City Council

July 8, 2024, Council Work Session The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in the Council Work Session, on Monday, July 8, 2024, in the Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls at 3:00 p.m. Call to Order and Roll Call There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Council President Lisa Burtenshaw Councilor John Radford Councilor Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilor Jim Freeman Councilor Jim Francis Councilor Kirk Larsen Also present: Margaret Wimborne, Chief of Staff Catherin Smith, Economic Development Administrator Kimberly Felker, Public Information Officer Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director Brandi Newton, Executive Director, Idaho Falls Arts Council Michael Kirkham, City Attorney Corrin Wilde, City Clerk Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. with the following items: Mayor’s Office and Public Works – Overview of Plans for Water Tower Celebration: Chief of Staff Margaret Wimborne, Public Information Officer Kimberly Felker, along with Public Works Director Chris Fredericksen, unveiled a community-wide celebration plan that emphasizes partnerships with local organizations, including the Idaho Falls Arts Council, Idaho Falls Magazine, and the Idaho Falls Symphony. Chief of Staff Wimborne says to honor the water tower's significance in our city, we're organizing a community- wide celebration. We'll highlight its history, including that this will be our fourth water tower since Eagle Rock's early days along the riverbanks. The water tower remains an iconic part of our skyline, and we've received enthusiastic responses from various community organizations. Over the next few months, we’ll pay tribute to this vital structure and emphasize its role in meeting our community’s future needs. Councilor Larsen asked about the expected completion date for the new water tower. Director Fredericksen responded that they were planning for spring but didn't have a specific date yet. He mentioned that as they get closer, they'll have a better understanding of when it will be ready. Councilor Radford asked about the process for tearing down the old water tower, specifically if there were plans to store or preserve parts of it if no one came forward with ideas or money to repurpose it. Director Fredericksen explained that the removal contract would allow the contractor to salvage parts, with some restrictions. He mentioned liability concerns as a factor in the decision-making process. Chief of Staff Wimborne mentioned the potential artistic repurposing of smaller parts through the Art Museum. Mayor Casper noted that there had been ample opportunity since 2019 for entrepreneurs to reach out with ideas, 1  July 8, 2024, Council Work Session but none had come forward. She suggested possibly including language in the RFP to allow for "creative and artful purposes" for the old tower. Radford mentioned various ideas for repurposing the water tower. Some community members have suggested turning it into a spinning restaurant or placing it in Heritage Park. Others propose using it as an Airbnb attraction. There are numerous creative ways to honor its heritage. While Radford is open to all possibilities, he acknowledges the financial constraints—neither he nor the city has the funds for this project. Fredericksen suggests recording these ideas for exploration. Although we’ve discussed structural issues related to the water tower, there’s an opportunity within the bid to salvage parts of it. Councilor Francis proposed developing a comprehensive history of the four water towers that have existed in Idaho Falls. He specifically mentioned reaching out to the Historical Preservation Committee to see if they could consult with someone to write this history, possibly for display in the Idaho Room of the local museum. Councilor Freeman emphasized the need for the new water tower's logo to be visible from Park Avenue. The council also discussed action items, including finalizing a calendar of events, exploring a partnership with the Bonneville County Historical Preservation Society for historical documentation, and considering logo placement on the new tower. Mayor Casper concluded by encouraging ongoing input and ideas from council members as the project progresses. Mayor’s Office: Economic Development Incentive Program: Economic Development Administrator, Catherine Smith discusses economic development incentives for local businesses. In 2012, the incentive program was established in Idaho Falls. Initially, only two businesses—Costco and Intermountain Packing—utilized this economic development incentive since that time. Ms. Smith feels, However, the requirement of creating 100 new full-time equivalent positions proved challenging. To address this, she proposed lowering the threshold to 25 positions. Considering it has been used only twice in 12 years, she feels this adjustment seems reasonable. For smaller, locally owned franchises, this incentive could be beneficial. Additionally, she suggested updating the minimum hourly wage, which was set at $15 in 2012. Given today’s job market, allowing the city council to adjust this wage by resolution would provide flexibility. It can be reassessed based on local economic indicators. The main changes are in effect for 60 days before building permits, and capital investment figures may fluctuate. Ms. Smith indicated that a few minor adjustments could benefit our community. The following topics were discussed with general discussion throughout: 1. Lowering the employee threshold from 100 to 25 or 50 full-time employees to qualify for incentives. 