City Council met in regular session on November 16, 2020 at 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall.
Mayor Lester presided
Councilmembers present:
Mike Peterson
Scott Winkler
Beryl Grant
Dylan Canaday
Amy Farris
Councilmembers absent: Pete Lane
City employee present was City Administrator Kennedy. Chief Newman and Public Works Director Mager absent.
City employee present via phone was Attorney Green.
MINUTES: The meeting was called to order and the minutes of November 2nd were approved as presented by Councilor Peterson, seconded by Councilor Farris. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
VISITORS: Sarah Klement, Idaho County Free Press requested permission to place five 24”x18” adhesive stickers on the sidewalks downtown to promote their shop local holiday promotion. The stickers are non-slip aluminum with no residue and easy removal. She will ask the business if they are willing to have the sticker at their store front. She will apply them and then remove them when the promotion is over. Mayor Lester asked how it would work with snow and wet concrete? Sarah explained the concrete needs to be dry to apply them. Councilor Grant asked about putting them on a building instead of the sidewalk. Sarah was concerned about it leaving a residue. If applied to non-painted or non-sealed concrete there is no residue. If the sticker starts to peel or looks bad she will remove them. On motion by Councilor Winkler, second by Councilor Canaday to give Sarah Klement, Idaho County Free Press, permission to apply 24”x18” stickers for the promotion with the understanding she’ll be installing them and removing them when the four weeks is over. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
Lindsay Klapprich, 1015 N Junction requested permission to live in two campers on the property while they are fixing up the old house on the same property. City Administrator Kennedy stated City Code allows a 180 temporary permit and the City has issued them in the past. On motion by Councilor Winkler, second by Councilor Peterson to give Lindsay Klapprich, 1015 N Junction, a 180 day permit to live in the campers on the property while construction to repair the home is occurring. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
POLICE AND ANIMAL CONTROL REPORT: The department had 94 calls for service and 13 cases written for October 2020. Officer Brainard was able to attend training last week and Chief Newman participated in the Trunk or Treat.
SNOWHAVEN REPORT: Mayor Lester explained Snowhaven Manager Vandlik, himself and City Administrator Kennedy met to discuss options on how Snowhaven could open and meet the Governor’s requirements.
Snowhaven Manager Mark Vandlik handed out information from Ski Idaho on what other hills are doing relating to COVID-19. With everything going on, all the ski hills have been trying to figure out how to run with COVID in general and this report was prior to the latest ramp up in restrictions. The City keeps running into road blocks. Many of the things other ski hills are doing are heavy financially and Snowhaven doesn’t have that budget. Logistically, our lodge is not set up to meet the restrictions without doing construction over the summer. Other hills are mainly not allowing people in the lodge or monitoring how many, they offer limited food service, food trucks, masks to be work everywhere, limited seating and some are wearing masks on the entire property. We have no way to run tickets through a ticket window, have no way to expand except with tents and then any of the rules put in place wouldn’t be followed. With Snowhaven being a government run hill rather than private, we have to toe the line and adhere to the Governor’s guidelines. Councilor Peterson asked when we normally open and Mark responded it’s usually the Saturday before Christmas break.
Mayor Lester explained the governor rolled back into a modified phase 2. It limits gatherings to ten people inside and out. The City has tried to figure out how to meet the requirements with the ticket book, rental shop, bathrooms and kitchen. A large part of the discussion is also the concern with lift operators. Mark explained lift operators have to be 18 years old or older and most of ours are closer to 70. They are in close proximity to hundreds of people taking tubes from customers and loading the T-bar and it’s a ton of exposure. Mark has talked to previous workers and most aren’t interested. The concern is we don’t have enough lift operators to open either. If we get them, can we keep them safe?
Councilor Grant brought up the logistical problem of bathrooms. Mark stated we’ve been behind on bathrooms for the number of people and now it’s worse. Mayor Lester stated one of the biggest concerns is the help. Most are older and they aren’t really interested. It’s hard for the City to consider not opening this year but we don’t know how to meet the requirements.
Mayor Lester asked Attorney Green how he felt about the Governor’s guidelines. Attorney Green stated the City needs to meet the guidelines if you are going to operate. If you don’t meet the guidelines and operate and something happens, then you’ll be in a bad spot. Mayor Lester stated it’s bad for Mark, the City and all of us. Councilor Grant stated it’s better to make the decision and let everyone know. She knew it would be tough for Mark as he wouldn’t be at work. Mark stated if we keep preparing and wait for the decision then we go further in the red.
Kennedy stated the meeting tonight is discussion only. If that is the direction of the Council, a special meeting would need to be called. The meeting was set for November 18th at noon.
Mark stated there will be a lot of negativity surrounding the decision. The one positive is without working on the hill, he can use the winter to work on writing grants and trying to find other options to improve the hill in case this continues into next year. Installing a ticket windows and looking at other options for hill improvement could help so we are ready for next season. Mayor Lester explained some of the hills are trying to do ticket sales online so they don’t have to have ticket booth. The City isn’t set up for that. Mark stated some of the hills are only guaranteeing season pass holders, reserving your position online if you aren’t a season pass holder and some are limiting numbers.
BILLS: The bills, in the amount of $210,250.14 were approved and ordered paid out of their respective funds, on motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Farris. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Lane, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
The meeting adjourned at 6:23 P.M.
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Wes Lester – Mayor
ATTEST:
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Tonya Kennedy – Clerk
