City Council met in regular session on May 20, 2024 at 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall.
Mayor Lester presided:
Councilmembers present:
Scott Winkler
Dylan Canaday
Wyatt Perry
Jared Andrew
Amy Farris
Beryl Grant
City employees present were City Administrator Kennedy, Public Works Director Mager, Chief Newman and Attorney Jessup.
MINUTES: The meeting was called to order and the Council minutes of May 6th were approved as presented by Councilor Canaday, second by Councilor Perry. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
VISITORS: David Goicoa and JT Jackson would like to host a co-ed softball tournament for their senior project with the proceeds going to the GHS baseball program. It would be on June 22nd for high school age and up. Solberg Agency said they would send over the certificate of insurance. They plan to sell hamburgers, pulled pork, chips and drinks. It will be $150/team with at least 8 teams. They will accept donations for the baseball team. The winners will receive t-shirts. On motion by Councilor Farris, second by Councilor Andrews to accept the request to use the Lions Park for a softball tourney including concessions on June 22nd. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
LIBRARY REPORT: Gina Sobrero, Library Director and Heidi Brown, Assistant Director were present to provide a library update. Gina stated they are working on summer reading “Adventure begins at your Library”, story time every week with Katie Matthews, planning art in the park and looking at working on a policy on the harmful to minors legislation. Based upon a book complaint, Heidi stated they will have a procedure they have to go through to see if a book is moved. The local directors met and they are following to see what Boise does. Attorney Jessup stated he has read through the statute and can get with the librarians to review procedure.
Councilor Perry asked if the library wanted to, could they make a new section. Heidi stated they could always make a new section but they don’t have a ton of space to make an adult only room. Councilor Farris asked if they have seen a decline in library participation. Heidi stated no. Councilor Perry asked if they’ve had new complaints. Heidi stated no; they think making the new adult section helped.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Public Works Director Mager stated he and Eric have the lead and copper rule requirements almost done. They have 48 accounts they are researching by using the vac truck to look at the pipe. They will be ready to submit an inventory by October. The ditch by the Eagles Lodge is completed. The steel tank is painted; the G will go on next week. They are working on getting the pool up and running. Mager has been working with Scott Wasem on the ski course. The pipe under the slab is bad and the pressure tank is shot. He is working to get quotes to have it corrected. The test samples are equaling out. They think the ecoli was from the broken pipe. They have concrete blocks at the shop for the Lions Park. They are done at the well site for right now. The drillers arrived today at the old city dump and will do test drills, monitoring wells and test pits. They should be gone by Thursday. The fire hydrant by Quality is almost ready to be pull out; the replacement at Obenaufs is functional. Eric is working on backflow startups. They are working on the alley behind the Methodist Church to correct rain flow issues with the street. The fire flow testing occurred for fire rating study. They chased cows today and got them all put back in the pasture by the tank.
POLICE AND ANIMAL CONTROL REPORT: Chief Newman reported the City had 130 calls for service and 30 reports taken for April 2024. He is making progress on the surplus vehicles; hoping for $15,000-$20,000 for the tahoes and $5,000-$10,000 for the RAM. He is also working with ERS and they have an agency that is working on buying tahoes. Tracy Forsgren graduated and is certified, so they are back to full staff, which allows for training and vacations. Newman went to a couple conferences and one of the things they discussed was homeland security, specifically cyber security and what to do after a cyber-attack. He stated water and sewer systems are huge targets.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT: City Administrator Kennedy stated they have been working on variance applications, code violation letters, nuisance letters, building permit violations, spring clean-up coordination, coordinating the lifeguard class with Nezperce, interviewing for the pool and working with the LGI. They have been working on equity buy in calculations for new construction, meeting with land purchases and developers on future projects, reviewing and verifying numbers to add the new water and sewer bonds to the bills. They have added a note on the bills about compost availability and have a handout if people call. They have been doing pavilion review, research on the GEM grant contracts and how to manage the project. Work on the tower lease has continued. A letter was sent to the five groups using city facilities letting them know to find other storage options, collecting payments and answering citizen questions. During spring clean-up the guys hauled 13,390 pounds to the transfer station. They have been scheduling Pioneer Park for border days and coordinating with border days members to keep information up to date.
CYBER ATTACK: On the cyber-attack discussion by Chief Newman, Public Works Director Mager stated there are protocols are in place on the water and sewer system. ACS is monitoring it and there are alarms. The city also has the ability to shut off the internet and operate both systems manually.
SEWER LINE PROJECT UPDATE: Knife River started work on the sewer project at the Mountain View RV Park. They started at the laundry mat in the park and continued down to Hall and Cunningham Streets and also replaced a manhole. They have now moved to the airport and they are doing a section by the County weed shed to the Anderson Aeromotive gates. They are monitoring weather as this line is a major collector for I&I. Others on the project will show up mid-June through the fall.
The bills include Pay Request #1 to Knife River for $233, 634.45.
BILLS: The bills, in the amount of $654,502.55 (Financials $555,301.01, April Payroll $99,201.54) were approved and ordered paid out of their respective funds, on motion by Councilor Canaday, second by Councilor Perry. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
The meeting adjourned at 6:50 P.M.
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Wes Lester – Mayor
ATTEST:
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Tonya Kennedy – Clerk
