06302011CouncilMinutes
CITY OF AMMON
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
THURSDAY JUNE 30, 2011
AGENDA:
CITY OF AMMON
2135 SOUTH AMMON ROAD
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2011 – 7:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Steven Fuhriman at 7:00 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance – Councilmember Bean
Prayer – Councilmember Powell
MINUTES:
None
ITEMS FROM MAYOR:
CONSENT AGENDA:
Business License*
Accounts Payable – Exhibit A
ITEMS FOR/FROM TREASURER:
PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA: (5 Minute Limitation)
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None
ACTION ITEMS:
1.Council Appointments: Ron Folsom – City Clerk/City Administrator and Rachael Brown – Deputy City Clerk
2.Sheriff’s Contract 2010-2011 Approval (Coletti)*
3.Ord. 504 and Summary – Revision Title 1, Chapter 6 (Council), Title 5, Chapter 4, (Dogs), Title 8, Chapter 3 (Water), Section
29 & 30 (Ron/Lance)*
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1.Hitt Road Improvements – Question from Albertson’s (Ron)
2.Ammon Day Employee Scheduling (Ron)
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 Lee Bean
Councilmember Rex Thompson arrived at 7:12 p.m.
Councilmember Brian Powell
Councilmember Sean Coletti
Councilmember Russell Slack
City Attorney Scott Hall
City Clerk, Administrator, Planning Director Ron Folsom
Deputy City Clerk Rachael Brown
City Treasurer Jennifer Belfield
City Engineer Lance Bates
City Officials Absent:
None
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CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Steven Fuhriman opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. at the City Hall building located
at 2135 South Ammon Road. Councilmember Bean led the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilmember Powell led the
prayer.
MINUTES:
None
ITEMS FROM MAYOR:
Mayor Fuhriman wanted to thank the Council for the opportunity to attend the
AIC Conference in Boise.
CONSENT AGENDA:
Business License: Councilmember Coletti moved to approve the Business
License Consent Agenda as presented. Councilmember Bean seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Coletti –
Yes, Councilmember Bean – Yes, Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember Kirkham – Yes, and
Councilmember Powell – Yes. The motion passed.
Accounts Payable: Councilmember Bean moved to approve the Accounts Payable as presented.
Councilmember Powell seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Bean – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes,
Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember Kirkham – Yes, and Councilmember Coletti – Yes. The motion
passed.
ITEMS FOR/FROM TREASURER:
Jennifer wanted to make Council aware of the Open House for
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Leslie Folsom on July 12 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. She hoped everyone would be able to attend.
PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA: (5 Minute Limitation)
None
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Council Appointments: Ron Folsom – City Clerk/City Administrator and Rachael Brown – Deputy
City Clerk
Councilmember Kirkham moved to give the Mayor instruction to appoint Ron Folsom as the
City Clerk/City Administrator and Rachael Brown as the Deputy City Clerk. Councilmember Powell seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Kirkham – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes, Councilmember Slack – Yes,
Councilmember Bean – Yes, and Councilmember Coletti – Yes. The motion passed.
2. Sheriff’s Contract 2011-2012 Approval (Coletti)*
Councilmember Kirkham said the contract is the
same as last year. She had gone through previous contracts and a graduating increase to the contract amount was
included through 2007, until 2008 when the City reached the point where it was paying the full difference in cost
between the base level of service that the Sheriff’s Department would otherwise provide to the City, to a full level of
service, based on FTE. Councilmember Coletti said he also looked at the contract and nothing has changed except
the dollar amount. Councilmember Bean asked about the increase. Councilmember Coletti said it is about $30,000
more on the regular contract and around $7,000 more for Dispatch.
Councilmember Coletti moved to approve the Sheriff’s Contract 2011-2012. Councilmember Kirkham
seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Coletti – Yes, Councilmember Kirkham – Yes, Councilmember Slack –
Yes, Councilmember Bean – Yes, and Councilmember Powell – Yes. The motion passed.
