City Council

September 6, 2016 The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Special Council Meeting (Council Work Session), Tuesday, September 6, 2016, in the Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 3:00 p.m. There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Councilmember Thomas Hally Councilmember David M. Smith (arrived at 3:02) Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilmember Barbara Ehardt Councilmember Ed Marohn Councilmember John B. Radford Also present: Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Kenny McOmber, City Treasurer Mark Hagedorn, City Controller Greg Weitzel, Parks and Recreation Director David Pennock, Zoo Superintendent Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director Brad Cramer, Community Development Services Director Kerry Beutler, Community Development Services Assistant Director Kerry Hammon, Public Information Officer Randy Fife, City Attorney Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 3:00. It was moved by Councilmember Radford, seconded by Councilmember Marohn, to add to the final position on the agenda, prior to the Executive Session, the finalization of the Air Show Resolution. The good faith reason for the addition is the time sensitive nature of a resolution so the Air Show Board can move forward with their preparation and the fact it does not appear on the agenda presently. Mayor Casper stated she has been in conversation with the Airshow Board as well as Department Directors related to the requested services to specify the level of support required by the City. She indicated a written request has not been received from the Airshow Board at this point. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Marohn, Dingman, Ehardt, Hally, Radford. Abstain – Councilmember Smith. Nay – none. Motion carried. Mayor’s Report and Action Items/Announcements and Calendar Items: September 8, Idaho Falls Power APPA (American Public Power Association) Webinar 12:00-1:30 p.m. September 8, Regular Council Meeting September 9, Sean Allen, Idaho Falls Fire Department Fire Captain, will be receiving an award in Boise September 10, Fallen Heroes Tribute run/walk at Snake River Landing September 10, Webinar “The Many Faces of Religious Freedom: Where’s the Balance” September 10, Bonneville County Heritage Association, Treasurer’s Tours September 10, Symphony Concert in the park September 13, UAMPS (Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems) in Salt Lake City, Utah September 15, Bizfest, Keefers Island September 16, Zoo Brew at Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park September 17, Hometown Heroes event, Pocatello September 17, Birds, Bugles and Brunch event at Camas National Wildlife Refuge 1  September 6, 2016 Mayor Casper announced three (3) City of Idaho Falls employees, Community Development Services Director Brad Cramer, Idaho Falls Power Assistant Director Bear Prairie, and Recreation Superintendent PJ Holm, have been selected for the Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Under 40 recognition with an awards dinner scheduled for October 6. She introduced Ryan Tew, who was recently appointed as Human Resources Director. She stated the City will be hosting the Adult Sister Cities delegation October 3-8, with special recognition by City officials and staff scheduled for October 3. City Council Reports: Councilmember Hally stated discussion regarding 17th Street and Hitt Road is continuing. Councilmember Radford believes the 17th Street and Hitt Road conversation has been positive. Councilmember Marohn stated the Ammon Mutual Fire Aid Agreement is being reviewed by Legal Services, each City appears to be in agreement of the fee structure and protocol. Councilmember Ehardt encouraged the Councilmembers to review the public comments regarding the Traffic Signal Removal project. Councilmember Dingman stated the first meeting has been held with the City of Ammon regarding the Hitt Road Maintenance Agreement. Councilmember Smith indicated the City of Ammon will not proceed with the Hitt Road Maintenance Agreement until an agreement has been confirmed regarding 17th Street and Hitt Road. He stated Idaho Falls Power Open House is scheduled for September 24. Quarterly Financial Report (postponed from August): Director Alexander stated the financial report will be presented on a quarterly basis. She then turned the presentation to Mr. McOmber. Mr. McOmber reviewed Cash Balance Trends, which includes all funds for the previous ten (10) years. Director Alexander stated internal resources are being utilized for trends. Brief discussion occurred regarding the Golf and Capital Improvement Funds. Mr. McOmber stated the Golf Fund is typically in a deficit, except for the September and October months, due to golf being a seasonal activity. He reviewed the Cash and Investment Report stating the majority of total City investments occur in the Enterprise Fund (68%) at an average of 1-1.5% investment rate, as the City develops its own portfolio versus a State portfolio. He reviewed the Cash and Investment Report, which includes all other funds (32%), also at 1-1.5% investment rate. Mr. Hagedorn reviewed Tax Collections Reporting as follows:  Fiscal Year 2014/15 Total Tax Collections - $28.7 million (includes property and other taxes)  Total Tax Collections for 2015/16 for the five open tax levy years (2011-2015) - $24.9 million Mr. McOmber reviewed Utility Collections, stating the recently approved write off of approximately $350,000 represents one-half percent of the total amount collected. He indicated in January 2015, the ordinance was changed