City Council

March 9, 2018 The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Special Meeting (Tour and Discussion of City of Idaho Falls Facilities), Friday, March 9, 2018, at Pinecrest Golf Course, 701 E. Elva Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho at 7:00 a.m. Call to Order and Roll Call: There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Councilmember Thomas Hally Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilmember Jim Freeman Councilmember Jim Francis Councilmember Shelly Smede Absent: Councilmember John Radford Also present: Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director Bryce Johnson, Police Chief Brad Cramer, Community Development Services Director Dave Hanneman, Fire Chief Michael Kirkham, Assistant City Attorney Kami Morrison, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Dana Briggs, Economic Development Coordinator Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 7:00 a.m. The group departed Pinecrest Golf Course at 7:05 a.m. for a tour of the following City facilities: Civic Center for the Performing Arts – Director Alexander reviewed the history of the Civic Auditorium and noted the facility was recently renamed to the Civic Center for the Performing Arts. All events at the facility are managed by the Idaho Falls Arts Council (IFAC), including an annual review and adjustment of facility rates and fees. Director Alexander introduced Ed Morgan, City Manager of the Civic Center for the Performing Arts facility. Mr. Morgan stated construction of the facility was completed in 1953. The facility is currently the largest event center in the surrounding area with the exception of the facilities located at BYU-I in Rexburg, Idaho. Mr. Morgan briefly reviewed the upcoming facility renovations, stating renovations will occur in a three-phase approach. Director Alexander recognized the generous donation from Bill Maeck, as well as $400,000 of City funds, to assist with renovations. Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) – Director Fredericksen stated the WWTP can process approximately 17m gallons per day. The system currently treats approximately 9.5m gallons per day and is at 56-58% capacity. This includes service to surrounding entities (Iona Bonneville Sewer District (IBSD), City of Ammon, and Anheuser-Busch). Director Fredericksen reviewed the current WWTP upgrade project, stating the project is approximately half way completed with only two (2) payments applied toward the $18m project loan. Director Fredericksen stated the WWTP operates on a continual basis and all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, including biological and chemical processing, must be met before returning into the Snake River. He noted there are several lift stations which assist with the flow due to the lack of gravity. He also noted that each underground line segment will need to be evaluated as the City grows. Director Fredericksen introduced David Smith, Sewer Superintendent, and Carl Utter, Treatment Plant Foreman. Mr. Smith and Mr. Utter explained the treatment process and stated tests are performed on a daily basis. It was noted any fines from the EPA can reach up to $35,000 per day. 1  March 9, 2018 Storage Warehouse – Chief Johnson introduced John Marley, Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) Sergeant. Sergeant Marley stated the storage warehouse is used for equipment storage, particularly for the Command Center trailer and SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics). He expressed his concern for the unsecure location and the safety of this equipment as the warehouse is open to public access. He explained the two-person process to move and deploy the equipment in the event of a SWAT callout. He indicated prior to utilizing the warehouse, the equipment was stored at an outside facility, which also raised concerns, including maintaining equipment above the freezing temperatures. There is preference to have one centralized location for all equipment. Well #2 – Director Fredericksen introduced David Richards, Water Superintendent. Mr. Richards stated Well #2 is approximately 300’ deep and is not influenced by the Snake River. This well was constructed around the 1939 timeframe and was hand dug by the Chinese Migrant Labor. It was later determined the original building was unsafe and was therefore demolished. The reconstruction of the current building was designed to fit in with the aesthetics of the surrounding neighborhood. Mr. Richards stated there are a total of 19 City wells, including current and those under construction. Two (2) wells are in operation during the winter months, all wells are in operation during the summer months. Mayor Casper believes conservation measures should be considered as Idaho is one of the highest users of water per capita. Mr. Richards stated the City has a variety of watering methods to offset peak usage. Chief Hanneman stated the water supply contributed to the recent ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating for the Idaho Falls Fire Department (IFFD). Mr. Richards reviewed well pressure, stating pressure less than 40 psi (pounds per square inch) requires Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) testing and pressure less than 20 psi requires public notification. He indicated a City-wide power outage could be catastrophic. He also indicated future discussion will need to occur regarding the water tower, which was constructed in 1937 and is painted with lead-based paint. Streets and Sanitation – Director Fredericksen introduced Marv Beaty, Sanitation Foreman, and Mike McCarthy, Streets Foreman. Mr. McCarthy stated small repairs and maintenance are performed within the Street Division warehouse. Mr. Beaty stated the paint shop, which is designed for