all carrying the required approvals. It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Ehardt, to approve all License Applications and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign any necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Hally, Smith, Dingman, Ehardt, Marohn, Radford. Nay – none. Motion carried. The Community Development Services Department submitted the following item for Council consideration: Receipt of Planning Commission Action – January 5, 2016. Director Cramer stated this is a State requirement regarding the Local Land Use Planning Act (LLUPA). He indicated this is a routine item which generally is approved at Council Work Sessions. It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Dingman, to receive recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Commission pursuant to the LLUPA. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Marohn, Dingman, Ehardt, Hally, Radford, Smith. Nay – none. Motion carried. Public Works Department submitted the following item for Council consideration: MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Chris H Fredericksen, Public Works Director Subject: Bid Award – Whittier Street Water Line N Holmes to N Freeman Avenue 12  JANUARY 14 , 2016 On December 15, 2015, bids were received and opened for Whittier Street Water Line N. Holmes to N. Freeman Avenue project. A tabulation of bid results is attached. Public Works recommends approval of the plans and specifications, award to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, TMC Contractors, Inc., in an amount of $130,136.00 and, authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to sign contract documents. It was moved by Councilmember Ehardt, seconded by Councilmember Marohn, to approve the plans and specifications, award to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, TMC Contractors, Inc., an amount of $130,136.00 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign contract documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Smith, Hally, Radford, Dingman, Ehardt, Marohn. Nay – none. Motion carried. The Municipal Services Department submitted the following items for Council consideration: MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Subject: Bid IF-16-05, Western Red Cedar Power Poles It is the recommendation of Idaho Falls Power and Municipal Services Departments to reject the bid received for the above referenced bid. The bidder, Bell Lumber, bid full length pressure treated poles but the specifications were the poles to be thermal butt treated. As per the attached resolution it is requested the Municipal Services Department receive authorization to purchase the power poles on the open market. Councilmember Marohn stated only one bid was received but the bidder did not conform to the requirements. Therefore, per Idaho Code, the City is allowed to reject all bids and secure goods on the open market with passage of a resolution. It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Smith, to approve the Resolution authorizing staff to secure goods and services on the open market for Western Red Cedar Power Poles, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Dingman, Radford, Marohn, Smith, Hally, Ehardt. Nay – none. Motion carried. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-01 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, AUTHORIZING STAFF TO SECURE GOODS AND SERVICES IN THE OPEN MARKET FOR WESTERN RED CEDAR POWER POLES AND PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE EFFECTIVE UPON ITS PASSAGE, APPROVAL, AND PUBLICATION ACCORDING TO LAW. MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Subject: Bid IF-16-14, Electrical Inventory It is the recommendation of Idaho Falls Power and Municipal Services Departments to accept the lowest, responsive, responsible bids from the list below to furnish the inventory for a lump sum amount of $66,265.75. Codale Electrical Supply $20,591.75 13  JANUARY 14 , 2016 General Pacific $746.00 Anixter Power Solutions $44,928.00 Lump Sum Total $66,265.75 It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Smith, to accept the lowest, responsive, responsible bids to furnish specified inventory as listed for a lump sum amount of $66,265.75, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign any necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Radford, Ehardt, Smith, Marohn, Dingman, Hally. Nay – none. Motion carried. To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Subject: Bid IF-16-08, Electrical Conductors It is the recommendation of Idaho Falls Power and Municipal Services Departments to accept the lowest responsive, responsible bid, Codale Electric Supply, to furnish electrical conductors for a lump sum amount of $74,578.60. It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Smith, to accept the lowest responsive, responsible bid, Codale Electric Supply, to furnish electrical conductors for a lump sum amount of $74,578.60, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign any necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Dingman, Smith, Marohn, Ehardt, Hally, Radford. Nay – none. Motion carried. MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Subject: Bid IF-16-13, Distribution Transformer It is the recommendation of Idaho Falls Power and Municipal Services Departments to accept the lowest responsive, responsible bid, Codale Electric Supply and Anixter Power to furnish the distribution transformers listed below for a lump sum amount of $122,708.50. Item Transformer Quantity Total Amount Bidder 1 25 kVA Single-Polemount 10 $9,550.00 Anixter Power 2 37.5 kVA Single-Polemount 5 $6,000.00 Anixter Power 3 25 kVA Single-Padmount 20 $28,320.00 Codale Electric 4 50 kVA Single-Padmount 5 $9,757.50 Codale Electric 5 150 kVA Single-Padmount 3 $20,316.00 Anixter Power It 6 225 kVA Single-Padmount 4 $32,874.00 Anixter Power was (208Y/120 Volts) mov ed 7 225 kVA Single-Padmount 2 $15,891.00 Anixter Power to (480Y/277 Volts) acc ept Lump Sum Total $122,708.50 by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Smith, the lowest responsive, responsible bid, Codale Electric Supply and Anixter Power to furnish the distribution transformers listed below for a lump sum amount of $122,708.50, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign any necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Marohn, Dingman, Ehardt, Hally, Radford, Smith. Nay – none. Motion carried. The Parks and Recreation Department submitted the following item for Council consideration: 14  JANUARY 14 , 2016 MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Greg A. Weitzel, Director, Parks and Recreation Department Subject: Pinecrest Golf Course Property Donation Attached for your consideration is a proposed Quitclaim Deed from Steven C. Smith, for a donation of property in the Belair Addition adjacent to Pinecrest Golf Course. The Deed Transfer has been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney. The Department of Parks and Recreation respectfully requests the approval and authorization for Mayor and City Clerk to execute the documents. Director Weitzel stated an Environmental Site Assessment for this property, consisting of 8.74 acres, has been conducted and indicated no issues. He believes this property could be used as a holding pond for Pinecrest Golf Course for future water usage. It was moved by Councilmember Hally, seconded by Councilmember Radford, to approve the donation of property in the Belair Addition adjacent to Pinecrest Golf Course from Steven C. Smith, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Smith, Hally, Dingman, Radford, Ehardt, Marohn. Nay – none. Motion carried. There being no further business, it was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Hally, to adjourn at 9:20 p.m. which motion passed by unanimous vote. _____________________________________ _______________________________________ CITY CLERK MAYOR 15