reducing the past due timeframes which have reduced the number of delinquent accounts. He stated the current collection rate is approximately 99.5%. Mr. Hagedorn reviewed the following FY2016 Forecast reports with general discussion throughout: Revenue Reporting: Taxes and Franchises - $30,029,890 Intergovernmental Revenue - $21,305,794 Government Charges for Services - $12,490,754 Enterprise Charges for Services - $70,531,496 Miscellaneous - $5,160,758 Non Revenue Transfer - $4,315,536 Total - $143,834,229 2  September 6, 2016 Governmental Expenditure Reporting: Mayor & Council - $267,087 Legal - $439,331 Municipal Services - $5,373,797 Planning & Building - $2,124,106 Human Resources - $164,020 Police - $13,216,106 Fire - $12,313,565 Parks & Recreation - $12,832,475 Public Works - $9,561,587 Library - $2,537,119 Total - $58,829,193 Enterprise Expenditure Reporting: Airport - $9,288,452 Public Works-Enterprise - $24,002,908 Fire-Ambulance - $6,609,084 Electric - $58,873,214 Total - $98,773,658 Expenditure by Type Reporting: Wages - $42,940,476 Benefits - $20,894,090 Operating Expenses - $70,195,471 Capital Outlay - $32,468,422 MERF Depreciation - $3,182,947 Debt Service Payments - $1,100,000 Operating Transfers - $552,440 Interfund Transfer - $(10,799,506) Total - $160,534,340 Mr. Hagedorn reviewed Encumbrances, a placeholder for the budget to ensure the budget is not overspent in a department or category. He stated the encumbrance is generally a rollover of funding for projects to occur in the following fiscal year. $3 million is the encumbrance capacity to roll over. Director Alexander stated future quarterly financial presentations will include status of 2016/17 capital projects; status of one-time 2016/17 budget items, including projects that fell through; and trend analysis of unassigned cash balances. Discussion and Adoption of Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park 5-year Plan: Director Weitzel stated the zoo presentation regarding the Strategic Plan has involved the elected officials, the Tautphaus Park Zoological Society Board and Staff, the zoo staff and volunteers, and more than 1,000 patrons and community members. He then turned the presentation to Mr. Pennock with general discussion throughout. Mr. Pennock stated the five-year plan is to focus all efforts toward a common vision to create a zoo which is: more financially viable; more valuable education and recreation asset; increased impact on the local economy; and inspires active participation in creating a healthy future for wildlife. The plan established five (5) priorities for the zoo. Mr. Pennock reviewed the history and impact of the Idaho Falls zoo, stating the zoo began in 1935. After 40 years, growing concerns began to generate letters and by 1985 complaints were submitted to the U.S. Humane Society. The City began building a powerful public/partnership for dramatic transformation which included passage 3  September 6, 2016 of a formal resolution by the City Council. The Idaho Falls Zoo became the first zoo in Idaho to receive accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has maintained this distinction for 18 years. Mr. Pennock stated the Idaho Falls Zoo is among the most highly used attractions in Eastern Idaho, with an average number of 123,000 visitors each year with an annual $3.54 million impact on the local economy. The zoo is an Educational Resource for the Entire Region, with an average number of 7,000 school children every year. Director Weitzel reviewed General Findings: What is the purpose of the zoo? Education, Entertainment/Recreation, Conservation. What does Idaho Falls Zoo do well? Great collection of well-cared for animals, well-trained and dedicated staff, and patrons love the experience they have. What needs to be improved? Idaho Falls Zoo is not seen as a dynamic, interactive, education experience; is perceived as being stale; can attract more visitors; basic operations infrastructure needs strengthening. Areas of Priority: 1. Strengthen the Foundation 2. Improve Visitor Experience 3. Conservation 4. Broaden the Reach 5. Maintain the Current Atmosphere and Accessibility of the Zoo Next Steps include: 1. Approval of Plan Resolution 2. Approval of Tautphaus Park Master Plan 3. Implement Recommendations 4. Staff Reorganization It was moved by Councilmember Radford, seconded by Councilmember Hally, to adopt the Resolution for the 5- year Strategic Plan. Brief discussion followed including the possibility of expanding hours to allow additional attendance. Roll call as follows: Aye - Councilmembers Smith, Hally, Radford, Dingman, Marohn. Nay – Councilmember Ehardt. Motion carried. RESOLUTION 2016-27 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE "IDAHO FALLS ZOO FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN," DEVELOPED BY THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION; AND PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE EFFECTIVE UPON ITS PASSAGE, APPROVAL AND PUBLICATION ACCORDING TO LAW. Recycling Discussion: Director Fredericksen reviewed recycling comparison of eight (8) Idaho cities including solid waste collection, monthly garbage rates, recycling collection – municipal or private, monthly recycle rates, recycling – mandatory or volunteer, and billing – municipality or private. He stated four (4) cities recycle on a volunteer basis and four (4) cities mandate recycling. Director Fredericksen stated conversation has occurred with Bonneville County regarding landfill issues/concerns. Discussion followed regarding possibility of franchise services with a private recycler. Director Fredericksen believes there is a low percentage of Idaho Falls residents who voluntarily recycle with a private company. After further brief discussion, it was decided future conversation will include costs for the current City recycling bins, possible partnership with Bonneville County, participation rate with a private provider, and input from citizens. 