09122013CouncilMinutes
CITY OF AMMON
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES – WORK SESSION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2013
AGENDA:
CITY OF AMMON
2135 SOUTH AMMON ROAD
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – WORK SESSION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 – 4:30 P.M.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1.GIS Presentation – Carol Moore
2.LID Presentation – Eastern Idaho Commerce
3.Misc.
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
1.Personnel Evaluations - Idaho Code 67-2345 (1-b)
2.Real Property Acquisitions - Idaho Code 67-2345 (1-c)
3.Pending Litigation - Idaho Code 67-2345 (1-f)
MINUTES
City Officials Present:
Mayor Steve Fuhriman
Councilmember Dana Kirkham
Councilmember Rex Thompson
Councilmember Brian Powell
Councilmember Sean Coletti
Councilmember Russell Slack
City Clerk/Administrator/Planning Director Ron Folsom
Deputy City Clerk Rachael Brown
City Engineer Lance Bates
GIS Specialist Carol Moore
I.T. Director Bruce Patterson
Systems Administrator Tyler Ashcraft
City Officials Absent:
Councilmember Brad Christensen
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Mayor Fuhriman opened the meeting at 4:30 p.m. at the City building located at 2135 South Ammon
Road.
1. GIS Presentation – Carol Moore:
Carol Moore, GIS Department displayed a power point to the Council and said she
wanted to explain what was going on with GIS. Carol asked the Council how they would define GIS. Councilmember Kirkham said
she would consider it a mapping system of everything. It includes streets (above and below ground), boundaries and where our
boundaries will go. Carol said that was correct. She explained GIS stands for Geographic Information System. A system of databases
that specialize for providing geographic representation of features and objects in the world around us. The data consist of four
different components; an object’s location attributes or characteristics, spatial relationship to other objects and time. Geographic data
to simplify GIS data tells us the where, what why and when. Carol said with GIS we map things; we are currently mapping all the
assets in the city, such as waterlines, hydrants, our storm drains, everything in our infrastructure. GIS allows us to find things; how
many feet of waterlines in a certain subdivision, how many leaks in our water system over the last five years. It allows us to
concentrate in certain areas to see if an area demands more attention than we have been giving it. With the GIS we can record historic
data and map change over time; an analysis that helps us to improve our decision making. The value of the data is reduced
maintenance and operation cost through lower cost asset management, increased efficiency through paperless automatic workflows,
tracking, forecasting, and return on investment can be realized from standardized consistent data, and shared mobility thus eliminating
the redundancy of data and our work efforts. Carols said she would encourage the Council to view GIS as a process rather than a
thing. It is more than hardware and software.
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Carol explained that in early 2012 Bruce, Lance and Ray had worked together to purchase and then install the system. The
City had no GIS data at that time. When they needed to locate assets, they had to depend on someone with that knowledge in their
head or they had to go to hard copy resources, or they had to go on-site and try to find it. By mid 2012 Lance had purchased some high
resolution aerial imagery for our GIS system. Since that time we have obtained from our neighbors parcel data and administrative
data. From the engineers we have hired to survey, the City’s water and wastewater systems we have been able to obtain the survey
information. We have collected our own data, we have digitized signs, pavement, storm water system attributes. We now have data in
our GIS system. It is important for us to be the stewards of our own data. GIS will be the City’s assets repository from which we will
drive our workflows. Our goal is to use the technology to be proactive and reactive. Carol invited Bruce to express his thoughts about
GIS.
Brucestated that GIS is a process, meaning it will never end; any data that comes in must be processed, validated and flowed
within our data architecture so that it fits. Data is compiled from various sources, the data must be aligned, double checked, and made
sure common assets are pulled together so the most recent and accurate information is what remains. Carol is doing this work by hand.
Bruce wanted the Council to know GIS is a process and it will never be complete, but the system is in place.
Bruce explained the two approaches to being proactive with GIS. The first approach is that the end of every project we input
the survey data into our system. The system is treated as a library. It is a documentation process and it does not bring the same return
on investment if you do it as part of the upfront approach. The upfront approach is when data is lacking. The engineering firms collect
the needed data, and that data is input as part of the design process not on the tail end.
Bruce would like to use work orders out of the GIS. Work orders completed by public works will be automatically uploaded
to the GIS updating the asset while the worker is still in the field. That is a significant advantage over asset location being handwritten
notes on work orders and handed to Carol. The employee will have tablets in the field with a mechanism to report any assets with an
incorrect GIS location. Carol can take the information and determine what needs to be done to have the most accurate data in our
system. Information being automatically uploaded is what we mean by always trying to be proactive and make that part of our
business process. Councilmember Powell asked when Bruce envisions this to be active. Bruce said we expect to have our first work
flow November 1st. Work flows are specific to a particular activity that public works would do, such as, valve exercising. The
software will generate work orders based how often we want to turn the valve, and what the condition was of the valve the last time it
was maintained. The work flows will be built to staff specification. They must be built and we are starting to build our first one right
now.
