City Council
Regular MeetingIdaho Falls, ID · May 22, 2017
Minutes
May 22, 2017
The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Special Meeting (Council Work Session), Monday, May 22, 2017,
in the Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 3:00 p.m.
Call to Order and Roll Call:
There were present:
Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper
Councilmember David M. Smith
Councilmember Ed Marohn
Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman
Councilmember Thomas Hally
Councilmember Barbara Ehardt (arrived at 3:15)
Councilmember John B. Radford (arrived at 3:42)
Also present:
Ryan Tew, Human Resources Director
AJ Argyle, American Insurance Representative
Brad Cramer, Community Development Services Director
Mark McBride, Police Chief
Dave Hanneman, Fire Chief
Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director
Greg Weitzel, Parks and Recreation Director
Randy Fife, City Attorney
Kerry Hammon, Public Information Officer
Kathy Hampton, City Clerk
Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. with the following agenda items:
Calendar, Announcements and Reports:
Mayor Casper stated a recent traffic accident has claimed the lives of two (2) local teenagers. She expressed her
condolences to those families affected. Mayor Casper stated the opening season of stock car racing at Noise Park has
begun. She noted crews are working on beautifying the City flower beds. She indicated Department Directors may
be out of the office for various reasons and Councilmembers should plan any meetings accordingly. She stated the
Oppenheimer Company recently spoke at the City Club forum, this forum will be rebroadcast on May 29. Mayor
Casper expressed her gratitude to all those community members who recently volunteered at Rose Hill Cemetery
after the recent vandalism.
May 22, Mayors Bike Ride
May 23, Shade Tree Commission Meeting
May 24, Idaho Falls Auditorium District Meeting
May 25, Idaho Falls Power Board Meeting; Library Board Meeting; and, City Council Meeting
Farmers Market, occurring on Saturdays
May 26-29, Field of Honor at Freeman Park
June 3, North American Brewers Association/Beer Fest
June 4, LDS Temple dedication
June 5, Council Work Session and joint City Council/County Commissioners Meeting
June 12, Westside Soil and Water Conservation Tour
June 29, Public Works Utility Meeting
Councilmember Hally stated any donations to assist with restoration costs at Rose Hill Cemetery are being accepted
in the City Treasurer's Office.
Councilmember Marohn had no items to report.
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May 22, 2017
Councilmember Smith stated he is the Chairman, as well as a major sponsor, for the Field of Honor. He briefly
reviewed the schedule of ceremonies, stating Mayor Casper and Councilmember Marohn will be participating in the
ceremonies.
Councilmember Dingman commended the volunteers at Rose Hill Ceremony. She expressed her appreciation to those
who celebrated National Police Week in honor of the local police officers.
Councilmember Ehardt had no items to report.
Budget Workshop Part III: Health Insurance Recommendations:
Director Tew stated there is no cost increase for employee benefits due to negotiations with Blue Cross from Mr.
Argyle. Therefore, he recommended no changes to the premium structure for medical and dental insurance for the
upcoming fiscal year. He believes due to the employee/employer shared costs, it makes sense to continue as is. Mr.
Argyle confirmed Healthy Measures will continue. Mayor Casper indicated this discussion, along with previous
discussion regarding the 2.5% inflation increase, will allow budget documents to be prepared with true numbers.
Councilmember Dingman expressed her appreciation to the work and forethought. She also expressed her
appreciation to Mr. Argyle. Director Tew indicated demographics of the workforce is always evolving which has
resulted in a shift of employees benefits plans. The result has caused a decrease to the expense for the City, which
has resulted in savings of ~$75,000-$155,000 from the previous year. He stated he will be looking at survey data and
a proposal to funnel a portion of this savings to make the vacation package more generous as he believes the vacation
policy is not competitive for employees, especially those employees that have been employed for 1-6 years. At the
request of Councilmember Marohn, Director Tew stated the current yearly cap of vacation is approximately 5 weeks.
Mayor Casper indicated a portion of said savings may also be placed into a self-insurance fund or the General Fund.
Brief general discussion followed. Councilmember Ehardt believes any department savings should be returned to that
department versus the General Fund. Mayor Casper requested any changes be proposed during the budget
presentation in July.