2. Indexing wage requirements and investment thresholds to current economic conditions. 3. Adding enforcement and compliance measures to ensure businesses meet their commitments. 4. Balancing attracting new businesses with fairness to existing local businesses. 5. Considering the overall impact on city property tax revenues and valuation. The Council agreed to increase the proposed employee threshold from 25 to 50, allow the council to set minimum wage requirements by resolution, and add a 7-year compliance period. They also decided to research updating the investment thresholds and consider adding language about increasing property valuation as a goal. The council expressed a need for more data on typical employee counts for various business types before finalizing changes. Rather than approving the changes immediately, they opted to refine the proposal based on the discussion and schedule another workshop in the coming weeks to review an updated draft of the ordinance. This approach allows for a more thorough consideration of the potential impacts and ensures the incentives align with the city's economic development goals. 2  July 8, 2024, Council Work Session Legal Department and Idaho Falls Power: Memorandum of Understanding for Street Banner Pilot Project: City Attorney Michael Kirkham introduced the street banner pilot project, explaining that the Arts Commission approached the city about reviving the program. He noted that the city previously managed a similar program but discontinued it due to logistical challenges. The new pilot project would allow the Arts Council to utilize city poles on 17th Street and Sunnyside Road for banners promoting arts, cultural, and community events. Mr. Kirkham emphasized that commercial advertising would not be permitted, and every fifth banner would promote city projects at no cost. He described the project as running until the end of fiscal year 2026, after which the city and Arts Council would evaluate its success and decide on future implementation. Mr. Kirkham characterized the proposal as an experiment with flexible terms, allowing both parties to assess the program's viability and community impact. The Idaho Falls Arts Council, represented by Brandi Newton, proposed reviving the city's street banner program as a pilot project. The proposal aims to promote arts, cultural, and community events using existing banner brackets on city poles, primarily along 17th Street and Sunnyside Road. Initially, the project will utilize existing banners for events like the Duck Race and Youth Camp. Councilor Radford asked about the process for installing banners. Brandi Newton explained that The Arts Council is in talks to contract with Idaho Falls Power for the installation and removal of banners while exploring costs and logistics during the pilot to determine long-term feasibility. The focus will be on more "evergreen" content rather than frequently changing banners, avoiding commercial advertising or QR codes. As part of the agreement, every fifth banner will be provided for city use to promote Idaho Falls Power/Fiber at no cost. The pilot is set to run until the end of fiscal year 2026, allowing time to assess its viability and community impact. Councilor Larsen asked who is responsible for putting up and taking down the city's one-in-five banners. Brandi Newton clarified that the Arts Council would handle all installations and removals, including city banners. Councilor Freeman: Expressed support for the project, noting how banners improve the city's appearance. It was moved by Councilor Freeman and seconded by Council President Burtenshaw to approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the Street Banner Pilot Project between the City of Idaho Falls and Idaho Falls Arts Council. The motion carried with the following vote. Aye Councilor Freeman, Radford, Burtenshaw, Francis, Dingman, Larsen. Mayor and Council: Calendars, Announcements, Announcements, Events, Reports, Updates, Concerns, Questions, and Discussion: Mayor Casper distributed calendar items as follows. Idaho Falls Auditorium District Board Meeting July 9th at 7 am The Great Race for Education (College of Eastern Idaho event) will be July 19th at 10 am GIF Chamber of Commerce Board meeting July 23rd at 8 am Approximate Dates for Sister City Youth Delegation July 26th – August 5th. Budget Session on Tuesday, July 23rd at 2 pm. War Bonnet Rodeo on August 1st – 3rd. ICUA Annual meeting July 17th – 19th. Idaho Falls Power Board Meeting August 7th. Mayor Casper requested a group photo for the City Council to be taken on Thursday, July 11th before the start of the Council meeting. Mayor Casper outlined the budget process, which includes four scheduled budget Tuesdays. Three of these meetings will take place in July, leading up to the tentative budget adoption on July 25th. The fourth meeting is scheduled for August, following the budget hearing. She encouraged council members to review the budget book and focus on policy-level decisions. 