2023
2023 MINUTES
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner, and Ryan Lindhorst, City Maintenance.
The minutes of the November 14, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve all minutes was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. Bills from the month of November 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
City Attorney Jennifer Douglass joined the meeting by phone to discuss the road validation petition that was received regarding Old Main Street/Riverview Drive. The procedure for a road validation is determined by Idaho Code. Council was directed to decide a reasonable fee the petitioners will bear; therefore an estimate will need to be obtained from the City Engineer, Keller Associates, for their work in providing a report that includes a review of the road survey as well as a survey completed by the landowner by Terry Golding. The fee will also include publication costs and costs of required notifications. Ms. Douglass advised that Council should avoid forming any kind of decision regarding the future outcome until the report is received and reviewed and a public hearing is held. An initial motion by Councilmember Anderson to move forward with gathering the necessary information, and a second by Councilmember Dodge was made and abandoned. Councilmember Anderson moved to have the city engineer estimate cost to review an existing road survey and the Golding survey and create a report, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Ms. Douglass presented a written decision for the requested alley vacation from 3rd to 4th Streets, between McCall and Ward Streets, a public hearing for which was held in October. She summarized her analysis of the discussion held during the October council meeting and asked if Council agreed with her summary. The signed written decision will be mailed to the original applicant of the alley vacation as well as all parties within 300 feet of the alley. Councilmember Anderson moved to accept the written decision, seconded by Councilmember Witt. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes. Motion carried.
Jenifer Bruns and Joe Thiessen of Idaho Fish & Game addressed Council about stocking the pond at Juliaetta Centennial Park with 200 trout in March 2024. Creating this fishery would be experimental; after the initial stocking of the first year, a second and third year could take place if fishing at the pond is popular. The fish would then be tagged in second and third years to see if the project is sustainable. Only sterile trout would be stocked in the pond, and the fish are meant to be harvested, not to reproduce. The environment won’t be sustainable for fish in the summertime, but they will likely all be harvested within a few weeks. Councilmember Witt moved to have Fish and Game stock the pond with trout, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Two sealed bids were received for surplus property listed in Resolution 2023-03.
- Clifford Heimgartner: mower $25.00
- Ed Groseclose: dump truck $479.81, hydrants $25.43, mower $30.00, tool box $5.00, plow blades $20.00, sander $10.00, misc. scrap $20.00
Councilmember Dodge moved to accept Ed Groseclose’s sealed bids, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
Canvassed 2023 Election results were presented to Council. Two Council seats were up for election, and only two people ran for those seats, so no election was held. Judi Fuller and Wendi Dodge will be sworn in as Councilmembers at the January 2024 meeting. Three ran for Mayor: Richard Groseclose received 91 votes, Jeff Lohman received 25 votes, and Eric McDowell received 39 votes. Richard Groseclose will be sworn in as mayor at the January 2024 meeting. Councilmember Witt moved to accept the election results, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
The Treasurer reported that four CDs will mature at P1FCU in December. As the new rate is very similar to what they are currently held at, she suggests rolling them over for another year. Councilmember Anderson moved to roll over the CDs for a year, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope spoke with resident Charles Burke regarding his request to install jersey barriers at the bottom of 2nd Street, due to the recent car accident in which a vehicle drove off 2nd Street and onto his property. Supervisor Cope and Mr. Burke agreed on a spot where four barriers could be placed, two feet apart, to block future vehicles from leaving the roadway, yet would still allow pedestrians to pass through, as well as access to the water main. The purpose of placing the blocks would be for safety. Councilmember Dodge argued that, in her opinion as an EMT, if jersey barriers had been placed before the accident, the driver would have hit them and likely not survived. As the driver’s vehicle instead continued down the embankment unimpeded except by terrain and vegetation, the driver did survive. Councilmember Dodge did not necessarily not want the barrier, but did not want to say it was for drivers’ safety; instead the barrier would help to protect Mr. Burke’s property and home. Councilmember Anderson asked if there was another option other than jersey barriers. It was suggested that guard rail could instead be installed. Councilmember Anderson moved to purchase and install guard rail instead of jersey barriers, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
Council discussed the possibility of increasing the amount of the raises that are given to employees with each Water, Wastewater, or CDL license earned. They will revisit the discussion in January after the budget can be reexamined.
