07072011CouncilMinutes
CITY OF AMMON
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
THURSDAY JULY 7, 2011
AGENDA:
CITY OF AMMON
2135 SOUTH AMMON ROAD
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011 – 7:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Steven Fuhriman at 7:00 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance – Councilmember Coletti
Prayer – Councilmember Thompson
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:
#2011-007 Judicial Confirmation Hearing
ACTION ITEMS:
1.None
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1.None
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 Brian Powell
Councilmember Rex Thompson
Councilmember Sean Coletti
Councilmember Russell Slack (arrived at 7:10)
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:
Councilmember Dana Kirkham
Councilmember Lee Bean
City Council Minutes 7-7-11
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CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Fuhriman opened the meeting at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall building located
at 2135 South Ammon Road. Councilmember Coletti led the pledge of Allegiance. Councilmember Thompson led
the prayer.
MINUTES:
None
ITEMS FROM MAYOR:
None
CONSENT AGENDA:
Business License*: Councilmember Thompson asked if the Door to Door Kirby
Salesmen were temporary and just for the summer. Ron said the license is good for one year. Councilmember
Coletti asked if the article in the Post Register about our business licensing for door to door sales was accurate. Ron
said he hadn’t seen the article, but would research it and get back to him.
Councilmember Coletti moved to approve the business licenses as presented. Councilmember Powell
seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Coletti – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes, Councilmember Slack –
Yes, and Councilmember Thompson – Yes. The motion passed.
Accounts Payable: Councilmember Slack moved to approve the accounts payable as presented.
Councilmember Powell seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes,
Councilmember Coletti – Yes, and Councilmember Thompson – Yes. The motion passed.
ITEMS FOR/FROM TREASURER:
Jennifer informed the Council she had put additional invitations in their
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boxes about Leslie’s Open House on July 12 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., and invited them to take some additional
invitations to give to others.
PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA: (5 Minute Limitation)
Kurt Krupp, 2437 Quail Ridge Drive, said someone from the City had come to his home informing him
they were going to install a water meter. He hadn’t seen any public notification and wanted to know why there
wasn’t any other type of notification. Mayor Fuhriman said the City had selected homes throughout the community
that we would like to use as a barometer to find out how much water is being used. We are only using the meters to
gather data, and will bring that to the public at a later time. Mr. Krupp said it seemed like they are only going
through Quail Ridge and wanted to know if we were targeting that area, because they are big homes with big lawns.
Mayor Fuhriman said no, we are actually doing 300 – 400 homes, so we are targeting specific areas. This will help
the City in the future, to determine how we can spread the costs more equitably. Mr. Krupp said he thought the City
was broke and inquired how we are purchasing meters. Councilmember Powell said they have been paid with
building permits and we have held that money in reserve, until this time. Mr. Krupp asked what our long term plan
was. Councilmember Powell said right now we want to collect data for the next two to three years and then come
back and make a decision whether to use meters going forward or not. Mr. Krupp said he thought our intent was to
recover our cost on that kind of a distribution system, and not to make money on it. Councilmember Slack said
that’s right, but we don’t know if the prices we are charging to our residences equals the water usage. Mr. Krupp
asked if we were currently recovering our costs to produce the water. Councilmember Powell said yes. Mr. Krupp
asked why then would we do something extra. Councilmember Powell said because we had some people at the last
public hearing; ask why we weren’t being more equitable. Scott said that national studies have shown that when
water meters go in, generally people tend to be more conservative and use less water. Mr. Krupp spoke about the
metered water fees now being incurred by the Home Owners Association for the storm water retention area. Scott
said the amount of water they were using came down considerably when they realized the cost of that usage.
Councilmember Slack said we are just trying to get people to pay for the water they use. Scott said there are people
living on only 1/5 of an acre paying almost the same as people who are on 1 ½ acres. Mr. Krupp said he is on an
acre and that’s not fair, they should only be at $20. Councilmember Slack said the meters are the only way to have
statistical data, and that’s what our charges are going to reflect. Mr. Krupp said he was just startled and angry when
someone came knocking at his door telling him they were going to install a meter on his property. Councilmember
Powell said to keep in mind; the City owns the water line all the way to the meter pit and from the meter pit to your
home is your line.
PUBLIC HEARINGS: #2011-007 Judicial Confirmation Hearing:
Mayor Fuhriman opened the hearing
and informed the public if they wanted to make comments about the hearing, they would need to fill out the public
City Council Minutes 7-7-11
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comment form. Councilmember Powell gave a brief overview of the projects. The first is the Eastern Idaho
Regional Wastewater Authority (EIRWWA) and the need to finish up the project in Shelley. The second part of the
project is the separator line between the City of Ammon and IBSD. It has come to our attention from Forsgren; we
need $2.3 to $2.4 million more to finish up the transmission line and equipment to take care of those lines. This puts
us over what we had originally bonded for. Councilmember Slack said there were additions we had to make such as
switching to a larger diameter pipe, and other things that had to be done during the scope of the project. Lance said
those decisions were made to benefit the City into the future. Councilmember Slack said we are meeting the budget
of what we had, we just had to make some change orders in the design scope of the project after it had been bonded
for. Councilmember Powell said the money was appropriated for six or seven years ago and costs have changed.
Councilmember Powell said we have requested Judicial Confirmation for up to $5 million to finish the project, and
we have decided to extend the bond from 20 to 30 years. What this means is, it shouldn’t impact the patrons and
there will be a zero change in fees. Councilmember Coletti said the point is, we need the additional money to finish
the project. Councilmember Thompson said we also don’t anticipate a lot of cost increases in the next 15 to 20
years. We will have a new system that is working well, and less maintenance cost. Councilmember Slack said we
don’t have time to go to another vote, and we need this emergency money through a Judicial Confirmation. Mayor
Fuhriman asked if there were any additional comments. Mayor Fuhriman closed the hearing.
MISC.:
Jennifer said we are placing an order for business cards and said if anyone would like to order
additional cards, please let her know.
Ron said next week’s work session has been changed to a regular session, because Forsgren sent a request
to put a Notice to Proceed on the Agenda. Ron said the Notice to Proceed can’t go through, because the contract has
not been signed. Ron spoke with Forsgren and told them if they had the contract to us by Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. we
would add it as an Action Item on the Work Session. Lance said we do anticipate the contracts coming back and
Council has authorized the Mayor to sign the contract. Mayor Fuhriman asked if we are still trying to start the
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project by the 18. Lance said they wanted the Notice to Proceed on the 13, but that’s not going to happen.
Councilmember Slack updated the Council about Ammon Days. He said everything is going really well,
and it looks like we will come in at or under budget. Councilmember Slack informed Council that a statement went
out today about Ammon Days and the Talent show. He said there will be cash prizes for the talent show and to let
anyone they thought would be interested know about it. Councilmember Thompson asked what time the Talent
Show will start. Councilmember Slack said Ammon Days goes from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the Talent Show at
1:00 in the afternoon.
Councilmember Coletti said the Sheriff’s Office has gotten some design ideas from some companies for a
sign outside their office in the fire station. They hope to have something to present to Council in August.
Councilmember Coletti anticipates the sign will cost a few hundred dollars.
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 Slack moved to adjourn to executive session, pursuant to Idaho Code 67-2345(1-b & 1-f).
Councilmember Powell seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes,
Councilmember Thompson – Yes, and Councilmember Coletti – Yes. The motion passed.
The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
____________________________________
Steve Fuhriman, Mayor
_________________________________
Ron Folsom, City Clerk
City Council Minutes 7-7-11
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