City Council

680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes Thursday, July 25, 2024, 7:30 PM City Council Chambers 1. Call to Order Present: Mayor Rebecca L Noah Casper, Council President Burtenshaw, Councilor Radford, Councilor Ziel-Dingman, Councilor Freeman, Councilor Francis; and Councilor Larsen Also present: All available Department Directors Micheal Kirkham, City Attorney Corrin Wilde, City Clerk 2. Pledge of Allegiance Councilor Ziel-Dingman led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. Public Comment Jimmy Lee appeared he stated he is 85 years old and has 5 great-grandkids, 5 grandkids, and three sons. He wanted to address the importance of Fentanyl and drug testing in our country. Last year, there were 152,652 deaths, including 36,251 from insomnia drugs, 28,918 from cocaine, and 10,171 from other drugs. Mr. Lee stated that 76,226 deaths were attributed to fentanyl, with 50% affecting children. Mr. Lee believes that our lack of interest and busy schedules contribute to this alarming trend, and he urges us to act against this deadly issue. Mr. Lee expressed concern about drug trafficking from Mexico and third-world countries, which he believes poses a threat to our safety. He recounted an incident at a local Ross store. Mr. Lee stated that he observed a large number of what he described as “illegal immigrants.” Feeling uneasy, he left the store and noticed vans and SUVs transporting these individuals. Mr. Lee called the police to report the situation, but the officer dismissed his concerns, demanding proof. Frustrated by the lack of response from law enforcement, Mr. Lee emphasized the need to protect our country’s freedoms and rights. He urged others to take a stand and not be complacent. Mr. Lee stated there’s a rumor that they’re flying people into our airport at midnight, and some say the mayor is being paid for it. Faith Neibert, an Idaho Falls resident, expressed her gratitude for the public transportation system, specifically GIFT. As someone who has been blind her whole life, she appreciates having reliable transportation. GIFT allows her to pay with cash or a debit card, which is a big relief—no need to carry cash all the time. Now, she can travel anywhere within the city limits of Idaho Falls, attending events and going to therapy school. Faith uses the service almost daily. However, she mentioned that GIFT discontinued the disability discount, and she now pays $120 a month to get to school and back 4 days a week. While it’s still more affordable than Uber, she hopes there’s a way to address the reasons behind removing the discount. She heard rumors of fraud associated with the discount but wasn’t sure if they were true. Overall, Ms. Neibert valued the service and thanked the Council for implementing the program.  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes 4. Consent Agenda A. Municipal Services 1) Sale of Used Bucket Truck to Bonneville County Bonneville County has expressed an interest in purchasing unit 331, a 1993 GMC bucket truck removed from service and listed for surplus. Resolution 2015-01, Section C, a. allows for the sale of surplus property. The vehicle is currently valued at $7,500.00. 2) Fourth Quarter Impact Fee Report Ordinance 3510 requires quarterly and annual reports to be provided to the Impact Fee Advisory Committee and Council. The report is for the fourth quarter, March 1, 2024 - May 31, 2024. A total of $2,347,529.36 has been received in impact fee payments for the quarter, with $3,059,767.42 of impact fees outstanding, pending the request and issuance of permits. The city changed the Impact Fee software platform to CityWorks on April 1, 2024. 3) Treasurer’s Report for May 2024 For the month of May 2024, cash and investments total $175.9. Total fiscal year-to-date receipts received and reconciled to the general ledger were reported at $169.4M, which includes revenues of $89.6M for charges for services and taxes and intergovernmental revenues of $56.9M. Total fiscal year- to-date distributions reconciled to the general ledger were reported at $147.3M. This includes salary and benefits of $55.2M, operating costs of $62.8M, and Capital expenditures of $36.9M. B. Office of the City Clerk 1) Minutes from Council Meetings March 25, 2024, City Council Work Session July 8, 2024, City Council Work Session 2) License Applications It was moved by President Burtenshaw, seconded by Councilor Larsen to approve, accept, or receive all items on the Consent Agenda according to the recommendations presented. The motion was carried by the following vote: Aye – Councilors Dingman, Radford, Francis, Burtenshaw, Larsen, Freeman. Nay – None 5. Regular Agenda A. Community Development Services 1) Resolution - Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) PY-2024 Annual Action Plan Councilor Radford recused himself due to his affiliation with the organization that requested a grant. Councilor Francis, who serves on the Behavioral Crisis Center board, announces this annually and votes because it doesn’t financially benefit him. Mayor Casper mentioned that the hearing lasted four weeks, and received letters of support, but no comments led to reconsideration of program support.  