Council was asked to consider giving employees a Christmas bonus gift card. Last year’s gift was a $100 gift card to each full time and appointed employee. Councilmember Maland believed the raises received by employees was sufficient. Councilmember Witt moved to give employees each $100 for Christmas, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope reported new (used) wheels were purchased for the Toyota pickup and installed. At that time the brakes and tires were checked, which are fine, but the shocks will need replaced at a cost of $338.48. He also received an estimate of $4,126.00 from Midco Diving to clean the lower reservoir. This company has provided services to the City before, and this estimate is less than a prior cleaning. Some trees on Main Street have been cut down at the request of a new adjacent property owner. The trees were hanging over the building as well as damaging the sidewalk.
Mr. Lindhorst reported treatment for moles at the Juliaetta Cemetery. The fence at the park has also been fixed; it was damaged when a tree fell on it due to damage caused by a beaver.
Councilmember Anderson thanked all who attended the Light the Park ceremony on November 19. $136.00 was raised from donations.
Chief Heimgartner reported Santa Claus will be at the Juliaetta Community Center at 1:00 pm on December 23.
At 8:21 pm, Councilmember Anderson moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 subsection 1(f): To communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated but imminently likely to be litigated. The mere presence of legal counsel at an executive session does not satisfy this requirement. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes. Motion carried.
Councilmember Witt moved to return to regular session. Councilmember Anderson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
At 8:41 pm Councilmember Witt made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, and Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope.
The minutes of the October 10, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve all minutes was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. Bills from the month of October 2023 were reviewed, including the Share Corp bill from September. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Witt, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
Christina Mangiapani from the Latah County Broadband Coalition gave Council an update. The coalition was formed to help build broadband infrastructure throughout Latah County. They have applied for grant funding and were awarded $15 million. The coalition has partnered with University of Idaho’s Digital Economy Program and Kylie Holvek to engage community members. Ms. Mangiapani would like more people to be aware of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offers a $30/month discount to eligible households. She can make flyers available for more information.
Kendrick High School senior Bailey Worthey addressed Council about her Senior Project. She is coordinating a Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Juliaetta Cemetery, with help from her advisor Mike Domaskin. Wreaths Across America was founded to pay tribute to past veterans by placing wreaths at their gravestones. In Juliaetta’s small cemetery, one wreath will be laid for each branch of service, as well as for Mission 22 and POWs. Ms. Worthey wished to invite Juliaetta City Council and all community members to the ceremony, which will be held Saturday, December 16 at 3:30 pm. Members of the local VFW will attend with the honor guard, the KHS band will perform the National Anthem, and student Brody Roetcisoender will play Taps.
Supervisor Cope provided information about the cost of jersey barriers to be installed at the bottom of 2nd Street. Atlas Sand & Gravel charges $50/block but may not have them readily in stock; they prefer one month notice. Wilbert Precast charges $150/ block, obtained from Spokane. Seaport Concrete charges $60/block and also requires advance notice. If the blocks are installed on City property, they may cover access to the water main. If they are instead located on the edge of Charles Burke’s property, the water main will remain unblocked. Councilmember Anderson moved to table the decision until Supervisor Cope speaks to Mr. Burke about where the blocks can be located, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
The Treasurer explained to Council that 2023 tax reporting will need to be done online. Caselle offers a module that will perform the task; they are currently offering a savings to bring the cost of the module to $1,000, and an additional $25 per month for support. Purchase will need to be made prior to November 30 to take advantage of the discount. Training is included. Councilmember Witt moved to purchase the Caselle module, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope and Ryan Lindhorst have been busy putting up the snowmen, Snoopy, and other Christmas lights around town. They will not be able to rent a manlift until next week, when they will put up lights across Main Street. They will utilize the manlift for other tasks, as well, while they have it for the rental period. They have also been getting the dump truck ready for winter and will attach the plow and sander soon. Supervisor Cope also reported he has been studying for his Water II license, and Mr. Lindhorst has been studying for Water I. Mr. Lindhorst provided to Council some information about purchasing forks to be used on the backhoe. Having some kind of forklift would be very useful for city tasks. CAT has a set of forks that cam be purchased for $2,250 plus shipping. It was suggested John Deere may make something similar that can be used on the tractor, instead of using the backhoe.