Personnel Policy Update:
Mayor Casper stated in conjunction with the 2015 Citizens Review Committee (CRC) recommendation to rescind
the Civil Service System, there was also recommendation to replace the employee precautions found in the Civil
Service Rules with a written policy with a fair treatment just cause standard to govern personnel actions. Director
Tew reiterated he does not believe any rights were being taken away with the rescission of the Civil Service System
as there are current Federal and State laws that prohibit discrimination for various reasons. He indicated although the
current personnel policy does not contain the proposed/requested ‘for cause’ statement, the employees still have those
protections. He believes the verbiage, taken from State Code, should be included in the City personnel policy as this
is important for perception. Director Tew stated since his hire date he has been revising the City grievance policy. He
indicated ‘at will’ versus ‘for cause’ becomes legally complex. Mr. Fife believes this proposed change does not
change what the police officers believed they had related to Civil Service, and does not change what the non-Civil
Service employees had related to grievances. Director Tew believes the City policy accomplishes everything the Civil
Service policy accomplished and more. Mr. Fife briefly explained ‘at will’ and ‘for cause’ policy/guideline. He
recommended this proposed policy change. Brief discussion followed. Mayor Casper believes there will be more
workforce aware of their rights and responsibilities which will assist with employee valuations and compensation. At
the request of Councilmember Ehardt, Mr. Fife clarified the date included in the policy is due to the rescission of
Civil Service. Councilmember Ehardt stated she prefers not to have the date included. To the response of
Councilmember Dingman, Director Tew stated there has been indirect input from employees. Mayor Casper stated
this item will be included on the May 25 Council Meeting agenda.
Idaho Falls Downtown Development Corporation (IFDDC) Business Improvement District (BID) Request and
Presentation:
Mayor Casper recognized Greg Crockett, Chairman of the IFDDC, and Catherine Smith, Executive Director of
IFDDC. She then turned the presentation to Director Cramer. Director Cramer stated the IFDDC presents the BID
report to Council on an annual basis. This BID particular process occurs once every ten (10) years, the BID was
originally approved in 1997 and renewed in 2007. He reviewed the designation boundary map of downtown
properties. He stated although the IFDDC manages the BID agreements with directed funds, the BID is controlled by
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State Statute. Director Cramer reviewed the steps for the BID process. Step one: applicants obtain petitions from
property owners. More than 50% of property owners affected by the district must sign in order to renew or establish
the district. This 50% is based on evaluation of the property. Step two: petitions are reviewed by the City for validity.
Step three: if petitions are valid, the State Statute directs the City Council to adopt a resolution notifying intent to
renew or establish the district and sets the date for a public hearing. The public hearing has been proposed for July
13, 2017. Final step: Council will consider the Ordinance, if renewing the district, proposed for July 27, 2017.
Director Cramer stated for the previous 20 years, the City has collected the tax which is then distributed to IFDDC.
He indicated for this renewal, IFDDC has been working with Bonneville County to collect the tax, which is a more
logical method. Director Cramer stated since 1996 all properties have been assessed at the 1996 value, no matter the
condition of the building, with a $1700 maximum annual assessment. Proposed change would increase maximum
annual assessment to $2500. He also indicated the BID has assessed properties at a 4 mills rate. Additional proposed
change would reduce the 4 mills to a 2 mills rate. Mayor Casper stated the resolution for this item will be included
on the May 25 Council Meeting agenda.
Independence Day Planning:
Mayor Casper believes, due to careful planning and attention to detail, citizens and any visitors will enjoy several
activities during the Independence Day events. She stated significant effort has taken place on formerly unimproved
land, with coordination of Melaleuca, Ball Ventures, and, City officials and staff.
Estimated costs for public safety/traffic control were reviewed. Chief Hanneman indicated the Fire Department
services to the parade will include mini ambulance and bike patrol, with appropriate staff. Service to
Riverfest/Fireworks include mini ambulance, bike patrol, swift water rescue technician, and wildland engine crew,
with appropriate staff. He estimated costs of ~$10,000.00, with amount based on the average of hourly base rate. He
stated the hourly base rate does not include those exempt employees participating in this event. Chief Hanneman
stated there has not been a separate Fire Department budget for special events, any costs are found within the budget
as part of the service provided. Brief discussion followed. Chief McBride indicated the Police Department services
include rotating bike teams between Riverfest, riverwalk pathways and parks during the fireworks. Officers are also
assigned to traffic control during and after the fireworks. Estimated costs of ~$23,000.00, with amount based on
employee cost. Director Fredericksen indicated Public Works staff has been working with Ball Ventures for
additional pedestrian crossings on Snake River Parkway. He stated a line item is budgeted in Public Works for various
events, with any adjustments as needed. Estimated costs of ~$6500 will include temporary crosswalk designations,
traffic support, and sand for firework bedding. Director Weitzel commended Melaleuca and Ball Ventures for their
responsiveness and assistance with this event. He estimated costs to close South Tourist Park during the event of
~$640.00, as this location will be designated as the staging area for the Bonneville County Sheriff. Mayor Casper
indicated Idaho Falls Power has been requested to turn off street lights, there is no estimated cost at this time as
additional discussion is occurring regarding any liability issues.
