City Council

January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Regular Council Meeting, Thursday, January 14, 2021, in the Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 7:30 p.m. Call to Order: There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Council President Michelle Ziel-Dingman (via WebEx) Councilor John Radford (via WebEx) Councilor Thomas Hally Councilor Jim Freeman (via WebEx) Councilor Jim Francis Councilor Shelly Smede (via WebEx) Also present: All available Department Directors Randy Fife, City Attorney Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Pledge of Allegiance: Mayor Casper requested Councilor Hally to lead those present in the Pledge of Allegiance. Public Comment: Public comment was temporarily suspended. Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: Mayor Casper stated there were just under 1,000 cases in the State, 44 of these cases were in Bonneville County, and 122 individuals have passed away in Bonneville County, five (5) of these individuals passed away in 2021. She also stated 43,700 vaccines have been administered State-wide, which includes the first and second doses. Mayor Casper indicated Eastern Idaho Public Health (EIPH) Board met earlier in the day. It was noted all hospitals are reporting less activity, there are lower levels of the flu, and staffing concerns include mitigation measures that are designed to help those individuals who are ill. It appears hospital staff are returning to work, and hospitals have been hiring traveling nurses. Mayor Casper stated the expected surge on a regional level has not occurred, it is unknown why. She noted theories may be due to the school break for the holidays, cases not being reported, and improved treatments. Mayor Casper stated the EIPH Board lowered the risk level for Custer, Fremont, and Lemhi Counties; two (2) new members will replace two (2) retirees on the EIPH Board; and more vaccines have the potential to being approved, although this may not be for months. She also stated EIPH continues to offer free testing and EIPH is seeking volunteers to assist with the vaccination clinics. She noted first responders will receive vaccinations in the near future, followed by front-line essential workers. Consent Agenda: The Office of the Mayor requested appointments to City Boards, Commissions, and Committees; David Snell and Liliana Olivas to the Idaho Falls Use of Force Review Board. 1  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting Municipal Services requested approval of the Treasurer’s Report for November 2020; Bid IF-21-E, Purchase of Replacement Barrel Truck for Public Works; Bid IF-21-11, Purchase of 30-Yard Steel Refuse Containers; Bid IF-21-12 Purchase of 3-Yard Steel Refuse Containers; minutes from the December 7, 2020 City Council Work Session; December 10, 2020 City Council Meeting; December 11, 2020 Strategic Planning Exercise; and December 17, 2020 Special City Council Meeting; and license applications, all carrying the required approvals. Publics Works requested approval of Bid Award: Rose Hill Cemetery Road Improvements - 2021. It was moved by Councilor Smede, seconded by Council President Dingman, to approve, accept, or receive all items on the Consent Agenda according to the recommendations presented. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Radford, Freeman, Smede, Francis, Dingman, Hally. Nay – none. Motion carried. Regular Agenda State of the City Address Mayor Casper presented “Idaho Falls 2021: A City Connected” as follows: Members of the City Council, Directors, City Employees, and Citizens of Idaho Falls. Welcome. As is tradition, I stand this evening to deliver a report on the state of our great City. And what a year we have to report on. A speech like this that reflects on a year like the one we have just had probably should begin with the familiar line from Dickens: “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” (How else can one begin to tell the story of 2020?) Well, with a little help from the City’s Directors, I am going to try. Remembering, Honoring But first, I feel we must respectfully observe that in this great and terrible pandemic year, 116 residents of Bonneville County passed away due to complications brought on by COVID-19. Doubtless, most of them lived in Idaho Falls. They are not the only beloved city residents to pass in 2020, but the high death rate of this disease across the globe has absolutely deepened our appreciation for the fragility and the preciousness of life. We all have learned that there is something agonizingly difficult about not being able to be near the ones you love as they draw their last breaths. For those who have endured this agony, we are so very sorry. Before proceeding further, I wish to express gratitude for the men and women who have been our navigators through the past several months. I am speaking of the doctors, nurses, lab techs, aides, PAs, epidemiologists, public health officials, EMS personnel, and other healthcare workers as well as the dispatchers, who have worked long and hard to be there on call 24/7 for every single one of us whenever we needed them in 2020. This was your year and you shined in the midst of your fatigue and exhaustion. We will always be grateful. I also want to recognize City employees. Idaho Falls has roughly 680 full-time employees. Because many of the services we provide to this community are needed for everyday living, nearly all of them have been deemed essential. I am referring to things like electricity, clean water, wastewater services, law enforcement, fire protection, ambulance services, fiber optics and sanitation. Throughout 2020, essential city employees have worked nonstop and even extra hours to keep everything else rolling along. I am really proud to be associated with them. Pandemic Effects 2  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting While some city departments were working straight through the shutdown without missing a beat, others were significantly impacted. One thing is for sure, every single Department Director has developed COVID management skills. I’d