4  September 6, 2016 Discussion of Ordinance Definitions for Single-family Dwellings: Director Cramer stated definition updates to the zoning ordinance are being required due to an enforcement issue that the current ordinance is unable to address. Assistant Director Beutler stated an individual in a single-family neighborhood has been renting beds in their home to multiple people. He indicated the individual has interpreted the ordinance different than Community Development Services Department (CDSD). The issue was then presented to the Board of Adjustment (BOA) who confirmed the resident was not in compliance with the ordinance. However, Assistant Director Beutler indicated staff prefers to clarify the ordinance to prevent any recurrence. He reviewed definition changes, stating ‘family’ will be updated to ‘household’ in single-family neighborhoods. Director Cramer stated this definition will not change the traditional household although an owner, not living in home, could rent out to 4 unrelated individuals. General discussion followed. Director Cramer stated short-term rentals and Airbnb will be discussed during the zoning ordinance update which will occur in the near future. Discussion of Airshow: Mayor Casper stated this item has been tentatively scheduled for the September 19, 2016 Work Session. She believes there should be a simple agreement to capture the health, safety, and welfare costs and services. She indicated after discussion with Department Directors, some dollar amounts approved in the budget are above and beyond the typical cost of service, while some amounts are less. She believes the Councilmembers preferred additional information to allow future community support discussion as the funding allocation is from the same funding source and believes extra time may be needed to sort out the costs. Councilmember Marohn indicated the initial cost was reduced to $85,000 and he recommended the resolution specify $85,879 as service costs as he believes the City is in a position to lose the Airshow. He stated the resolution confirms what the Councilmembers agreed to support as the City will be controlling traffic and community safety. Councilmember Radford believes the resolution is the documented way to move forward. Mayor Casper believes the specific dollar amounts should be removed from resolution. Councilmember Dingman believes the Airshow Board should have applied through the Community Support Grant process. Councilmember Hally stated this is a large event and will require logistics/planning, including a written agreement. After further discussion it was moved by Councilmember Smith, seconded by Councilmember Marohn, to amend the resolution to remove ‘budgeted amount’, to add ‘not to exceed $85,879’, and in place of specific department dollar amounts add ‘in-kind services’. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Dingman, Smith, Marohn, Ehardt, Hally, Radford. Nay – none. Motion carried. Councilmember Ehardt stated she supports the Council to move forward but expressed her concern for the process. It was then moved by Councilmember Radford, seconded by Councilmember Hally, to amend Councilmember Smith’s motion to ‘not to exceed $102,000’. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilmembers Hally, Radford, Dingman, Ehardt, Marohn. Nay – Smith. Motion carried. Roll call on passage of resolution as follows: Aye – Councilmember Marohn, Dingman, Ehardt, Hally, Radford, Smith. Nay – none. Motion carried. Mr. Fife sated the resolution commits the City and funds for the airshow. After brief discussion, it was consensus of the Council that no further agreement will be needed. It was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Dingman, to adjourn the meeting at 6:41 p.m. and move into Executive Session which has been called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74- 206(1)(f) To communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated but imminently likely to be litigated, and not reconvene to Work Session upon conclusion of the Executive Session. Roll call as follows: Aye - Councilmembers Dingman, Smith, Marohn, Ehardt, Hally, Radford. Nay – none. Motion carried. The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Special Council Meeting (Executive Session), Tuesday, September 6, 2016, in the Annex Conference Room in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 6:48 p.m. There were present: 5  September 6, 2016 Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Councilmember David M. Smith Councilmember Barbara Ehardt Councilmember John B. Radford Councilmember Ed Marohn Councilmember Thomas Hally Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman Also present: Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director Michael Kirkham, Assistant City Attorney Randy Fife, City Attorney The Executive Session has been called pursuant to the provision of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(f) To communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated but imminently likely to be litigated. There being no further business, it was moved by Councilmember Marohn, seconded by Councilmember Hally, that the meeting adjourn at 7:27 p.m. which motion passed following a unanimous vote. s/ Kathy Hampton s/ Rebecca L. Noah Capser CITY CLERK MAYOR 6