Estimated costs for fee-based services were reviewed. Director Weitzel indicated this is a private event which is open
to the public. He stated Parks and Recreation (P&R) Department assists with set up and clean up for any special
events. Estimated costs, including staffing, of ~$10,000.00, which has been factored into the budget. Director
Fredericksen stated fee-based services, including barricades, refuse containers, and water for 12 acres of landscaping
(ongoing cost) are estimated at ~$16,100.00. He indicated Ball Ventures has requested to waive the monthly fee of
the water service (approximately $6500) as well as the water main connection fee for this landscaped area, in the
amount of $47,232.00. Director Fredericksen stated the requested waiver would end once the irrigation season ends.
Brief discussion followed regarding water/metering. Councilmember Smith is in favor of waiving all fees, as has
previously occurred, with the exception of reducing the water amount by $3900 (3 months of water). Mayor Casper
noted P&R and public safety are funded by the General Fund whereas, water service are funded from the Enterprise
Fund. She believes any waiver may set the precedent for future years. She also believes any intent needs to be clarified
whether the Council support is for the July 4 activities/events or if the Council is willing to waive other private events
that may also be seeking assistance. Councilmember Smith believes the City has always been in support of the July
4 activities and that support should be continued, no matter the location. Councilmember Dingman stated she has no
issues with fee-based services or public services, regardless of location although she believes the cost for the water
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is due to location change. At the request of Councilmember Hally, Mr. Fife stated the City could participate as a
partner with an event occurring on private property, although there may be concern from taxpayers regarding the
benefit to the general population. Brief discussion followed. At Mayor Casper’s request, Tony Lima, Director of
Public Relations at Melaleuca, appeared. Mr. Lima believes the narration message of the fireworks show has been
important for the meaning of the July 4. He indicated for several years this narration has expressed gratitude for the
partnership with the City of Idaho Falls. Councilmember Smith is not in favor of ‘partnership’ as he believes a
partnership has connotation of liability. He would prefer the City be known as sponsor or supporter. Mr. Lima
expressed his appreciation to Ball Ventures for hosting this event as he believes this new venue for the firework show
will allow adequate space to host 30,000-60,000 people. This venue change will also allow a creation of green space
along the river to be used year round. Mr. Fife reminded the Council that any City involvement with a private event
needs to be clarified. Mayor Casper proposed a resolution to address the requested services and fee waivers provided
by the City, for approval at the June 8 Council Meeting. Director Fredericksen recommended, in order to maintain
consistency on fee waivers, not to waive the water connection fee ($47,232) but allow waiver of two (2) months of
water service ($2,600). He believes the description of items should be included in resolution. Councilmember
Dingman expressed her appreciation to Ball Ventures and Melaleuca.
Targhee Regional Public Transportation Authority (TRPTA):
Mayor Casper introduced Amanda Ely, General Manager of TRPTA, and Mike O’Bleness, Board Member of
TRPTA. She indicated this presentation will assist with requested funds from TRPTA during the upcoming budget
session. She then turned the presentation to Ms. Ely. Ms. Ely indicated State Code allows TRPTA to have exclusive
jurisdiction over all publicly funded or publicly subsidized transportation services and programs except those
services/programs under the jurisdiction of public schools and law enforcement agencies. In addition to, TRPTA may
also provide services to fixed or unfixed transportation routes as well as special events, community celebrations, and,
sporting events and entertainment. Ms. Ely stated a 5-year service study is currently being conducted by KFH
Consulting to review State Code and look for ways to better serve the community. She indicated TRPTA may enter
into cooperative agreements with the state, other authorities, counties, cities, and highway districts under the
provisions of 67-2328 Idaho Code. She stated there is a current agreement with Bonneville Metropolitan Planning
Organization (BMPO) for bookkeeping services.
Ms. Ely briefly reviewed the timeline of Fiscal Year (FY) 16-17 events including single audit reviews, staff
retirements, completed safety audits, and reimbursement costs. She also reviewed FY16 events including the addition
of a fixed route between Idaho Falls and Rexburg, an increase in starting wages, submittal of the first RFP (Request
For Proposal) – although unsuccessful, dedicated funding has not been secured for fleet replacement, rebranding
recommendation, and, current work with dispatching technology. Ms. Ely stated KFH Consulting has completed the
following outreach efforts: (2) advisory committee meetings, on-board rider surveys, community meetings in May
2017, stakeholder interviews, “Meeting on the Bus” at Earth Day event in April 2017, and meetings with TRPTA
and BMPO staff. Community Outreach results included expanded transportation services (Saturday and service in
Ammon), reduced extensive travel in parking lots to create route timeliness, expanded outreach to raise community
awareness, funding considerations and concerns, capital improvements and considerations (shelters, new buses),
improve coordination, and connectivity. Potential opportunities include: rediscover Idaho Falls routes, modify
demand response services to eliminate competition with scheduled routes, expand marketing campaign (including
rebranding), sponsorship programs, and expand access to other transportation providers.