like for you to hear from the directors themselves as they walk you through both the challenges and the highlights of the past year. I think you will notice a theme in their remarks—which is that through it all, these city administrators have been able to move this community forward despite the obvious challenges. Director’s 2020 Highlights Video was then presented. Mayor Casper expressed her appreciation to I.E. Productions for the video presentation. Looking Ahead So looking ahead, what does the future hold for Idaho Falls? Parks and Recreation For Parks and Recreation, 2021 means pandemic safety protocols like masking and social distancing will continue to impact department programming. Last year Idaho Falls golf courses were among the first to re-open. We led the way across the entire state for developing pandemic-friendly golf course guidelines. I feel confident that 2021 will provide another excellent golf season. The Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park also developed safe visiting protocols to allow guests to enjoy being outdoors, so be sure to include that in your spring and summer planning. 2021 will bring the long-awaited splash pad to Rinehart Park this summer. Plans for a full restoration of Funland are rolling forward in 2021 as well in preparation for the 75th anniversary of this beloved local theme park in 2022. Everyone is invited to donate. Our Riverwalk and other biking and walking trails receive steady use year-round. In 2021, we expect to begin construction of additional trails along canal pathways in the heart of the city. When complete, we’ll be even more connected by more multi-use trails. Airport—IDA Just as it was before the shutdown, IDA is still poised for phenomenal growth in 2021. In fact, we received good news this week with Allegiant Airlines announcing that they will serve Portland from Idaho Falls starting in May. And we continue to work with other airlines to provide more service to west coast destinations such as Seattle. In recent years several airlines have expressed interest in offering routes at IDA because Idaho Falls is a good potential market for them. But potential is not enough. Airlines are businesses that must make money. This is why most traditional airlines today require a guarantee of sufficient revenue directly from each new market before they establish a new route. This money is collected in a “Revenue Guarantee Fund.” With the many opportunities ahead for establishing more connections at IDA, it is very important for Idaho Falls to grow a Revenue Guarantee Fund because we know that this is key to attracting new airlines and new routes. 3  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting Any business leaders in Eastern Idaho who wish to support development of new air service, please reach out to me or any other city official and we can explain more. Community Development Services As Director Cramer mentioned in the video, 2020 housing starts in Idaho Falls showed no signs of slowing with the shutdown. We see the same for 2021. People want to move here. The nationwide housing shortage prompted us to form a special team consisting of local public and private sector experts to prepare us for all of this growth. This group, IDAHome, is working with partners to meet the housing choice and affordability needs of all who want to relocate to Idaho Falls. But we care about more than just building new homes, we also care about building a strong community with great neighborhoods. In 2021 we will undertake a major update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. We will host individual neighborhood meetings where citizens will be invited to speak with the City’s professional planners about the part of the city that matters most to them: where they live. Watch for more information in the coming weeks about how to participate. Public Works Early 2020 saw the culmination of public outreach on the location and style of the new, replacement water tower. Our city’s need for a new tower is not new news anymore. The fact is that repairing the existing tower due to its age and the large number of issues requiring repair is not the safest or most cost-effective alternative. And for the money, it would not result in enough capacity to serve the city’s needs in the future. Throughout 2021 we will be doing the background work necessary to begin construction of the new tower in the spring of 2022, which will meet essential safety guidelines, double the holding capacity, and serve as the backbone for our city’s water system for years to come. Power/Fiber One of the lasting lessons of 2020 is that having high speed connectivity for all residents is a need, not a want. Our fiber optic build-out is moving across the city at a faster rate than we had initially predicted. Some areas of town are easier to hook up than others. If you live in an area served by overhead power lines, chances are that fiber service has already passed by your home or soon will be. The parts of town with underground wires require a little more construction to install. When it comes to both internet connectivity and electricity, reliability is key. Idaho Falls Power has an industry- leading reliability rating. And as our utility continues to grow, maintaining our reliability requires redundancy which in turn requires continued investment. In 2021 we will begin construction on a new substation north of town along with 18 miles of high voltage power lines to connect it to the local grid. Public Safety—Police/Fire For public safety, 2021 will be a year when both the Police and Fire departments can focus on internal improvement.  The Police  Will be working on design and other preparations for the new Law Enforcement Complex; and  They will continue to review internal Police Department policies to ensure that each aligns with national best practice standards.  For Fire  2021 is the year we will purchase a new ladder truck for the Fire Department. This apparatus is crucial for firefighting and rescues in taller buildings. 