Carol stated now the Council knows where they want to go with GIS. The next question is how we are going to get there.
Carol said with one small step at a time. Councilmember Kirkham asked how much it is going to cost. Bruce said it has been budgeted
for, and already expended. We are showing you what we are doing right now but, we are already moving forward with GIS.
Carol returned to the Power Point presentation, and said the next step will be streamlining the mobile work force with today’s
technology to be able to leverage our GIS investment and bring a return back to the City. Carol introduced Mead Malecki with Spatial
Wave. Mead was given remote access to the presentation and keyboard control. Mead gave a background of Spatial Wave. Spatial
Wave is a work band solution provider for government agencies. Their market is municipal water agencies. The products they are
providing to the City are Field applets and applets solutions. Mead explained the process and evolution of a GIS system from
beginning, to execution, to application. Spatial Wave brings our data and helps it to support the staff’s work flows. This improves
profit and speeds up the work they are doing. The field mapping product is a GIS based mapping framework or implementation of
field solutions. This includes work order processing, red-lining (i.e. remove from or mark as out of operational status), customer
service requests, and so on. The software provides the ability to do navigation, route options to job sites, and access to information
media. Mead demonstrated how to use the software and its components to the Council. The field app is mobile 7.1. He explained the
workflow component and the advantages of the GIS software. Councilmember Coletti asked if employees out in the field working
will have a mobile device, such as a tablet and working on part of the sewer or part of the street would they have this field application
mobile 7.1on their device and will admin make the changes in the system. Meade said yes. The supervisor will be able to see the
completed work or the work activity as it is taking place.
Bruce said what we like about the software is it works with commodity hardware, you can work connected or disconnected,
and the redline process allows us to makes corrections a process of our normal operations. Councilmember Kirkham asked if we have
sole propriety so we can share information with the county for emergency response instead of always having to depend on their
software. We would have the most up to date data and could share it with them. Bruce said yes. We are the source of our data. They
would come to us, and if we do not have the needed information we will go get it. Councilmember Kirkham said we would share it
with dispatch which would eliminate issues we have had of going to the wrong streets. Councilmember Powell asked is there a
component of this that is public. Bruce said the web portal is a web server; it comes down to our decision on what information to
allow to the public. Councilmember Kirkham asked what the benefit was of having it available to the outside. Councilmember Powell
said some counties have a GIS portal on their website where you can see coordinates, information on parcels in the county or city and
it is all free. Mead said he agrees; a lot of counties provide public portals containing basic data for the public. Since 9/11 the idea of
displaying infrastructure data on their web has been really scaled back. They have tightened the security process to obtain that
information. Councilmember Kirkham said she is concerned with sharing too much information. Bruce said the workflow is more for
public works. Parcel data and other like information is GIS. With the workflow system we need to decide whom we want to have it
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and if we want if available for those outside employment of the City. Councilmember Powell asked Bruce if this will also work with
street improvements since Ray already has that in place. Bruce stated yes it will, and those are discussions in work because the state is
pushing the iWorQ’s in terms of the data. What we would like to do is get water and wastewater online and let Ray get comfortable
with it, and then determine if streets stay in iWorQ’s. We will postpone that discussion for now. Councilmember Kirkham said it is a
nice ideal to have a visual showing where the most recent improvements or maintenance has taken place instead of a spreadsheet, and
try to figure out where we are. Bruce said the challenge with iWorQ’s for Carol is, there is a limited connection with the map.
Redlining has to be done by hand. Bruce said he would like to see most work orders done out of GIS, because it automatically fixes
our data. Discussion ensued regarding GIS and the workflow component. The Council thanked Carol and complimented her on a job
well done.
2. LID Presentation – Eastern Idaho Commerce:
Ron explained in 2008 or 2009 we prepared an LID (Local
Improvement District) study when Jeff was with Keller & Associate. Ron is presenting the information obtained from that survey with
Wendy and Jeff. Councilmember Kirkham said she was able to talk with Constance a year ago about ideas to develop this land and
some of their visions.
Wendy Hopkins, 1052 Double Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, said Jeff, Constance and She own some properties in the SE
st
corner of the big parcel near the corner of 1 Street and Hitt Road. They have owned it for seven years. They have spoken to the City
Council and individually during that time. They have also visited with their neighbors concerning their respective positions in the big
parcel. They are looking to explore possibilities related to accessing the property, because currently there is no way to get to most of
the land. Wendy said they recognize creating access willboth impact and benefit a larger group of people. They would like to
collaborate with the City Council and their neighbors to determine the best route in creating access, and something exciting in that
area. They would like to know the Councils thoughts and views, and any assistance the Council is able to give. Ron said he thinks this
could possibly be an LID. Councilmember Kirkham asked the group if they were interested in an LID. Wendy said yes.