Ms. Ely reviewed FY16 funding levels:
Total local government match =$169,000
Total non-government match=$540,420
Total fares=$38,720 (decreased due to free senior rides)
Total government funding=$986,913
Brief discussion followed regarding costs to each City and the County. Ms. Ely stated KFH Consulting is creating
economic calculations based on population and/or service levels by City with proposed funding levels as part of their
Service Study.
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Funding request:
City of Idaho Falls Historical Match Contribution
FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20
Requested Requested Requested
Annually $99,800 $109,800 $109,800 $109,800 $165,000 $165,000 $165,000
Ms. Ely stated future request will include medical benefit options (based on broker estimates $50,000 match/year for
urban area employees). TRPTA is also looking for dedicated capital funds for fixed route vehicle replacement at
$5000/year.
Councilmember Radford believes the consultants are working hard to make this program become more efficient. He
indicated several people rely on this important service. He stated TRPTA will be requesting additional money from
other communities as well. Ms. Ely stated KFH Consulting will present their service results to the Council in the near
future for future recommendations. Mr. O’Bleness stated the Development Workshop Inc. (DWI)/Festival of Trees
has dedicated $10,000 toward TRPTA for a pilot project for disabled citizens. He believes public resources are
important and necessary for people with disabilities to engage as citizens in our community.
Historic Preservation Commission:
Kim Smith, Historic Preservation Commission Member, introduced fellow board member Julie Williams. He also
recognized additional board members Graham Whipple, Roxane Mitro, and Renee Magee.
Mr. Smith presented the following with brief discussion throughout:
Comprehensive Plan –
The policies in the comprehensive plan are based on ideas and opinions from the citizens of Idaho
Falls
Historic Preservation Section
o Continue to identify historic properties
Downtown Section
o Encourage the reuse of second floor space for offices or residences
Transition Areas Section
o Work with residents of the neighborhoods to develop a plan for their neighborhood (17th
Street)
Growth and Development Section
o Our downtown can be an exciting collection of interesting shops, busy offices, public spaces
and walks
Mr. Smith presented photos of valuing existing properties, important places, and associated stories. He stated the
Historic Preservation brings people and reinvestment into downtown and existing neighborhoods. He presented
photos of buildings which reinvestment started in the 1990s by property owners as well as older neighborhoods with
historic importance. He stated the goal of the commission is to encourage sympathetic reinvestment in existing
properties. He reviewed photos of those existing properties, including the Bonneville Hotel. Brief discussion
followed. Director Cramer stated the funding source for the Bonneville Hotel is being allocated from the Historic
Preservation Commission tax credits from the Federal government. Mayor Casper expressed her appreciation to the
members of the Historic Preservation Commission.
There being no further business, it was moved by Councilmember Smith, seconded by Councilmember Marohn, to
adjourn the meeting at 5:47 p.m.
s/ Kathy Hampton s/ Rebecca L. Noah Casper
CITY CLERK MAYOR
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Agenda
Idaho Falls Sister Cities Youth Meeting
April 17, 2017
Attendees:
Jenna Bauer Victoria Estrada Ian Finnigan Dallin Peck
Karen Bauer Mario Estrada 2 Karen Finnigan Laurie Retallic
Elliot Boring Dave Eaton Teddy Matranga Whitney St. Michel
Melinda Cebull Katie Eaton David Matranga Ian St. Michel
Peter Cebull Kylie Eaton Kendra Peck Anna St.Michel
Nicholas Cebull Elly Finnigan Nathan Peck Stephanie Van Ausdeln
Business Section of the Meeting
Minutes:
The business section of the minutes from the April 5th meeting were provided to the group by email and
Dallin read the student section. Karen Bauer motioned to approve the minutes and Victoria seconded
her motion.
Points: A printed spreadsheet with members’ points for volunteering and attending meetings was sent
around for members to review. Members were asked to make sure all of their pointes were recorded
correctly and mark any changes in red.
Fundraisers:
Raffle Dinner Update: Peter reported the group made $2069 from the raffle. We have not
received the money from Snow Eagle yet.
City Funds: Peter reported we received $3500 from the city.
Garage Sale: Wendy was unable to attend the meeting. Melinda reported the garage sale will
be May 20th at 7 am – noon at Wendy Boring’s house 2667 Limerick St in Shamrock Park.
Contact Wendy at 520-0229 or boringwendy505@gmail.com if you have questions or need her
to coordinate donation pick-ups. Melinda or Wendy will send out flyers about the garage sale.
Wendy will provide more information about setup times at the next meeting.