4  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting  Finally, the IFFD is serving as a COVID-19 vaccination point for the community. The primary emphasis right now is vaccinating other first responders from throughout the region followed by essential city employees and possibly others. Embracing Growth. Even in a pandemic year Idaho Falls is a community ascending—but we all know our future isn’t just all about what City Departments are doing. We have so much else going on. Idaho Falls has dynamic businesses and industries in its midst. Businesses like Idahoan develop innovative Idaho potato products and then deliver the products all over the world. Kyani has developed remarkable nutritional products containing Idaho–based products and they also have global distribution. You will recall that 2019 brought significant growth in our healthcare sector—and just in time to assist with the pandemic. The entire region would be in a much different—much worse—situation if Idaho Falls Community Hospital had not opened and if EIRMC had not remodeled. Something I am truly thankful for this past year. Costco opened its doors in August 2020 and has been one of the most highly profitable stores in the chain ever since. Excellent retail opportunities like this one are a result of growth in other sectors—the kind of growth that provides quality jobs and incomes that allow for discretionary spending. We are also very fortunate that the federal programs out on the Idaho site provide these kinds of jobs too. The Naval Reactors Facility, Idaho National Laboratory, and the Idaho Clean-up Project are each in growth and development phases. When the new Congress gets underway this year, we expect it will give attention to environment and energy issues. Now is the time when decades of excellent science and topnotch engineering by first-rate contractors working for the nuclear Navy and DOE will bring great rewards home to Idaho. The nuclear energy sector is a major stop on the path to a non-carbon emitting energy future and because of that, INL will be the source of lots of exciting news over the next decade. We can expect announcements for demonstration projects and other first-in-kind advanced nuclear projects such as the VTR (Versatile Test Reactor) that was recently announced. Throughout 2021, the Idaho Clean-up Project will continue to deliver on its commitment to get waste out of Idaho and remediate the affected sites. That includes the planned startup of the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit, a first- of-a-kind facility to process legacy liquid waste produced during the Cold War in other states that has been stored in Idaho for too long. We are very thankful for the scientists and technicians who are working to move that project along safely, quickly and affordably. All this activity in our region’s largest industry will impact Idaho Falls and much of Eastern Idaho. I have been studying this and meeting regularly with contractors, legislators, higher education experts, transportation officials, representatives from the trades and others who also are preparing for the wave of construction these projects will engender. There is a lot to consider, but it is worthwhile because this kind of growth brings quality employment opportunities to our communities. Most citizens are ready to embrace this wave of prosperity. But occasionally someone will tell me they are concerned about change or “too much growth.” And that they “like Idaho Falls the way it is” and do not want to see it change much. 5  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting I absolutely understand the sentiment. And to a certain degree, I share that point of view. We live in a great community and it is natural to worry that growth might change that. But the historical reality is that Idaho Falls has always been changing. The historical data on the 100 Years of Growth slide show the growth in our city’s population over the past 100 years. The number for 2020 is an estimate—I expect it to be greater than what we see here when the census numbers come in. These data show us that growth and change are actually very normal for Idaho Falls. Take a look at the amount of change between 50 and 60 (policy or baby boom?) In reality, a city that is not growing and changing is stagnant. It is a city that cannot provide jobs and opportunities for the next generation. It is a city that has to export its talent and its young people. It is a city that does not age well. That is not the kind of Idaho Falls I envision for us. It is not the kind of Idaho Falls we are building; nor is it the kind of Idaho we want to live in. The key to growing without losing our character is planning for and managing the growth. How do we do that?  We do it with excellent planning and zoning.  With consumer-friendly building codes.  With planning for parks, open spaces, and amenities.  With policy and personnel that attract excellent businesses and the kinds of people who want to work for them.  We do it by being a community that pays attention to its transportation corridors—including creating spaces for bikes, pedestrians, cars and public transit.  And we do it by tracking the impacts that the growth places on our first responders so we always meet and provide high standards for public safety. The Pandemic’s Final Innings I expect the coming months to bring what we have been waiting for since those first weeks last March. We really can’t celebrate enough the scientific minds and the enormous global effort that has resulted in vaccines that will confer needed protection from COVID-19. But we are not there quite yet. Whenever a vaccine is introduced, we know that not everyone will be able to receive it. There are some whose bodies will not be able to tolerate vaccination for one reason or another. This makes it very important that those who can receive the vaccine do so as soon as it becomes available to them. This is how we achieve the now-familiar “herd immunity.” The percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity varies by disease. COVID- 19 is new enough that the rate has not been identified yet, but experts right now suggest it is at least 75-80%. Herd immunity is all about protection for the most vulnerable members of our community, including infants, pregnant women, those who have allergies to vaccine components and others who may not be able to tolerate a vaccination. We want to get to the point where, even if a person gets sick, there is minimal chance of an outbreak because so many of the people around him/her will be vaccinated and the disease won’t be able to spread. This is how smallpox was eradicated—with vaccinations—at high enough levels. 