City Council

680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes Thursday, February 8, 2024, 7:30 PM City Council Chambers 1. Call to Order Present: Mayor Rebecca L Noah Casper, Council President Michelle Ziel-Dingman, Councilor Radford, Councilor Larsen, Councilor Freeman, Councilor Francis; and Councilor Burtenshaw Also present: All available Department Directors Micheal Kirkham, City Attorney Corrin Wilde, City Clerk 2. Pledge of Allegiance Airport Director Ian Turner led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance. Public Comment Carl Robison City Resident of Idaho Falls. The question he has is respective to the new floor in the Rec Center. Looking at the estimate there are three items he is wondering about. That amount to about $10,000 and appeared to be superfluous. He listed the items; end zone lettering for $1200 a Center logo for $2,500 and a host logo for $6,200. It’s a total of about $10,000, that he is not sure if he understands the importance of. Mayor Casper acknowledged his question and provided information on accessing previous council discussions. Consent Agenda A. Office of the Mayor 1) Appointments to City Boards, Committees, and Commissions B. Municipal Services 1) Quote – Purchase One Replacement Crack Sealer for Public Works. C. Idaho Falls Power 1) IFP 24-11 Gem State Vault Toilet-UBC Precast 2) IFP 24-10 Recloser Switch D. Public Works 1) Bid Award – North Highland Park Concrete Improvements – 2024 E. Office of the City Clerk  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes 1) Minutes from Council Meetings 2) License Applications It was moved by Council President Burtenshaw, seconded by Councilor Radford to accept, and receive all items on the consent agenda according to the recommendations as presented. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye - Councilors Dingman, Burtenshaw, Francis, Freeman, Larsen, Radford. Nay- None. 5. Regular Agenda A. Community Development Services 1) Final Plat, Development Agreement, and Reasoned Statement of Relevant Criteria and Standards, Sand Creek Estates Division No. 2. It was moved by Councilor Radford, seconded by Councilor Larsen to approve the Development Agreement for the Final Plat for Sand Creek Estates Division No. 2 and give authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to sign said agreement. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye - Councilors Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Larsen, Radford, Burtenshaw. Nay- None. It was moved by Councilor Radford, seconded by Councilor Larsen to accept or approve the Final Plat for Sand Creek Estates Division No. 2 and give authorization for the Mayor, City Engineer, and City Clerk to sign said Final Plat. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye - Councilors Burtenshaw, Larsen, Dingman, Radford, Freeman, Francis. Nay – None. It was moved by Councilor Radford, seconded by Councilor Larsen to approve the Reasoned Statement of Relevant Criteria and Standards for the Final Plat for Sand Creek Estates Division No. 2 and give authorization for the Mayor to execute the necessary documents. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye - Councilors Larsen, Francis, Radford, Dingman, Burtenshaw, Freeman. Nay – None. B. Municipal Services 1) Addition to Public Works Fleet - One 2024 John Deere 60P Mini Excavator with Attachments. Addition to Public Works Fleet - One 2024 John Deere 60P Mini Excavator with Attachments 24-121 This purchase will be an addition to the Public Works, Water Division Director Alexander stated this is an addition to the fleet for the Public Works water division. And this piece of equipment was budgeted in this fiscal year. The reason that we have it on the regular agenda is because when we have replacements, those are on consent. When there is a new addition to the fleet, they are included separately, so they don't get intermixed with the MERPH (Municipal Equipment Replacement Fund) Replacement equipment purchases that we have. Director Alexander stated that this is an addition to the fleet and is going to be used for the water division for works that they're going to be doing on the meters.  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes It was moved by Councilor Larsen, seconded by Councilor Radford accept and approve the purchase of one John Deere Mini Excavator from the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract #011723-JDC from John Deere for a total of $124,986.79. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye – Councilor Larsen, Radford, Francis, Dingman, Burtenshaw, Freeman. Nay – None. C. Idaho Falls Power 1) 23-28 IFP Peaking Plant - ESI Assistant General Manager Steven Borman presented the Peaking Plant ESI agreement to construct a peaking plant. Idaho Falls Power (IFP) solicited a request for proposal (RFP) to select the most qualified company to construct a peaking plant. Three submissions were received with ESI being the most qualified bidder. The contract amount is $22,912,159.00 plus a ten percent (10%) contingency of $2,291,215.90 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $25,203,374.90. Council members discussed carbon emissions, renewable energy sources, and certification. They highlighted the importance of education, independence from the energy market, and controlling energy sources. Councilor Freeman stated that we started this process with a land purchase in 2021 and then purchased the generation sets within the last couple of months for 11M and this is 25M dollars to get this project up and running. Going to the market for power is a dice game and this is going to give us more control of our power generation which is what we have always done with our run-of-the-river generators but this gives us another type of generator, and it's going to help us get through those peaks. Councilor Radford stated that he was very concerned about this project at first. In the history of Idaho Falls, we have never produced any carbon-omitting power because we use the hydroelectric facility and have never had to deal with carbon release. Councilor Radford says he came around to this project because the Power generation is going to be done by generators that will be able to use hydrogen gas eventually. They have dual purposes so they can use one or the other. At some point in the future, it is possible to run this plant on hydrogen power. Councilor Radford highlighted the Clean Certified Energy Program explaining that people can choose to use clean certified energy