Friendship Garden: Judy Sydel has been out of the country, and she will get with Kendra and schedule a
time for our group to volunteer with clean-up.
Japanese Exchange: Whitney told the group the Japanese are coming July 27th to August 7th. The group
discussed possible activities during the visit. The following items were mentioned:
Spelunking – Possible at Craters of the Moon
Mayor’s Visit – Dave Eaton will check into scheduling with the mayor’s office.
Police Station/Fire Station
Activity at Rigby Lake – paddle boating, canoe, swimming, BBQ
Rafting at Island Park – Last time we rented rafts at Mack’s Inn. They do not take reservations.
Fort Hall Museum
Museum of Idaho
Spud Museum
Idahoan Food Tour
INL Tour CAES and/or Cyber Security Training area
Rodeo
City tour – Police station and Fire station
Archery
EBR1
Melaleuca tour
People were asked to come up with ideas for the next meeting. It was suggested we ask the Japanese
what they are interested in doing. Melinda mentioned last time we had a little trouble with translating.
We may want to have some translators available and provide some of the speeches in advance.
Student Section of the Meeting
During this meeting we went over the song and sang up until they split into Aladdin and Jasmine parts.
We also went to the end a couple of times.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AIpppXkM1liEJTJxoD9ch-0XknhZqFJquKWRSYMKWNc/preview
Motion to adjourn was made by Victoria Estrada and seconded by Mario Estrada.
Idaho Falls Sister Cities Youth Board Meeting
April 26, 2017
Attendees:
Wendy Boring Peter Cebull David Eaton Whitney St. Michel
Melinda Cebull Katie Eaton Kendra Peck
Criteria for Selecting Students to go to Japan:
We are lucky to have 26 students in our group this year. We will only be able to take 15 or 16 students
to Japan. The board is working to clearly define selection criteria so all of the members will understand
how we will select the members who go to Japan.
- Requirements from the Bylaws
13 – 18 years old at the time of the trip
In good standing (Code of Conduct, Medical Forms, Application Form)
Attend 50% of the meetings & activities
Valid overseas health insurance
Passport
- Considerations from the Bylaws
Students point accumulation
Longevity in the organization
Students who have not been to Japan yet
Age (younger students will have opportunities to go later)
Record of adherence to the Code of Conduct.
A student must meet all of the requirements stated in the bylaws and shown above. For the students
who meets the requirements, the board will look at the student and parent points accumulated. If there
is more than one student in a family, the parent’s points will be split evenly between their students who
are eligible to go to Japan. Tickets are purchased in the February/March timeframe. The decision on
who will go will be made at the end of January so tickets can be purchased. Points to decide who will go
will be based on points accrued until January of the year before the trip. Students will continue to
accrue points up until the time of the trip for reimbursements.
Students who have not been to Japan and will be too old to go in the future will be awarded
extra points (10% more or a set amount i.e.10 points).
Students who have been to Japan will have points deducted (10% or a set amount i.e. 10 points)
for each time they have been to Japan.
Note the point addition and deductions are only used for deciding who goes to Japan and will have no
effect on funds reimbursed.
Example: (Each student has 100 points)
Student A has been to Japan once 100 – (1 * 10) 90
Student B has been to Japan twice 100 – (2 * 10) 80
Student C has not been to Japan but could go later 100 100
Student D has not been and will not be able to go next time 100 + 10 110
The above adjustments will be made to the student totals and the top 15 or 16 students will go to Japan.
Dave will look at the points from 2016 and make a recommendation to the board on whether to use a
percentage of the points or a set amount of points.
Garage Sale:
Wendy will bring sign-up sheets to the next meeting. We can use as many people as possible to help
with setup on May 19th at 4 pm. She will have 2 hour shifts from 6:30 to 12:30 on May 20th. Points will
be given for helping with setup and helping on the day of the sale. Note: The bylaws state a person will
receive one point for 4 hours in the same day. Whitney will modify the raffle donation receipt so it can
be used if a person wants to track donations for tax purposes. We will have a bake sale if people wish to
donate baked items.
Town and Country:
Melinda asked if we wanted to keep gift cards on hand to sell to people who want one right away. No
decision was made. We will not keep extras on hand until the board decides on an amount.
Newsletter:
Kendra has the newsletter completed. Peter offered to edit it before we place it on our Facebook page
and website.
Team INL, Fluor Grants:
We will ask at the meeting to see if anyone is willing to request a Team INL donation to help with
hosting. Dave Eaton will see if Fluor has any community grants or donations.