6  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting However, it will take several months yet before we will have enough vaccine available in Eastern Idaho to achieve the 75-80% vaccination rate. This means that social distancing, masking, and limited interactions will still be needed for the next several months. I want express my gratitude to those who are doing all they can to navigate this safely. I especially want to thank all who do so kindly. Now, perhaps more than ever, compassion and consideration may be the key to getting to the end of the pandemic safely. Conclusion. I have just one final story to tell. We know social isolation is difficult. Friends and friendships play a key role in social development—particularly for younger people. We have talked a lot about mental health recently and this has been a worry for me and probably every other parent out there. In an attempt to combat isolation, improve mental health, and bring a little bit of joy during these difficult final innings of the pandemic, we have teamed up with some of the best in our community to provide six inspiring and family-friendly online productions for the entire community. This team includes I.E. Productions, The Downtown Event Center (DEC) and the Idaho Falls Arts Council. We are also fortunate to have IF Council President Ziel-Dingman as well as mental health expert Dr. Matt Larsen as an advisor and commentator for the series. For about the next six weeks, starting this Saturday at 5:30 p.m., we will be presenting the Idaho Falls Family Happy Hour, an online variety show consisting of entertainers, a motivational speaker, and informative programs for all to enjoy. To make these experiences possible without charge, we have generous area sponsors who share our desire to bring a little joy into our community during these difficult times. This week’s inaugural program is a two-part comedy act. You can watch it when it first airs at 5:30 pm this Saturday, or you can watch any time after that on YouTube. You can learn more by searching for IFFHH on Facebook. Not all details have been finalized yet, so be sure to like the page to stay up-to-date. We also will have details on the City’s Webpage. The Idaho Falls Family Happy Hour embodies so much of what I love about our Community. Idaho Falls is a place where creativity, service and generosity come together often. We in Idaho Falls are connected physically with improved roads and trails. We are connected virtually with fiber optic lines, power lines and cell towers and the communication they make possible. And we are connected socially through service and the way we step up to volunteer and do what needs to be done. THAT is why Idaho Falls is a great place to live. It is not just infrastructure and commerce that makes a city desirable or undesirable. It is mostly about our residents and the way they connect with each other. With this as our measure, I can confidently say that Idaho Falls has what it takes to embrace its next season of growth. 7  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting This isn’t just limited to my observations. Money Magazine recently named Idaho Falls as one of America’s best places to live. And just two weeks ago, Heartland Forward ranked the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Area 17th out of the 379 Metro areas of all sizes in the Unites States. The best I can tell from their data, we are in the top five for the metro areas our size. We definitely have earned a reputation for being a great place to live and to work. So, my friends and fellow citizens, with a 2020 in our rearview mirror, I can share with you what I have said in years past: “The state of our city is strong … and Idaho Falls’ future is bright. I could not be more proud to serve you and to be a part of this great community.” Thank you. Mayor’s Choice Awards Presentation The Mayor’s Choice Awards were created as a way to recognize outstanding residents, businesses, organizations, efforts or community figures for contributions to the city, noteworthy accomplishment, or other achievement. Mayor Casper honored the following seven (7) recipients: Outstanding Community Commitment – Eastern Idaho Public Health, Geri Rackow Ms. Rackow and her team of talented and highly dedicated professionals were thrust into the spotlight during what has become one of the most challenging, protracted global crises of our lifetime. EIPH is one of seven independent public health districts in Idaho. And, although based in Idaho Falls, they also are responsible for public health in Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson Lemhi, Madison and Teton Counties. Their board is made up of people from all of those jurisdictions, which differ dramatically in composition and public need. So to manage the public health needs across such a varying demographic in normal times is a challenge in and of itself. From the onset of this crisis, Ms. Rackow and her team have traveled across east Idaho meeting with constituents and elected officials, implementing plans and policies to help guide our region through the pandemic. Here in Idaho Falls and Bonneville County, the City worked integrally and closely with Ms. Rackow and her team from the pandemic’s inception. We saw first-hand the incredible hours and long days that turned into weeks and then months and now almost a year of pandemic response. Ms. Rackow and her team have worked countless hours – often very thankless hours – to help bring together doctors and nurses, hospitals, first responders, government officials, health care providers, media, residents and many, many