3  July 8, 2024, Council Work Session Council President Burtenshaw: • pointed out a few corrections to the calendar. She said on the 11th they have moved the redevelopment meeting up so that there will be a quorum. August 23rd there will be no budget, Session. She thanked everyone for walking in the parade and felt it was a great way to start the Fourth of July. Councilor Freeman (Police Department Updates): • National Night Out at Tautphaus Park: Scheduled for August 6 in the evening. • Idaho Falls Police Family Picnic: Taking place at the police headquarters on July 31 from 4:00 PM until either 7:00 PM or 9:00 PM. Councilor Dingman: • Pickleball Courts: The pickleball courts are now complete and operational. • Floating Bridge: The floating bridge is also up and running. • Zoo News: Unfortunately, one of our female lions had to be euthanized. There was a story about it in the news. • Golf Situation: Interestingly, our golf facilities are maxed out—we’re turning away almost 300 golfers every day. Councilor Radford: • Washington has voted to maintain the status quo after the 24 allotments, ensuring the government remains operational. Consequently, there won’t be any significant spending until November to January. Looking ahead, there’s speculation that if the Biden presidency continues into a second term, fiscal year 2026 may see progress, especially with Republican control in the House. • We’ve encountered interesting reactions to the library bill aimed at protecting minors from accessing certain information. Some employees, particularly those from the LGBTQ community, feel targeted. Additionally, they have recently closed the third floor, requiring ID for entry if you are under 30. Despite challenges, we’re committed to finding solutions and moving forward. • Radford mentioned the new rec center, describing it as beautiful and worth a visit. Councilor Francis: • On Yellowstone Highway, you'll notice that half the railroad tracks are out, but not the other half. The attempt was to get that done by the Fourth, but the hot plants that make the asphalt were not functioning last week so they had to wait but it is coming out. And it may look awkward what's going on, on the east side of that, they're building a sidewalk that will connect down to a cliff, that becomes maple. So that's what's going on there. And it will be finished shortly. • Councilor Francis inquired whether anyone else had received calls or emails from fishermen attempting to fish at night. In response, Chief of Staff Wimborne acknowledged that their office is aware of the issue caused by the new ordinance closing parks at 11 pm. Eric, our PIO, is collaborating with Parks and Recreation to find a solution. While there are exceptions for jogging and running on trails, they are actively exploring options to address the concerns raised by the fishermen. Councilor Larsen: • The Public Works Department has indicated that there would be a ramp-up in road work in the coming months. • Councilor Larsen also mentioned that this is the first year he participated in the 4th of July parade and he enjoyed it. Councilor Radford thanked the Chamber for this event noting that it is a great event. 4  July 8, 2024, Council Work Session Executive Session: The Executive Session is being called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206 (1)(f) to communicate with legal councel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated, but imminently likely to be litigated. The Council will not reconvene in an open session after the executive session. The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in an Executive Session, on Monday, July 8, 2024, in the City Annex Conference Room in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls at 4:35 p.m. It was then moved by Councilor Francis, seconded by Councilor Freeman, to move into Executive Session (at 4:32 p.m.). The Executive Session was called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74 206(1)(f) to communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated, but imminently likely to be litigated. The Council will not reconvene in an open session. The motion was carried by the following vote: Aye - Councilors Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Larsen, Radford, Burtenshaw. Nay – none Call to Order and Roll Call There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Council President Lisa Burtenshaw Councilor John Radford Councilor Kirk Larsen Councilor Jim Freeman Councilor Jim Francis Also present: Michael Kirkham, City Attorney Duane Nelson, Fire Chief Pam Alexander, Municipal Services Director The Executive Session was called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(f) to communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated, but imminently likely to be litigated. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:10 PM s/Corrin Wilde s/Rebecca L. Noah Casper Corrin Wilde, City Clerk Rebecca L. Noah Casper, Mayor 5