3. Ord. 504 and Summary – Revision Title 1, Chapter 6 (Council), Title 5, Chapter 4, (Dogs), Title 8,
Chapter 3 (Water), Section 29 & 30 (Ron/Lance)*:
Ron informed the Council of the changes. Title 1,
Chapter 6 is the Council section and the only item changing is time when the Council meeting starts, from 7:30 p.m.
to 7:00 p.m. Title 5, Chapter 4 adds Item C back into 5-4-16 of the Dog Ordinance that was just approved, which
restores Shawna’s authority to take an animal if it is being mistreated. Several months ago we talked about putting
language in the ordinance addressing how we are going to handle water meters and meter pits. The change to Title
8, Chapter 3 takes care of this. This language gives us the authority to install a meter at a location that isn’t already
metered, and where appropriate to charge for it. Councilmember Powell inquired about the cost. Ray Ellis, Public
Works supervisor said $750. Councilmember Kirkham said this is pretty consistent with most cities and she is
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comfortable with it. Councilmember Slack asked if the line breaks, is this when a new meter would be installed.
Ray Ellis, Public Works Supervisor, said if we are talking about the service line that runs from the main line in the
street to where the meter pit is or should be located just inside the property line at the curb stop, then the cost of
installing the meter is the City’s responsibility. If the break is in the part of the line from the curb stop to the house,
then the cost of installing the meter is the home owner’s responsibility.
Councilmember Powell read Ord. #504 and Summary
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF AMMON, OF THE
STATE OF IDAHO, REPEALING AND READOPTING PORTIONS OF THE CITY CODE TITLE 1, GENERAL ADMINISTRATION,
CHAPTER 6, COUNCIL, SECTION 1, REGULAR MEETINGS; TITLE 5, CRIMINAL CODE, CHAPTER 4, DOG CONTROL, SECTION 16,
IMPOUNDING OF DOGS; TITLE 8, PUBLIC UTILITIES, CHAPTER 3, WATER, SECTION 29, MAINTENANCE OF CURB STOPS
AND/OR METERS, SECTION 30, METERS/METER PITS; LOCATION, PLACEMENT AND ACCESS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY;
Councilmember Powell
PROVIDING REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES.
moved to recommend that the City Council dispense with the rule requiring the reading of the ordinance on three
different days and that the three readings be waived. Councilmember Coletti seconded. Roll Call Vote:
Councilmember Powell – Yes, Councilmember Coletti – Yes, Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember Bean –
Yes, Councilmember Kirkham – Yes, and Councilmember Thompson – Yes. The motion passed.
Councilmember Powell read Ord. #504 and Summary
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF AMMON, OF THE
STATE OF IDAHO, REPEALING AND READOPTING PORTIONS OF THE CITY CODE TITLE 1, GENERAL ADMINISTRATION,
CHAPTER 6, COUNCIL, SECTION 1, REGULAR MEETINGS; TITLE 5, CRIMINAL CODE, CHAPTER 4, DOG CONTROL, SECTION 16,
IMPOUNDING OF DOGS; TITLE 8, PUBLIC UTILITIES, CHAPTER 3, WATER, SECTION 29, MAINTENANCE OF CURB STOPS
AND/OR METERS, SECTION 30, METERS/METER PITS; LOCATION, PLACEMENT AND ACCESS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY;
Councilmember Powell
PROVIDING REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES.
moved to accept Ord. 504 and Summary as an ordinance of the City of Ammon on its third and final reading.
Councilmember Coletti seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Powell – Yes, Councilmember Coletti – Yes,
Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember Thompson – Yes, Councilmember Bean – Yes, and Councilmember
Kirkham – Yes. The motion passed.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1. Hitt Road Improvements – Question from Albertson’s (Ron):
Ron informed Council he had been
contacted by a lady from Albertsons questioning what was happening on Hitt Road. She asked that before anything
further was done, the property owners and main tenants should be apprised. She requested they become involved
immediately and asked for a meeting with the City of Ammon, and the City of Idaho Falls to see what is being
proposed. They would include their legal counsel which meant Scott & Dale would also need to be involved.
Scott’s suggestion was that we send her the couple of things that Idaho Falls has given us and tell her if she would
like to have a meeting, that she have it with Idaho Falls, because they are the decision makers and it’s their road.
Ron asked if this is Council’s direction, and if so that’s what he will do. Council said yes. Councilmember Bean
said Councilmember Mike Lehto of Idaho Falls contacted him this week. Councilmember Bean told him we haven’t
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had an opportunity to discuss anything yet. Councilmember Bean informed Council of the need to discuss 17
Street and Hitt Road.
2. Ammon Day Employee Scheduling (Ron):
Ron said he feels we have that taken care of. Ron said
the salaried employees will just need to be there and to schedule their employees for four hours off sometime during
the same week. Jennifer said we are looking forward to the Council’s participation, and for Council to let the Mayor
know what time they are available. Jennifer requested Council wear their name tags while at Ammon Day’s.