others. It has often seemed like an impossible task to respond to such a rapidly changing environment where, after all this time, science still doesn’t know the long term effects and impact of this disease. But Ms. Rackow and her team have done a remarkable job helping us understand the best ways to deal with all this uncertainty. Their efforts have helped keep our hospitals open, our health care flowing and our people equipped with the tools, information and resources to stay safe and healthy. They have undoubtedly saved lives and helped preserve our community. Ms. Rackow, on behalf of the more than 100 EIPH employees and the Board of Health, expressed her appreciation for the City collaboration. She stated EIPH is looking forward to the end of the pandemic and being a stronger community together. Outstanding Community Service – I.E. Productions, Chad Hammond and Gary Stewart For more than 23 years, this local company has been helping promote the people and places of Idaho Falls. But when COVID-19 hit, the world, and Idaho Falls, essentially shut down. Life as we knew it stopped. Businesses closed down, events were canceled, travel stopped and life was put on hold. And there was a toll. We lost our ability to 8  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting interact…to communicate. We lost the essential ability to be together. And that really hurt, for all of us. Where once we could gather regularly for a social function, for a lunch, or a concert or any other number of ways we used to get together, we instead had to turn to other solutions to try and make sure life was still able to go on. When all this happened, this company immediately contacted us and said “how can we help?” In those beginning days of the pandemic, when the world literally stopped, they were right there asking “what can we do?” In conjunction with EIPH and many of our local agencies, this company worked tirelessly and without compensation to come up with ways to get essential information to our community about COVID-19 and how to combat it. They volunteered to help local service organizations find ways to meet online to share information and to try and have a semblance of normalcy during a very abnormal time. Generously, they created weekly online virtual luncheons, presentations and even the candidate debates for the Primary elections last May. They created forums for online communication and interaction when in-person opportunities were, and still are, limited. They did it while struggling, like everyone else, trying to juggle their new normal figuring out how to work remotely, overcoming the personal effects of the COVID illness for them and many of their employees and family members, all while trying pay the their own bills. One organization I work with tried to pay them for some of the remarkable service and they would not take the money! Despite all their own COVID challenges, Chad Hammond and Gary Stewart, owners of I.E. Productions, have continued to volunteer their time, their talents and their incredible experience to help our community get through this pandemic. Their uncommon generosity and constant willingness to put community and the public good ahead of personal and professional gain is uncommon and that makes it remarkable. Anyone who knows them knows that they love Idaho Falls and they have dedicated their lives to making this a better place for us all. Mr. Stewart stated he and Mr. Hammond believe they are lucky to have grown up in this area. He also stated he was taught by several individuals that when there is a need in the community you just do it. Outstanding Community Spirit –Heidi Van Campen Galbreth and David Oliver of The Village Neighborhood Watch Facebook Page The Village Neighborhood Watch is a Facebook page that unites The Village neighborhood—that’s the one that is adjacent to the City-owned soccer fields on the west side of the city—just past the airport. The page allows them to communicate and connect with each other, share excess zucchini, give away hand-me-downs, locate lost pets and bikes, trade used furniture, re-route mis-delivered mail, borrow tools, buy and sell school/team fundraiser items, and so on. I saw that the page once helped to find the owners of a trampoline that had blown into another neighbor’s yard down the street—this is Idaho after all. When the shutdown hit, Heidi Van Campen Galbreth made a post on April 17th 2020 that changed the course of history in this neighborhood: “Hey friends. So there is a cool thing that some peeps in Australia and New Zealand are doing. They are making short videos of themselves taking their garbage cans out to the curb each week. Anyone interested in doing something like that in The Village? Maybe we could even give a prize or something.” The post received several comments. One week later on April 23rd, Ms. Van Campen Galbreth posted: “I hope I’m not the only one dressing up to take the garbage out tomorrow.” And #GarbageDay was born. Within two weeks, five more neighbors had joined in. Mr. Oliver was one of them. These pandemic-bored neighbors, who seem to own an unusual number of elaborate costumes, challenged each other to come up with “creative” ways to take out the trash and film it. The Oliver Family picked up the thread and … truly elevated the art form. I have many favorites and several feature the Oliver household. The resultant videos have involved both talented and untalented individuals. The writing, acting and filming has been both amazing and entertaining and also cringy and goofy at the same time—or mostly just an excuse to dress up in costumes and be silly. After each video, I found myself looking forward to the next week’s episode. Nothing says “Hey Pandemic, Go jump in the lake” better than kooky moms and dads, brothers and sisters, parents and children, families and friends all coming together to star in homemade, cell-phone productions. If those families are anything like mine, I imagine each production was filled with laughs, opinions, eye-rolls, creativity, excitement, arguments, fun and a fair dose of embarrassment. My High School English