Councilmember Slack asked what discussion from a year ago Wendy is referring to. Wendy said it was an informal meeting
in the Council chambers with their neighbors. Councilmember Kirkham explained the parcel of land they are discussing is
undeveloped. An LID is attractive, because they would not be imposing on people that were already there. People coming in and
purchasing the land would be aware there was a LID attached to the land. Wendy said they would be open to an LID, but they need
more education about the process, and the Council’s thoughts about what it would entail and whom it would include.
Constance Jolcuvar, 2986 Kimberly Drive, Agora Hills, California said one of the discussion they held privately was about
what the master plan would be, what would the City of Ammon like, and how should the land be developed. The meeting last year
was amazing; the landowners want to work together.
Jeff Meierhofer, 52 Timber Lakes, Heber, Utah, asked if the Councilmembers have a picture of how they would like the land
developed. He asked if something has been designed, have people been talking about what they would like to see, or how the access
should look. Councilmember Kirkham said there is a comprehensive plan, the area has already been zoned, but they do not have a
specific plan with regard to green space or what that corner of Ammon will look like. Jeff said they needed to determine what will be
the best access. Councilmember Thompson and Ron have said there is a traffic pattern challenge in that area, and they hope they can
alleviate that. There is a question about the connection with John Adams and how John Adams connects to the east. Jeff asked if the
county had any projects going on north of the parcel. The Council said no. Ron said where John Adams ends going east; there has
been a proposal for a commercial storage unit on the north side. Jeff’s wish list is for Bonneville County, Idaho Falls and the City of
Ammon to help them pay for the connection of John Adams. Jeff asked the Council to share their insight on if they form a LID what
they thought the impact would be. Jeff asked how the Council would like to see the development. Councilmember Slack said there
was a large meeting last year, and there was a concern about the population density; it is higher in that area. The tendency is push to
leave the zoning as single family detached homes. Councilmember Slack said the challenge is that there is a small commercial piece
that comes up then there are eight homes that go in through there. Regardless you are going to get a lot of traffic. Jeff said based on
the overall picture, how would the Council feel about putting a north south connector through Curlew. They would like the adjacent
landowners and the City to participate. Mayor Fuhriman said we need to get it done and work as a group to finance it.
Jeff said they are trying to gauge how the broader constituency would feel about having a road through there. Councilmember
Kirkham said it has been approximately six years ago since the Council talked about this area becoming an LID. At that time we
recognized that some of the owners of the adjacent property would be asked to participate in the LID, and we would want their buy in;
we would not want to force it on them. The question is would the adjacent land owners want to participate and see the benefit by
having the access there. Councilmember Kirkham said at that time the City had Keller Williams come in and the City considered
doing a study there, because they believe there is a direct benefit to the people that live around there. The Council thought if it was
marketed right, they could sell an LID there, and that they would see the benefit in paying extra in their property tax for the connection
that is probably not going to come otherwise for another 15 or 20 years.
Councilmember Powell asked if Ron could break down the cost of a LID. It is multi faceted; there are roads that need to build
which will have a direct benefit to the current residents. Sewer and water will need to be run and that is not a direct benefit to current
residents. Ron explained you can go in and say if it is a million dollars, Tiebreaker will benefit by ten percent, and so ten percent of
the cost of the LID would be applied to properties in Tiebreaker.
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Councilmember Kirkham said if you can get that buy in, and you had that cost offset, she thinks when you talk about water
and sewer, the City could exact front footage fees when the land is developed. Discussion ensued regarding the LID process.
Councilmember Thompson said he doesn’t think you are going to get buy off from any citizen in that area and this is why;
anything you put there, will increase the traffic, not decrease it. Councilmember Thompson bought his property and paid his portion to
install the street and sidewalk and everything in front of his property and every other house did the same. Now you would expect
Tiebreaker to pay for extending Curlew and no other resident in the city is required to do that. Traditionally roads are built by
developers, and they are turned over to the City after they are built, and that is what needs to happen in this area. If there is an LID, it
will be on the property that is not developed, and if you do that then you will get support.
Councilmember Slack said if they are looking to know if the Council is interested in the LID, the answer is yes.
Councilmember Powell said if they can get buy in from the property owners, the Council would support it. Councilmember Kirkham
said we were ready to go six years ago. Constance said she thinks it’s time, and asked the Council what they needed to do next.
Councilmember Kirkham said the next step is to submit a formal proposal as to exactly what they see the LID encompassing.
Discussion ensued regarding the LID requirements, zoning, and sewer flows.
3. Misc.:
None.
The meeting adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
___________________________________________________
Steve Fuhriman, Mayor
__________________________________________________
Ron Folsom, City Clerk
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