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes It was moved by Councilor Larsen, seconded by Councilor Dingman to approve the 2024 CDBG Resolution with attendant Council Approved Projects and Activities to be submitted to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for final approval. The motion was carried by the following vote: Aye – Councilors Freeman, Burtenshaw, Francis, Dingman, Larsen. Nay – None B. Public Works 1) Easement Vacation - Power Line Easement Instrument No. 534832. Director Fredericksen stated that the owner of the property in question has requested vacation of the easement depicted in the attached exhibit and as described in the Ordinance. The building that this powerline was serving has been demolished and the easement is no longer needed. City staff have reviewed the request and recommend approval. It was moved by Councilor Francis, seconded by Councilor Larsen to approve the easement vacation Ordinance under a suspension of the rules requiring three complete and separate readings and request that it be read by title. The motion was carried by the following vote: Aye – Councilors Larsen, Radford, Francis, Dingman, Burtenshaw, Freeman. Nay -None. At the request of Mayor Casper, the City Clerk read the ordinance by title only: ORDINANCE NO. 3578 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, PROVIDING FOR THE VACATION OF A PORTION OF AN EASEMENT LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF IDAHO FALLS AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN SECTION 1 OF THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING THAT TITLE TO SAID VACATED EASEMENT SHALL VEST AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 3 OF THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT FROM AND AFTER PASSAGE, APPROVAL, AND PUBLICATION ACCORDING TO LAW C. Idaho Falls Power 1) Old Lower Powerhouse Soil Profile and Structure Analysis - Gannett Fleming. Idaho Falls Power General Manager Bear Prairie provided a summary of the request. In May 2019 City Council approved a professional services agreement with Gannett Fleming to perform a structural analysis of the Old Lower Powerhouse. Four recommendations were made in their report, which was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC has requested further boring investigation of the apparent settling of the southwest wall. Gannett requested four cost estimates from drilling and testing subcontractors and chose the lowest bid to carry out the subcontracted boring work. The total cost estimate to carry out FERC recommendation number one is $242,404 plus a 10% contingency of $24,240.40 for a total cost of $266,644.40. Councilor Freeman emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety, stating that it’s better to be safe than sorry. Additionally, if Gannett Fleming provides a recommendation, the council is prepared to follow it diligently. Councilor Francis described this approach as “anticipatory safety” rather than a reactive one.  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes It was moved by Councilor Freeman, seconded by Councilor Dingman to approve the scope of work for Gannett Fleming to perform soil testing and structural analysis at the Old Lower Powerhouse for a cost of $266,644.40. The motion was carried by the following vote: Aye – Councilors Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Larsen, Radford, and Burtenshaw. Nay - None. C. Municipal Services 1) Tentative Approval of the 2024/25 Fiscal Year Budget Director Pam Alexander gave a brief overview of the 2024/25 Fiscal Year tentative budget. The tentative budget for the fiscal year should not exceed $373,670,680. It includes a 3% statutory property tax levy designated for city employee wages and benefits. Additionally, provisions for growth and annexation involve staffing resources for Human Resources, Legal, and Parks and Recreation departments, along with a GIFT grant match of $250,000. The proposal also allocates a 1% forgone levy to support public safety operations for $491,054. Furthermore, there are considerations for new, changed, or increased fees for services. Public notices regarding this budget will be issued on Saturday, July 27, and Saturday, August 3. Public hearings are scheduled for Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 7:30 pm. Council President Burtenshaw appreciated the directors coming together and how we made this a collaborative budget this year. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that was done, and she was glad to provide a 3% inflationary increase to the employees, as well as no increase in health insurance. She feels that all of this was a direct result of the directors and leadership coming together from each department. She also expressed excitement about the budgeted amount for GIFT, which she believes is a freedom that can be appreciated Councilor Freeman wanted to let people know that he feels we did a good job in maintaining our level of service. Although it initially seemed like going backward was a possibility early in the process, the revenues turned out to be good. Councilor Freeman believes it was also important to find funds for a 3% COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for the employees and knows it is appreciated. Additionally, the city covered the extra expense of employee health insurance, ensuring that they didn't lose ground. Councilor Freeman takes pride in the fact that we allocated resources to increase public safety, potentially adding six new police officers due to a 1% increase. Councilor Freeman stated that he was pleased with the entire process and felt that we did a great job. Councilor Francis expressed gratitude to Mayor Casper and Council President Burtenshaw for organizing the priorities meeting in February. During that meeting, the Council listed out priorities, and when you examine the budget line by line, those priorities are precisely reflected in what we put together. Councilor Francis stated that he considers this budget the best he has ever seen in that respect. Mayor Casper stated that the Council has insight and experience, and all of them have expertise and interest in their respective areas. They are rowing in the same direction when it comes to improving the way the city achieves its goals and serves its citizens. She feels the process was successful. She is excited about the good priorities set by the Council. These priorities were genuinely focused on doing better, which made them excellent. It was moved by Councilor Burtenshaw, seconded by Councilor Larsen that the Council approve the tentative 2024/2025 fiscal year budget for a not to exceed amount of $373,670,680 and give the  680 Park Avenue City Council Meeting Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Minutes authorization to publish them as a public hearing. The motion was carried by the following vote: Aye – Councilors Francis, Dingman, Freeman, Larsen, Radford, Burtenshaw. Nay - None. 6. Announcements Sister Cities Youth Delegation: The delegation’s arrival was delayed due to customs issues. Tomorrow’s 9:45 a.m. meeting with the youth delegation is canceled. Event rescheduling details will be communicated to the Council. Farmers Market: On Saturday at 9 a.m., we have the Farmers Market. It's also City of Idaho Falls Day, and Council members have been provided a t-shirt to wear. Chamber of Commerce Luncheon: On June 30th, the Chamber of Commerce is hosting a luncheon. Rodeo Events: July 31st: Free family night at Sandy Downs. August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd: Rodeo days. Thursday: Family night. Friday: “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” in support of breast cancer. Saturday: Veteran’s night. Upcoming Dates: August 5th: Work Session. August 6th: National Night Out at Tautphaus Park. August 7th: Idaho Falls Power Board meeting. August 8th: City Council Meeting. August 9th (morning): Groundbreaking for the Idaho Falls Power Peaking plant. The Mayor provided information on upcoming events. Let it be noted that the stated date for Groundbreaking for the Idaho Falls Power Peaking plant was incorrect. The actual date of this event is August 12th at 10 a.m. Council President Burtenshaw: responded to public comments received tonight. Mayor Casper granted her the opportunity to speak. She clarified that the City of Idaho Falls does not have any program or policy to bring people to the city illegally. Any claims suggesting otherwise are false. It’s crucial to ensure accurate information and dispel rumors promptly. Misinformation can cause confusion, panic, and harm to individuals and communities. Everyone should prioritize truth and transparency. Additionally, the Council President addressed that this is a story from months ago. She wanted to publicly state the official position. Mayor Casper assured that there are responses to Mr. Lee's concerns, and they hope to communicate with him to provide accurate information 7. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m. s/ Corrin Wilde s/Rebecca L. Noah Casper Corrin Wilde, City Clerk Rebecca L. Noah Casper, Mayor +