teacher taught me that the role of the Fool in Shakespeare’s play King Lear was to provide comic relief in the midst of tragedy. So, to the “fools” of The Village Neighborhood Watch, we offer 9  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting this most sincere recognition—not so much for the quality of the videos—but more for your spunk and creativity and the sense of Community you have introduced into your little corner of Idaho Falls. Thank you to all of the frustrated thespians in The Village! Ms. Van Campen Galbreth expressed her appreciation to the spouses for their support. Mr. Oliver expressed his appreciation to the elected officials. Outstanding Humanitarian Service – Idaho Falls Senior Citizens Community Center, Represented by Valisa Say & Pam Stronks The Idaho Falls Senior Center staff operates a physical space where seniors in our community can gather. They serve meals and offer entertainment, information, and other programs that allow Idaho Falls seniors to develop friendships and enjoy spending time together. Senior Center staff members also prepare meals that Senior Center volunteers deliver to the seniors in our community who are homebound. Many of you have heard of the program entitled “Meals on Wheels.” As you can imagine, the Senior Center and the Meals on Wheels Program have been hard hit by the pandemic. Its clientele is among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus disease. Gathering at the Center has been out of the question and consequently the number of people who have needed home delivery of meals has skyrocketed. Over the course of the past year, they have had to develop new contactless home delivery protocols. Used to getting the previous meal’s dinnerware back when the next was delivered, they have had to find even more funding to purchase disposable service-ware. They also have had to round up more volunteers to drive along with more vehicles to deliver the hot meals in. Through it all, the Center has not given up. The Center cannot charge for these meals, so the small staff has had to raise money like crazy. That is a stressful way to operate any program. When funds were low, they worked. When funds have been less low, they have still worked. When you take into account the fact that people of all ages happen to eat every single day, the Senior Center has not had a day off. If they don’t work, someone doesn’t eat. And Senior Center cooks cannot get sick. Too many lives depend on the safety of the product they put out every day. Senior Center Director, Valisa Say is here along with Head Cook Pam Stronks to accept recognition tonight. Ms. Stronks has not missed a day since before the pandemic began. Thank you, thank you very much. Ms. Say commended the Senior Center staff, volunteers, board members, and Ms. Stronks. She expressed her appreciation for this award. Outstanding Philanthropic Contribution – Idahoan Foods, Drew Facer accompanied by Mrs. Facer If you think back to this past summer, it was a time of a lot of confusion and uncertainty. What looked like a few weeks of staying home and social distancing suddenly turned into canceling events like the 4th of July and the War Bonnet Round Up. Toilet paper and bottled water flew off the shelves as our nation struggled with supply chain issues. People suddenly found themselves out of work, standing in line for food, and struggling with having to find masks and basic necessities. Early on, you may remember, those masks were nowhere to be found then. All the PPE’s had been taken for first responders and medical personnel and the whole community was searching for ways to comply with a new mask requirement and really, with how to just get by and make sense of what was happening. Enter Idahoan Foods. Deemed part of our critical infrastructure as a food manufacturer, Idahoan already had been hard at work making sure their employees had the supplies necessary to continue to put food on people’s tables. So when Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot challenged Idahoan Foods CEO Drew Facer to the CEO “Pay It Forward” challenge to perform acts of service in the community, Mr. Facer picked up the phone and called me. He knew what a challenge it would be for the entire community to find face coverings…and he knew that people were struggling. So he and Idahoan Foods stepped up and stepped in in a huge way. Mr. Facer and Idahoan mobilized their employees and on a hot summer day in July (and the wind was blowing too), standing outside their headquarters in Snake River Landing handing out 10,000 anti-microbial masks. Not only that, they also handed out their signature 10  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting “Buttery Home-style Mashed Potatoes” to everyone who came to pick up a mask. On top of all that, they also donated another 4,500 packages of potatoes to the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket. All in all, they donated and helped to distribute more than $37,000 in masks and potatoes to the Idaho Falls community. I personally delivered some of the masks to schools and to the Community Youth in Action LIV Teen Center. Their generosity and selfless donation helped feed and protect thousands of city residents. While others were struggling with questions and uncertainty, Mr. Facer and Idahoan Foods stepped up and stepped in to help find answers and to fill an essential need. And for that, we are proud tonight to recognize Drew Facer and Idahoan Foods. Mr. Facer expressed his appreciation to the City leadership for this award, and he commended his team. He noted Mayor Casper participated in handing out masks. Mr. Facer stated Idahoan has been part of the community for over 60 years and is proud to provide a livelihood for many individuals. He is also proud to work with the growers in the community. He is honored to receive the award. The “Good Vibes” Award – Nathan Apodaca As society languished with the physical and mental effects of the COVID pandemic, one individual almost single handedly brought a ray of sunshine to the entire world. Years ago, this individual’s daughters introduced him to