3. Misc.:
Ron informed Council we are getting ready to publish a hearing for the fiber fees, and the
larger size water meters. Ron asked Council if there were any other fees they would like published.
Councilmember Kirkham said yes the water fee increase needs to go on the next Agenda and go ahead and publish.
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Ron said the soonest you can have the hearing is the 21 of July. Councilmember Kirkham said that brings up the
sewer and do we want to increase it by 4%. Ron said if they wanted to wait and have it as a discussion item at either
the next meeting or the work session, he could schedule it for the hearing in August. Council directed Ron to
publish for the Fiber fees and put water & sewer rate increases as a discussion item on the next agenda.
Ron and Councilmember Slack went to the Library Board meeting. Ron said Councilmember Slack
had felt the citizens were indignant. Ron agreed they were upset and indignant, but would explain why he thought
they were. Ron said the week prior to the election they called a special board meeting, while Jeff Ring was still
chairman, and voted on extending the library contract with the City of Idaho Falls by three years, which doesn’t
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mature until September of 2012, so the citizens were upset. The Board told them they have a way out. When you
read the contract, they have until March to notify Idaho Falls if they want out. The problem Ron saw was the Board
was very adamant that it would not take any additional input. Ron said the Library Director and Secretary, not the
Board very much ran the meeting. Ron said that, in itself, is upsetting to the residents. Councilmember Kirkham
asked in what manner they were indignant. Councilmember Slack said it was how they handled it. He said before
the Board even discussed that they had renewed the contract; the citizens were very argumentative and belligerent
when they presented what they wanted to get across. It was not a nice way to have a conversation. So immediately
at the beginning of the meeting, the Board was on the defensive and then when they got to the fact that they had
already signed the contract, it got worse. There also was no notification of the special meeting. Ron said the
citizen’s came in upset because as soon as they received the Agenda, they saw that ahead of the oath of office for
two new board members were several items that the new board members should have been a part of.
Councilmember Kirkham asked if the members of the Board know what they actually want. Ron said they are
starting a focus group. Councilmember Kirkham said the citizens want our portion of the library tax to come back to
us, but then what. Ron said the citizens think the Board should be exploring opening other library satellite locations.
Councilmember Slack said there are some positive changes there. Ron said up until two months ago, nobody came
to the meetings. Ron said even the senior member on the board doesn’t know how to run a meeting.
Councilmember Kirkham asked Councilmember Slack if he would continue to attend the meetings. Councilmember
Slack said no. Councilmember Coletti said we would find someone to attend. Discussion ensued about the Library
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District. Ron said the next meeting is on July 25and they will be looking to put together a focus group. Ron
thinks they are moving in the right direction.
Councilmember Slack said they have finished drafting the Investment Policy. He asked if the
Council wants it on a work session. Councilmember Kirkham said to put it on the July Work Session, and requested
it be added to Share Point for review.
Councilmember Slack needs direction with Ken and the senior citizen park. His opinion is that we
are never going to get anywhere with this park, until we get a grant to pay for a large portion or some private donors
to come up with some significant amounts of money to get it started. The worse thing is to start soliciting $100
dollar and $500 dollars and have to keep track of these donors, and unless you start with big donors or big money,
you have a hard time jump starting the project. What if five years down the road we have collected $5,000 and we
decide we don’t see it happening, our viewpoints change as new Councilmembers come in, and this just isn’t a
project we see happening. Councilmember Kirkham asked if he has begun collecting donations. Councilmember
Slack said no, but Ken wants to get some flyers printed with receipts that can be ripped out and start distributing
them. Councilmember Kirkham said no. Councilmember Bean said his opinion is you are going to get 30 to 40
donors, and if you don’t start that project in a year, they are going to ask why. Councilmember Slack said he would
prefer that Ken continue advertising what the park is and show the draft plans, but until we get a grant or have some
significant donors to step up to the plate, we don’t have the funds in the City to put $250,000 into a park.
Councilmember Thompson thought when we started talking about this; we had the money in hand. Councilmember
Slack said we were turned down for the grant this year, but the guy who designs the qualifications for grant
disbursements, had a chat with Ken this week about why this park didn’t meet the qualifications. They discussed
why this park didn’t meet a couple of the qualifications for being a priority for the State funds. There might be
opportunities for us to get a grant next year. Council advised Councilmember Slack to proceed with is thoughts.