Hosting:
Kendra mentioned she had a list of the Japanese students coming to Idaho. She forwarded the
information to the rest of the board. The Japanese want to learn another song and Kendra will discuss
this with the group at our next meeting. Kendra said the Japanese would like to provide information
(family, hobbies, interests, .. ) for all of the students coming to Idaho and involved in their group. They
would like our students to provide information to them too. Whitney has a calendar with a few of the
main events scheduled, and she will present it to the group and have them help fill in the other dates
with activities. The board will meet on May 9th after we have a better idea of the hosting activities to
assign points for coordinating the different events during hosting. People will be able to sign-up to help
with the hosting activities. Whitney plans to send an email with the names of the people who have
signed up to host and a host preference form to bring to the next meeting.
Rebecca Casper, Mayor
Ryan Tew, Human Resource Department Director
May 18, 2017
Wages and Benefits Discussion
The Human Resources Department respectfully requests that a portion of the May 22nd City Council
Work Session be allocated for a discussion of wages and benefits.
At the April 24, 2017 work session, A.J.Argyle informed the City Council that Blue Cross of Idaho had
agreed to a 0% cost increase for the city’s health insurance plan in fiscal year 2017/2018. Because of
this 0% increase, the Human Resources Department recommends that for fiscal year 2017/2018 no
changes be made to the employer/employee premiums and that no health/dental plan changes be
implemented.
Approximate discussion time: 15 minutes
ATTACHED: Summary of health insurance information presented at the April 24, 2017 City Council
Work Session
April 2017 City Council Health Insurance Presentation Notes
The City is insured on a One Way Retention Agreement
o This has the benefits of self-insurance without the risk.
o PPACA taxes are the only drawback to this arrangement
Current Premiums and Percentages are listed below.
o Keep in mind H.S.A. premiums are not included in this calculation
Percentage of Percentage of
Employee Employee
2016-2017 Total PPO Total Total HSA Total
PPO HSA
Premium Premium
Employee $51.15 $0.00 $558.78 90.85% 498.47 100.00%
Employee &
$122.59 $29.29 $1,202.72 89.81% 1072.92 97.27%
Spouse
Employee + 1
$76.00 $9.92 $776.99 90.22% 693.14 98.57%
Child
Employee + 2
$111.06 $24.69 $1,101.60 89.92% 982.71 97.49%
+ Children
Family $182.23 $52.52 $1,713.63 89.37% 1528.68 96.56%
City’s Large Claimant Experience History
o During the 2015 Calendar Year 2.9% of your population has incurred 58.3% of your claims
o During the 2014 Calendar Year 2.9% of your population has incurred 52.3% of your claims
o During the 2013 Calendar Year 3.6% of your population incurred 65% of your claims
o During the 2012 Calendar Year 8.2% of your population incurred 62% of your claims
Notable Changes to the Plan
o 2007 Increased deductible from $100 to $250
o 2010 moved from a $250 deductible wraparound plan to a $250 Basic and Major Medical
deductible. This eliminated first dollar DXL, Ambulance, Outpatient services etc…
Also terminated 4th quarter carryover
o 2013 Combined the Basic and Major Medical Deductible increasing it to $500 overall
o 2014 Changed Coinsurance to 50%, Increased Dr. Copay to $30, and added ER copay of $100.
October 2014 rolled out H.S.A.
o 2015 Changed deductible to $1000 and added 3 Tier drug structure. Negotiated 9.72% Increase
to 4% on 8/15. Moved to Blue Cross’s formulary 4/1/16.
o Negotiated 12% Increase to 2.98%
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Why the move to the H.S.A. and the large increase in deductible
o Met with the mayor in 2014 and determined that if we continued on the current trajectory that we
were going to hit the Cadillac tax
o Hence the reason for the HSA and the increase to the deductible and the PPO
o Mayor wanted to take the focus off of benefits and move the focus to wages.
o Didn’t want employees seeking employment at the City of Idaho Falls strictly for benefits
o This would lead to more sick employees and family members.
City Contributions compared to National Trends
o 62% of employees pay more than 0% and less than 25% of the premium for single coverage
o 12% of employees make no contribution to their plan for single coverage
o 45% of employees pay more than 0% and less than 25% of the premium for family coverage
o 15% of employees pay more than 50% of the premium for family coverage
o 3% of employees make no contribution to their plan for family coverage
o Covered workers on average contribute 18% of the total premium for Single coverage
o Covered workers on average contribute 30% of the total premium for Family coverage
o The average employee contribution for single coverage is $1,129
o The average employee contribution for family is $5,277
o Currently the city charges $0 for the H.S.A. and $613.80 (9.15%) for the PPO annually for
employee only premium.