options or non-omitting carbon power when to energize their homes or charge their cars. Councilor Radford says he is supportive of this as they have worked through these issues around carbon omission and tried to find ways to mitigate that and work within the system to smooth off the peaks of what is so expensive to buy power on the market which can be thousands of dollars per megawatts and we cannot do that and keep our prices were they are at and feels this is a nice way to deal with that. Councilor Dingman feels that public power is an educational journey for not only your elected officials but also the community. She says we do generate most of our own power but we also buy power and sell power on the market. When you have these high, highs (hot weather) and really, low lows (cold weather) we do end up having to go and purchase power at a high price. She stated that the thing she appreciates about this project is that it does create some Independents away from the marketplace and being able to generate all our own power. As Councilor Radford discussed, being a clean power city is very important to us and it is something that we had to weigh when making this decision. To be able to choose clean power as an individual customer is important and we must get that message out to more power users, that you do have an opportunity for $3.60 more a month to choose clean power. Councilor Dingman encourages everyone to do that. She thanked Idaho Falls Power for being innovative in setting us up for our future and getting us to this point. Mayor Casper explained benefits like cost savings and research opportunities.  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes Councilor Francis stated that two years ago, he was not keen on this project, because of the current climate we're in, but analyzing what the options were and seeing that the carbon-free project for the nuclear power plant was unable to go forward financially. He said we had to find a way to add to our ability to provide for the demand in the city and that demand is growing as more apartments and buildings are using electric heat. He said we must meet that demand. This is the only practical thing that we have in front of us right now. Maybe in the future, there will be a hydrogen option for this, but right now, we must make sure that everybody can turn the lights on when they need them. Council President Burtenshaw wanted to commend everyone who is up here tonight, for the time and effort put into becoming educated on power. She said when we go to some of these meetings, it is a little shocking where we are with energy as a nation, and you just don't go out to the market. It's got to be produced somewhere. She feels that it is a meaningful vote tonight. Councilor Francis stated that we are taking the extra step to provide all the scrubbers to get everything out of the emissions. He said the technology is not there yet to be able to remove carbon but the rest of the potential pollutants are removed. Councilor Radford expressed gratitude for Idaho Falls Power because they've also put out a request for a proposal to use geothermal as another option. This is cool because it's part of what our heritage is. It is another use of water that makes a lot of sense to create energy. He said that with the clean certified energy program, you can call 1-208-612-8280 or go to your customer portal and it's.003 dollars per kilowatt, to sign up; totaling about $3.60 a month more. He feels that is probably the cheapest number you will find in the nation to get certified clean, fully carbon-free energy. Mayor Casper stated that the Geothermal Proposal is separate from this and was not an alternative that was looked at and discarded. It is still on the table and it's a future project. Mayor Casper explained benefits like cost savings and research opportunities. She says that spending a couple million dollars over a few peak demand days can be spent easily for energy and it is not certified clean energy. She also pointed out that we have also built this for research and partnership with the lab if those opportunities arise. She indicated that there will be some space on the property to be able to develop this into an Energy Research Park if needed. She stated, that feels good because part of our heritage is making sure that we're very responsible when it comes to the environment and the rates, we charge our customers. Councilor Larsen stated that Idaho Falls has a rich history of being forward-thinking. But tonight, we're talking particularly about electricity and this is a key element of that. Those forward-thinking activities and results have been a benefit to the city for literally decades, and it's good to see that continuing. It was moved by Councilor Freeman, seconded by Councilor Dingman to accept, and approve the ESI Agreement to construct a peaking plant for a not-to-exceed price of $25,203,374.90 and give authorization to the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the necessary documents. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye – Councilor Larsen, Radford, Francis, Dingman, Burtenshaw, Freeman. Nay – None. D. Parks and Recreation 1) Tautphaus Park Tennis Court Reconstruction Project for Parks and Recreation. Due to the deterioration of the Tautphaus Park tennis courts, a reconstruction project was budgeted in the Parks and Recreation’s 2023/24 budget. Pursuant to Idaho Code §67-2807 which authorizes the City to participate in cooperative purchasing agreements, staff recommends that the city enter into an  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes agreement with FieldTurf USA and Renner Sports Surfaces under the Sourcewell contract for the purchase of labor, materials, and windscreens in the total amount of $473,892. The Sourcewell contract was awarded by the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Association pursuant to a competitive solicitation process, as required by Idaho Code §67-2807. Director PJ Holm recommended reconstructing the tennis courts at Tautphaus Park. The current courts were deteriorating and needed replacement. In 2022, a similar project at Skyline High School cost $350,000 but increased to $550,000 by the time funding was available. The proposed project would use a post-tension court system giving the courts a 50-year lifespan, rather than the typical 20 years. This would save money in the long run despite the higher initial cost. The bid came in at $473,892, providing some cost savings. Councilor Radford asked clarifying questions about the decreased cost from $550,000 to $473,892. Director Holm stated that they went to do the bid again, for this year, and it did come in at $473.892. Director Holm stated that will give us some cost savings on this project that we are looking to use for a new project that we have proposed for our community. That will bring some great opportunities and great facilities for pickleball players and for those who are looking to try new sports in Idaho Falls. It was moved by Councilor Dingman, seconded by Councilor Francis to accept and approve the pricing proposal from FieldTurf USA and Renner Sports Surfaces from the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract #031622-FTU in the amount of $473,892 to reconstruct the Tautphaus Park tennis courts. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye – Councilor Dingman, Burtenshaw, Francis, Freeman, Larsen, Radford. Nay – None. 2) Sole Source - Demolishing and Rebuilding the Recrea�on Center Gym Floor for Parks and Recrea�on After more than 50 years of public use, the hardwood gym floor in the Idaho Falls Recreation Center must be replaced to ensure that patrons have a playable and safe facility in the coming years. The Parks and Recreation Department recommends City Council authorize this purchase as a sole source purchase pursuant to State Statute §67-2808(2)(a)(viii) and 2808(2)(b) because there is only one (1) source reasonably available and a "where competitive solicitation is impractical, disadvantageous, or unreasonable under the circumstances.” State law further requires that, upon making the sole source declaration that there is only one (1) vendor for services, the notice of a sole source procurement shall be published in the official newspaper at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the award of the contract. This project was discussed during the 2024 budget process and spending authority was approved with the understanding that facility sponsorships would cover a portion of the total cost. Director Holm stated that the recreation center was completed in 1939 and the hardwood floor that we currently play on, is one of the most played on basketball courts in Idaho Falls with more than 500 games played on that surface every year as well as noon ball, pickle ball, volleyball leagues, youth leagues, and basketball camps throughout the year and so this is a very well used facility. For the last 25 years we have had annual maintenance that happens and every year or two we have completely sanded the floor down and refinished and revarnished it, due to high traffic on this floor. Last year we started noticing dead spots where the ball would not bounce up to the player. We found that the subflooring and lattice are worn out. This floor was installed in the late to mid-50s from what we can tell and has  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes lasted over 60 years of play. Director Holm says they brought in a company here in town called United Services LLC to evaluate the floor. They determined that this floor has some structural issues and safety concerns and recommended replacing it. Parks and Recreation started working with some sponsors in the community and received some bids as well as budgeted money of $100,000. The estimated cost was around $179,000 to replace the floor. With the help of our sponsors, a majority of the cost will be covered along with funding through the budget process last year. Director Holm says they are ready to start this project in Spring and have found that United Services LLC is the only company locally that can do this type of project. We could have a company in Salt Lake or Boise but felt it would be disadvantageous to bring a company to Idaho Falls for 10 weeks and pay per diem and hotel costs. Director Holm suggested that this be looked at as a Sole Source for that reason. Mayor Casper asked a clarifying question about the logos on the gym floor. Director Holm stated that the proposal that has been offered to the sponsors is for a dollar amount and each quadrant of the gym would have a logo from one of our community partners. At this point, we are looking at 4 sponsors to help us cover that other $100,000 difference and are also looking for additional sponsors to bring that cost down for the city as well. Director Holm says that they are working with the company that would be installing the new floor to possibly sponsor some of that logo and decal to get this price down as much as possible. Director Holm pointed out that this bid price is a maximum price for this project and there are a couple of things for example the 2 axillary basketball courts they have priced may not move forward which would bring the price down more. Director Holm also discussed the option of being able to use the old gym floor pieces as plaques to give away as appreciation gifts. Councilor Radford shared heartfelt sentiments for the value this gym has brought to the city of Idaho Falls. It was moved by Councilor Dingman, seconded by Councilor Francis to accept and authorize the pricing proposal from United Services Inc. in the amount of $189,986.00 and declare that this vendor is the only vendor reasonably able to demolish and rebuild the Recreation Center gym floor within the necessary 10-week time frame. The motion was carried by the following vote. Aye – Councilor Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Larsen, Radford, Burtenshaw. Nay – None. 6. Announcements Council President Burtenshaw wanted to thank everyone who participated last night for the open house Airport meeting, it was well attended and was a public participation open house with a lot of questions and answers and felt like it was a successful meeting. Councilor Radford congratulated Skyline High School for collecting 265,000 cans of food in the Super Bowl for the Community food basket Idaho Falls and half a million cans of food collected by students at School District 91 and raised $20,000 dollars to donate to the Idaho Falls Food basket. Mayor Casper announced that we will be having another Council meeting two weeks from tonight on the 22nd. Monday the 19th is Presidents Day and the city will be closed on that day. Tomorrow night is the Idaho Falls Police Department Awards event. There is also a promotion ceremony on Monday afternoon.  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes 7. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:16 PM s/ Corrin Wilde s/Rebecca L. Noah Casper Corrin Wilde, City Clerk Rebecca L. Noah Casper, Mayor +