and equipped with proper ventilation, is utilized for dumpster painting. The majority of City signs are constructed in-house within the sign shop. Director Fredericksen noted the Public Works Department is a heavy user of the Municipal Equipment Replacement Fund (MERF). He introduced Manuel Ponce, Sanitation Repair Worker, and stated Mr. Ponce repairs and fabricates containers when they may be reaching the end of life. Director Fredericksen noted the City uses its own brine mixture to assist with snow and ice on roadways. He indicated property adjacent to the Streets and Sanitation facilities may become available in the near future which would allow expansion for the Public Works Departments. Water Department – Mr. Richards stated the Water Department has been located in the current facility since the 1980’s. He indicated there are 325 miles of water mains within the City. The chlorine in the water system is a minimal/residual amount. The water system is monitored through a computer system which can also be monitored on staff’s electronic devices. He noted all well sites are connected to Idaho Falls Power fiber and can function independently. Mr. Richards introduced Paul Livesay, Warehouse Manager. Mr. Richards stated on a national level, approximately 30% of water produced leaks within the water systems, the City of Idaho Falls’ leakage amount is approximately 10% as there are acoustic sensors to help detect leaks. He also stated the standard is to replace 1% of pipes on an annual basis, the City replacement is approximately 2 miles per year. Mr. Richards commended the Water Department staff. Fleet Maintenance – Director Alexander stated Fleet Maintenance includes the Fuel Facility which has been a shared-use facility with Bonneville County since 2011. The facility can hold 60,000 gallons of fuel with an annual use of 700,000 gallons of fuel (this includes unleaded and diesel fuels). Fleet Maintenance staff consists of 14 total staff, ten (10) of which are mechanics. Director Alexander introduced David Nelson, Garage Superintendent. Mr. Nelson stated the garage facility consists of eight (8) heavy bays, six (6) light-duty bays, and four (4) repair bays. Each bay is designed for a specific use and service is provided to all City departments. Director Fredericksen commended the maintenance staff, 2  March 9, 2018 particularly for their assistance during the snow removal season. Mr. Nelson stated there are approximately 600 pieces of large equipment and approximately 350 pieces of small equipment. He also stated training is provided for all mechanics with individual training toward Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification. Animal Control – Chief Johnson introduced Steve Hunt, Professional Standards and Logistics Bureau Captain, and Laramie Pancheri, Animal Control Clerk. Ms. Pancheri stated the Animal Control facility consists of separate rooms for kittens (containing a cat condo obtained through an American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) grant), adult cats, dogs (containing 22 kennels which can be divided in half for any influx of dogs), quarantine animals, and, drop boxes (which have recently been closed to the public) and euthanasia. She also stated Animal Control currently has a contract with Science Diet for feeding the shelter animals, any donations received from the public are for community use only. Ms. Pancheri stated there is a no-kill policy for dogs only, there is not enough space to house cats for an extended length of time. She reviewed the surrender policy, including any associated fees, although she indicated animals are kept longer than the three (3) day timeframe if space allows. It was noted discussion will need to occur regarding license fees, as these should be user based, and the possibility of cat licensing. Ms. Pancheri stated public euthanasia services are available and several staff members are certified to perform euthanasias. She noted approximately 2000 cats were euthanized in the previous year. Ms. Pancheri reviewed the Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) Program for feral and community cats. The TNR Program was implemented in the previous year with a no-kill goal by 2025. She indicated several organizations will assist with funding of the program and community education is important. Pinecrest Golf Programs Orientation – Parks and Recreation Director Greg Weitzel introduced Tim Reinke, John Graham, and Gaylen Denning, Golf Pros. He also recognized Mark Spraktes, Tim Lohse, and Jim Landon, Golf Superintendents. Mr. Reinke stated the Pinecrest Clubhouse was constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression and was given to the City in 1936. The clubhouse currently has Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility issues. A Pro Shop and café are also located in the clubhouse. Mr. Reinke presented the 2016-2017 Fiscal Year Report for the Golf Division with general comments and discussion throughout. The report included the five-year business plan; the Capital Improvement Fund and projects; annual budget successes; history and interesting facts of Pinecrest, Sand Creek, and Sage Lakes Golf Courses; water conservation measures; community support; outings, events and programs; goals; considerations for the future, including the irritation systems; and, the Course and Turf Advisory Inspections. Mr. Reinke introduced Rick Carosone, Golf Advisory Board Chairman. Mr. Carosone reviewed the Golf Advisory Board responsibilities; the 2015 Citizens Review Committees’ (CRC) general findings; the institutional expertise and mindful budgeting; and, the five-year plan successes, changes and sacrifices. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. s/ Kathy Hampton s/ Rebecca L. Noah Casper CITY CLERK MAYOR 3