o The city charges $630.24 (3.44%) annually for the H.S.A. and $2186.76 (10.63%) for the PPO
for family premium
o The average deductible is $1,478 for single coverage (up $160 from last year)
o 48% of covered workers are enrolled in PPO’s (decreased 4% compared to 2015)
o Over the last two years PPO’s have decreased 10%
o 29% of covered workers are enrolled in a HDHP like an H.S.A. (increased 5% compared to
2015)
o Over the last two years HDHP have increased by 8%
o 39% of plans that have more than 200 employees have a deductible of at least $1,000
o 45% of workers in large firms have a deductible of $1000 or greater
o 18% of plans have an out of pocket maximum of $6000 or greater
o 68% of plans have an out of pocket maximum between $2000 and $6000
o 14% of plans have an out of pocket maximum of $2000 or less.
o The City PPO has an out of pocket maximum of $1500 for an individual
o The City H.S.A. has an out of pocket maximum of $4000 for an individual
o 56% of employers offer insurance to their employees up from 55% last year but down from 57%
two years ago; and 61% three years prior
National Trend Spouse Coverage
o 5% of large firms say that spouses are ineligible to enroll if a spouse is offered coverage from
another source
o 12% of firms offering coverage to spouses have a higher contribution or cost sharing for spouses
who are eligible for coverage from another source
o 10% of firms offering coverage give additional compensation to employees who choose to enroll
in their spouse’s plan
Page | 2
H.S.A. National Trends
o 7% of covered workers in an H.S.A. have a contribution equal to the single deductible
o 28% of covered workers in an H.S.A. have a contribution that would reduce their deductible to
less than $1,000
o The City’s contribution lowers the individual deductible to less than $1,000 not including the
premium savings
Rx National Trends
o 81% of plans had a three tier or more drug formulary in 2015
o Average Cost
Tier 1 $11
Tier 2 $31
Tier 3 $54
Tier 4 $93
o City’s Rx is
Tier 1 $10
Tier 2 $30
Tier 3 $50
Wellness Trends
o 83% of employers that offer benefits offer at least one wellness program (weight loss program,
gym membership discount or onsite facilities, biometric screening, smoking cessation, personal
health coaching, flu shots, EAP etc…)
o 59% of plans with over 200 employees offer a health risk assessment
o 54% of plans provide financial incentive for doing so
o 53% of large firms offer the opportunity to complete biometric screening
o 14% offer a reward or penalty for completing the biometric screening
o 16% of large firms report collecting health information from employees through wearable
devices such as Fitbit or Apple Watch
o 42%that offer a health and wellness program offer employees financial incentive including one
or a combination of:
34% lower premiums or cost sharing
76% cash contributions to H.S.A. or merchandise
14% some other type of incentive
o 26% have a maximum financial incentive of $150 or less
o 35% have a maximum financial incentive of $150 to $500
o 23% have a maximum financial incentive of $500 to $1,000
o 9% have a maximum financial incentive of $1,000 to $$2,000
o 7% have a maximum financial incentive greater than $2000
o The City has a $1,000 incentive on both the PPO and H.S.A.
Page | 3
Rebecca Casper, Mayor
Ryan Tew, Human Resource Department Director
May 18, 2017
Proposed Change to City’s Personnel Policy Manual
The Human Resources Department respectfully requests that a portion of the May 22nd City Council
Work Session be allocated for a discussion of a proposed change to the City’s Personnel Policy
Manual. The affected part of the manual is Section XXIX – GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES.
The recommended change comes as part of the Human Resource Department’s ongoing review of the
grievance procedures. I am proposing the addition of Section J as seen in the attached document. The
addition of this section recognizes the former Civil Service Rules “for cause” review.
WORK SESSION PURPOSE: to consider the proposal to modify the City’s Personnel Policy Manual,
specifically Section XXIX – GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES.
Approximate discussion time: 15 minutes
COUNCIL AGENDA ACTION: Schedule a vote of the proposed change at the May 25, 2017 City
Council meeting
ATTACHED: Section XXIX of the City of Idaho Falls Personnel Policy Manual with proposed change.
...
XXIX. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES:
A. The purpose of this grievance procedure is to ensure the City maintains a productive,
cooperative efficient and experienced work force, thereby enhancing the public welfare. Its purpose is
also to protect the interests of the City by ensuring that capable and productive employees are not
unjustifiably terminated or treated inappropriately by their superiors and to ensure the City and its
administrative staff and employees are afforded an opportunity to resolve errors and disputes without
the need for judicial intervention. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO GRANT AN
EMPLOYEE ANY RIGHT OR EXPECTATION OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT, TO LIMIT
THE REASONS FOR WHICH AN EMPLOYEE MAY BE DISCHARGED, TO SPECIFY THE
DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR TO IMPLY AN EMPLOYEE MAY ONLY BE
TERMINATED FOR CAUSE.