Instagram, and later to TikTok, where he found a following for his many videos of him dancing, singing, lip syncing, skateboarding and doing various other activities in and around Idaho Falls. In September, while on his way to the potato warehouse where he works, his vehicle that had with 330,000 miles on it, broke down. So he pulled out his longboard, grabbed a bottle of Ocean Spray juice, and started skateboarding to work singing an old Fleetwood Mac song. As they say, the rest is history… Now, with more than 73 million views, that post of Nathan Apodaca, aka Doggface208, on his way to work in Idaho Falls, came in as the second most viewed video IN THE WORLD on TikTok’s list of top 2020 viral videos. It inspired responses by Fleetwood Mac stars Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham and lead singer Stevie Nicks. Thousands of celebrities, athletes, movie stars and other people around the world have imitated his video sharing the “good vibes” that he so openly talks about. Since that time he’s been on talk shows and been featured about everywhere from…TMZ to the Los Angeles Times; he has now been recognized as the number one most “googled” person in the world for 2020; he has been named one of the “Heroes of 2020” by Mother Jones; he is credited with being one of the first to bring a glimmer of hope and happiness to a COVID-weary world. In addition to all that, with his new-found fame and fortune, he continues to celebrate his Idaho Falls roots showcasing our city to the entire world. Mr. Apodaca has donated tens-of-thousands of dollars to Idaho Falls charities and continues to post videos every week from sites all around the city celebrating the good vibes he’s made so popular. Nathan is traveling right now, but we will present this award to him in person when he returns. And I suspect that if you haven’t seen him or his videos, you soon will as I’m told he has some very big new appearances that are coming up in the next few weeks! This is why tonight we are pleased to recognize Idaho Falls’ very own Nathan Apodaca, aka Doggface208. Public Works Subject: Professional Services Agreement with Murraysmith, LLC, for Design of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Dewatering Project The purpose of this Agreement is to establish a contract with Murraysmith, LLC, to provide design services and preparation of bidding and construction documents for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Dewatering Project. The proposed contract amount for such services to be provided is $861,052.00. Councilor Freeman briefly explained the dewatering process. He stated the entire project is anticipated to cost approximately $12M, the design work should take approximately 12-14 months to complete, and the construction bid will be advertised next year. 11  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting It was moved by Councilor Freeman, seconded by Councilor Radford, to approve the Agreement with Murraysmith, LLC and give authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Smede, Hally, Radford, Dingman, Freeman, Francis. Nay – none. Motion carried. Attachments: Professional Services Agreement - Dewatering Design 12.23.20 (CBA Executed).pdf Idaho Falls Power (IFP) Subject: Property Purchase Sale Agreement for 3995 Crestwood Lane with TayJor, LLC As subdivisions have developed around the Harrison substation, it’s created a limited access route through a residential neighborhood. The situation is not ideal for community members, so IFP has contracted to purchase an adjacent property to the substation where access would then be through a professional business park. At a later date, if it’s decided to sell the property, IFP will sell with the contingency of maintaining an easement to the substation with access through the business park. Councilor Radford stated this item has been discussed in IFP Board Meetings. It was moved by Councilor Radford, seconded by Councilor Freeman, to approve the Property Purchase Sale Agreement with TayJor, LLC of Idaho Falls, Idaho for $196,368.48 and give authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Dingman, Smede, Francis, Freeman, Hally, Radford. Nay – none. Motion carried. Attachments: IFP - Harrison Sub Agreement with TayJor Subject: IF21-07 Construction Agreement with Summit Line Construction 161-kV Line Project Following a Statement of Qualification (SOQ) on June 6, 2020, IFP solicited bids from eight approved contractors for the construction of the 161-kV Line Project. It is the recommendation of IFP to approve this bid from Summit Line Construction as the lowest responsive bidder. Rocky Mountain Power is a joint owner of this project and agrees that Summit Line Construction is the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The engineer’s cost estimate for this project is $5,116,531.00. IFP Director Bear Prairie stated the Paine Substation project is a culmination of 12-13 years of work, and all items for this project just happened to line up for this agenda. He briefly reviewed each of the items. Councilor Radford recognized Director Prairie and former IFP Director Jackie Flowers. He is pleased the Council has the opportunity to help several individuals in the community and the region. He believes this is worthwhile. It was moved by Councilor Radford, seconded by Councilor Freeman, to approve the Summit Line Construction Agreement with Idaho Falls Power (IFP) for the construction of the 161-kV transmission line from Lincoln Road to Paine Substation for a not-to-exceed amount of $5,169,234.49 and give authorization for the Mayor to execute the necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Hally, Radford, Smede. Nay – none. Motion carried. Attachments: IFP - Summit Line Agreement for 161-kV Paine Line Subject: IF21-09 Construction Agreement with Bodec, Inc. for Construction of 161-kV Paine Substation 12  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting IFP received seven bids for the construction of the new 161-kV Paine Substation project and it is at the recommendation of IFP to approve this bid from Bodec Inc. of Price, Utah as the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. The engineer’s cost estimate from 2019 for this project is $2,000,000.00. It was moved by Councilor Radford, seconded by Councilor Freeman, to approve the Bodec, Inc. Construction Agreement with Idaho Falls Power (IFP) for the construction of the new 161-kV Paine Substation for a not-to-exceed amount of $2,490,568.41 and give authorization for the Mayor to execute the necessary documents. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Smede, Hally, Dingman, Radford, Freeman, Francis. Nay – none. Motion carried. Attachments: IFP - Bodec Agreement for 161-kV Paine Substation plus bid tab Municipal Services Subject: Bid IF-21-13, Purchase of Structural Steel and Materials for Idaho Falls Power Paine Substation This purchase will provide structural steel and materials identified in the technical specifications and structural drawings for the Idaho Falls Power Paine Substation. The lowest bid received from Galvanizers, Inc. was deemed an incomplete bid. It was moved by Councilor Smede, seconded by Council President Dingman, to accept and approve the lowest responsive and responsible bidder Klute, Inc. for lump sum total of $240,054.28. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Hally, Francis, Radford, Dingman, Smede, Freeman. Nay – none. Motion carried. Attachments: MS_ IF 21-13 Purchase of Structural Steel and Materials for Idaho Falls Power.pdf Subject: Bid IF-21-14, Request to Purchase Wood Power Poles for Idaho Falls Power Bid IF-21-14 was published and did not receive any bidders. With no bids received and to expedite this purchase for the Paine Substation project, Idaho Falls Power would like to enter into the open market. Per Councilor Freeman, Municipal Services Director Pamela Alexander stated this bid will include 11 power poles. Director Prairie noted the specialized poles are approximately twice as tall as a typical power pole. It was moved by Councilor Smede, seconded by Council President Dingman, to give authorization to enter into the open market to purchase wood power poles for Idaho Falls Power based on the engineer’s estimate of $130,020.00. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Freeman, Radford, Smede, Francis, Dingman, Hally. Nay – none. Motion carried. Subject: Bid IF-21-15, Purchase of Conductor, Insulator and Switches for Idaho Falls Power Bid IF-21-15 was published and did not receive any bidders. With no bids received and to expedite this purchase for the Paine Substation project, Idaho Falls Power would like to enter into the open market. It was moved by Councilor Smede, seconded by Council President Dingman, to give authorization to enter into the open market to purchase conductor, insulator and switches for Idaho Falls Power based on the engineer’s estimate of $1,382,100. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Hally, Radford, Francis, Dingman, Smede, Freeman. Nay – none. Motion carried. City Attorney 13  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting Subject: Ordinance Standardizing References to City Clerk As part of the ongoing effort to standardize, streamline, and make the City Code more clear and useful, changes proposed refer to the City Clerk as “Clerk” throughout the Code. Councilor Hally stated this is a housekeeping issue. It was moved by Councilor Hally, seconded by Councilor Francis, to approve the ordinance amending City Code to standardize references to the Clerk under a suspension of the rules requiring three complete and separate readings, and request that it be read by title and published by summary. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Hally, Radford, Smede. Nay – none. Motion carried. At the request of Mayor Casper, the City Clerk read the ordinance by title only: ORDINANCE NO. 3365 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF IDAHO; PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF IDAHO FALLS CITY CODE, AMENDING NUMEROUS CITY CODE PROVISIONS TO STANDARDIZE REFERENCES TO THE CITY CLERK, AND PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, PUBLICATION BY SUMMARY, AND ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE DATE. Attachments: Ordinance Announcements: Mayor Casper announced that City offices will be closed on January 18 for Martin Luther King Jr./Idaho Human Rights Day. She reminded all individuals of the Idaho Falls Family Happy Hour debut on January 16, and that EIPH is looking for volunteers. Councilor Hally announced the new president and vice president (of the United States) will be sworn in on January 20. Councilor Radford announced January 19 has been designated as National Day of Service. Executive Session: It was then moved by Councilor Francis, seconded by Councilor Smede, to move into Executive Session (at 9:10 p.m.). The Executive Session is being called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(b) to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent. The Executive Session will be held in the City Annex Conference Room. At the conclusion of the Executive Session the Council will not reconvene into regular Council Meeting. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Freeman, Francis, Hally, Radford, Smede, Dingman. Nay – none. Motion carried. The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Executive Session Thursday, January 14, 2021 in the City Annex Conference Room in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 9:19 p.m. There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Councilor Shelly Smede (via telephone) Councilor Jim Freeman (via telephone) Councilor Jim Francis Councilor John Radford (via telephone) Councilor Thomas Hally 14  January 14, 2021 City Council Meeting Council President Michelle Ziel-Dingman (via telephone) Also present: Ryan Tew, Human Resources Director Randy Fife, City Attorney The Executive Session was called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(b) to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:47 p.m. s/ Kathy Hampton s/ Rebecca L. Noah Casper Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Rebecca L. Noah Casper, Mayor 15