Councilmember Thompson said last week we talked about some changes on the employees’ health
insurance, and talked about starting an HRA. He had asked Ron to investigate some points; Ron said yes we can do
an HRS, but the auditors suggested we have someone other than City staff to administer it. Councilmember
Thompson asked Council what the limit is to put into the HRA. Councilmember Thompson recommended they put
the cap at $2,000. Councilmember Thompson said the original discussion was that it would be used for dental and
vision. Councilmember Kirkham asked why we would care what it is used for. Councilmember Thompson said the
main reason is if the City is trying to save money, then by limiting it to dental and vision, eventually there will be
people who won’t use it and the $2,000 will be met and they still won’t use it and the City won’t have to contribute
anymore. Councilmember Slack said he thought they had originally said it was only for dental and vision.
Councilmember Kirkham said she feels he is right; this is in lieu of dental insurance and should be used as such.
Councilmember Thompson said he felt it should also be able to be used for payment of a dental policy if that’s how
the employee chooses to use it. Council agreed.
Councilmember Bean said he attended the Regional Waste Water Authority meeting today and the
Region is changing to a fiscal year of October through September the current bylaws state January through
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December. He asked Scott to prepare the bylaws to accommodate this. Scott inquired as to who had a copy of the
current bylaws. Ron said we might have them in the file. Councilmember Bean asked Scott to see if the Region has
to publish a budget. Councilmember Bean doesn’t think they do because they are a joint power, but asked Scott to
research that. Councilmember Bean said they had a discussion relative to procedures and how they are going to
issue connection permits in the County. They want to invite Charlie, Lance, Ray & Ron to the next meeting on July
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28 to set up the guidelines in how they are going to be issued. Councilmember Bean said they are going to issue a
notice to proceed on Segment C, and have the Mayor sign it. Councilmember Bean said there were some questions
on Forsgren’s part as to whether we wanted them to go to the contractors and have them look at the Woodland Hills
line. Council said yes. Councilmember Bean said Husk and Dave presented a different view point that he thinks
makes sense for the bond to be paid through the Region. They charge County residents $39 per month and $22 is
for bond repayment with $9 for the ERU. They are taking everything and throwing it into operations and
maintenance, which they shouldn’t be doing. They need to extract the $22 and put it in a separate account that is
going to help pay for the bonds. Councilmember Bean said obviously it’s going to have to be split between the two
bonding entities, but it really looks better if they pay the entire bond payment out of those funds. Councilmember
Bean said we would send them our bond payment, they would have it in an account, and then in addition to ours
they would have this additional money from County residents to pay on it. He feels that might help reduce our bond
payment. The Board decided today that based upon the fact that Shelley is about to close out, they are going to take
$22 and start setting it apart for a bond payment. That is going to affect us, because it is going to take those funds
out of the operating funds.
Dave Forsgren, Forsgren Associates, said the $22 is about $2500 per month. Councilmember Slack asked
if there are people running the office. Councilmember Bean said no, but we are moving in the right direction
because we understand there is a real need for an office person and manager. The Board is in the process of putting
together a budget for that. Councilmember Kirkham said before we make that decision on who pays the bonds, she
wants to review the notes as to why they had previously decided it was a bad idea. Councilmember Bean wants
some discussion. Jennifer asked Councilmember Bean to talk to Judy (the City’s auditor) about it, because she is
not comfortable with this. She would like Councilmember Bean to inform her of the conversation.
Dave said the authority would still send you a check. Councilmember Kirkham said she still wants to go
back and look at what our reasons were for saying no. Dave said the real advantage is it gives you a clean avenue to
collect funds outside of your boundaries. Scott asked if the Region set up bonding insurance for whoever is running
the office. Scott said he assumes our employees are bonded through ICRMP.
Councilmember Kirkham said Dr. Chamberlain called her from Cottonwood Hills concerning the
doubled County assessment for Cottonwood Hill’s roads and pavement. They are upset, because those are private
roads, due to the City’s request. They are going to a hearing with the County Commissioners to try and get an
exempt status and would like the City’s support in saying that it was required to make the road private, because of
the swimming pool.
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)
Councilmember Bean moved to adjourn to executive session pursuant to provision of the Idaho Code
67-2345(1-b&f). Councilmember Slack seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Bean – Yes, Councilmember
Slack – Yes, Councilmember Thompson – Yes, Councilmember Kirkham – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes, and
Councilmember Coletti – Yes. The motion passed.
The meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
____________________________________
Steve Fuhriman, Mayor
______________________________________
Ron Folsom, City Clerk
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