B. For the purposes hereof, a grievance is defined as any complaint by a regular employee,
other than a Division Director, concerning the following:
1. A disciplinary action taken against an employee;
2. Any action taken by an employee or Supervisor which results in unfair or
discriminatory treatment, inequity or arbitrary or capricious action relative to an employee;
3. Any interpretation or dispute regarding the terms and conditions of this Policy;
4. Retaliation or recrimination as a result of any action by a superior which violates
public policy or law.
C. A grievance shall not include complaints concerning non-personnel matters generally
affecting the operation of a division or department of the City, complaints concerning the efficiency
with which a division or department is run and complaints concerning nonpersonnel matters relating to
the formulation of public policy or other matters requiring administrative discretion that do not
otherwise conflict with the terms of this Policy.
D. All employees who file grievances shall be free from restraint, interference, discrimination
or reprisal by the City, its officers or employees.
E. All documents, records and information generated, compiled or kept in conjunction with a
grievance shall be exempt from disclosure to the public pursuant to the provisions of the Idaho Public
Records Act, Idaho Code Section 9-340(36), provided, however, an employee who files a grievance
may obtain copies of any such records pursuant to Idaho Code Section 9-342.
F. Subject to the provisions of this policy regarding discrimination and harassment, no
employee shall file a grievance unless he or she has made a reasonable effort to resolve the subject of
the grievance with his or her immediate supervisor or other person against whom the grievance is filed.
G. All grievances shall be commenced by filing the grievance with an Initial Hearing Officer
(“IHO”). The IHO shall be the Division Director for the Division out of which the grievance arises.
Such grievance shall be in writing and shall contain a succinct summary of the pertinent facts and a
statement that the complaint is filed pursuant to the grievance procedure set forth herein. All
PERSONNEL POLICY RESOLUTION PAGE 1 OF 2
grievances shall be filed within five (5) working days after the occurrence of the act giving rise to the
grievance. Upon the filing of the grievance, the IHO shall forthwith commence his or her investigation,
review the grievance and render an oral decision as soon as reasonably possible after the grievance is
filed. In conducting the investigation, the IHO may consult with any employee or person having
knowledge of the circumstances of the grievance.
H. Any employee may appeal the decision of an IHO by filing a Notice of Appeal with the
Mayor. Such Notice of Appeal shall be physically filed within five (5) working days of the date the
decision of the IHO was delivered to the employee. Such Notice of Appeal shall contain a brief
statement of the employee's intent to appeal the decision and shall also contain a copy of the original
grievance and a copy of or brief summary of the decision rendered by the IHO. Upon the receipt of a
Notice of Appeal, the Mayor shall appoint a Final Hearing Panel (“FHP”) consisting of any Division
Director who did not act as the IHO and one member of the City Council. The City Attorney may
counsel with and provide legal advice to the FHP, but shall have no vote with respect to the rendering
of any decision by the FHP.
I. As soon as the FHP has been appointed, the panel shall convene for the purpose of
determining whether the matter can be resolved informally or whether the resolution of the matter
requires a hearing. If the panel concludes the matter can be resolved informally they may conduct such
investigation as they deem appropriate including but not limited to conducting a review of written
documents and undertaking informal discussions with the parties or other persons who may have
relevant information concerning the matter. After conducting such informal review the panel shall
issue its decision in an expedtitious manner. If the panel concludes the matter requires a hearing then it
shall promptly set a date, time and place for a hearing and shall send a written notice of hearing to the
grievant and the IHO. At the hearing, the complaining employee may present testimony and evidence
concerning the grievance and examine and cross-examine witnesses. The FHP may require the
attendance of any employee having knowledge of the matter and any employee who refuses to appear
at the request of the FHP shall be deemed guilty of insubordination. A transcribable, verbatim record
of the proceedings shall be kept and maintained by the City for a period of at least six (6) months
thereafter. The hearing shall be conducted in an informal manner, without adherence to formal rules of
evidence. During or following the conclusion of the hearing, the FHP shall consider the testimony and
evidence presented at the hearing and shall base its decision solely thereupon. At the conclusion of the
hearing, the FHP may consult with the City Attorney concerning the applicable law. The FHP shall
render a written decision and deliver a written copy thereof to the complaining employee as soon as
possible, but in no event later than thirty (30) working days after the conclusion of the hearing. All
decisions of the FHP shall be final.
J. Every investigation and decision related to a removal, suspension, demotion or discharge of a
police officer who was employed by the City before April 30, 2017, and who successfully completed a
twelve (12) month probationary period shall include a determination of whether the removal, suspension,
demotion or discharge was for political or religious reasons or was made in good faith and for cause.
K. This Grievance procedure shall be the sole and exclusive method by which employee
grievances are considered and resolved. In the event an employee fails to file a grievance or fails to
properly or timely follow the procedure contemplated herein, the grievance shall be deemed waived.
...
PERSONNEL POLICY RESOLUTION PAGE 2 OF 2
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