It was also reported that the overhead door at the fire station was damaged when the door was opened while a piece of equipment was parked against it. It is still in working order. If an incident report is written, the Treasurer can send a claim to ICRMP.
Councilmember Anderson reminded all that the Light the Park event will be Sunday the 19th. Lights will turn on at 5:00 pm. The chili cook-off begins at 4:00 pm. Two dance groups from Marilou’s School of Dance will perform, and Santa and the Grinch will arrive via fire truck.
City Council tablets may need to be turned in at the December meeting to prepare for new email addresses. The Clerk has contacted Latah County about possibly providing building inspection services. Information will be emailed to Council and the topic will be discussed in December. The Treasurer and Clerk have both had dual monitors installed at their desks, which have proven to be quite helpful.
There was no report from the Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department.
At 7:49 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The public hearing was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. The purpose of the public hearing was to hear comment regarding the proposed vacation of the alley between McCall and Ward Streets, from 3rd to 4th Streets, requested by Clarice Wessman. Justin Cope opposes the vacation. He would like the alley to be developed for use so property owners can access the backs of their properties. Alleys are used also for emergency access and for utility easements; if vacated, future issues could arise if utilities need to be put in. Sandi Gold is in favor of the vacation. She says the alleyway is not mowed or taken care of. There has also been a TDS post installed in the middle of the alleyway. Mr. Cope interjected that the City will be happy to address any issues that arise if they are brought to Maintenance’s attention. Clarice Wessman requested the vacation. A resident whose property abuts the alley put a portion of his fence on the alleyway. So, since people have already been using the alleyway as their own properties, it should be made official. There are four houses that abut the alley, one on each corner, therefore they can already reach their properties from two sides. Ron Ireland is against the vacation. He recently bought property in the middle of Ward Street, and would like to use the alley access to ease in parking his trailers there. In the future he may want to build a house on the property and may need the alley for utilities. He would also like the TDS post to be moved. Russ Wessman would like the vacation to be granted. He said if, in the future, the City needed the property for a utility easement or access, it could be given back. If it remains an alley, it should be “brought up to code.” Roger Kechter is not in favor of vacating alleys, in case they are needed to be used in the future. There was no further public comment and the hearing was closed.
The regular meeting was called to order. Also present were Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner, and Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope.
The minutes of the September 12, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. Bills from the month of September 2023 were reviewed. A bill from Share Corp was set aside for further investigation. Motion to approve the remainder of the bills was made by Councilmember Witt, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
Council was asked to decide on the proposed alley vacation. Councilmember Dodge arrived at 7:37 pm. Councilmember Maland moved to not vacate the alley, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. All were in favor and the motion carried. Councilmember Anderson asked Supervisor Cope to gather estimates on cost to develop the alley; he will research the code on what needs to be done.
Kayla Gillispie of 418 Water Street asked if Council would develop the alley that is behind her property, to use for access. Roger Kechter also owns property on Water Street near the Gillispies. He said the City has a utility easement through his property, as does his neighbor, and believes that the “alley” shown on the Latah County parcel map is actually that utility easement. Ms. Gillispie says there is a manhole located in her backyard; that may lie within the easement. Councilmember Anderson moved to table the issue. Research will need to be done to decide if the area is an alley or a utility easement. His motion was seconded by Councilmember Dodge and carried.
Charles Burke asked the Council for a barrier at the bottom of 2nd Street where it intersects with Water Street. The barrier would mainly be to stop vehicles from coming off 2nd Street, down the steep embankment onto his property. It was suggested that eco blocks could be used to create the barrier, or a sidewalk and curb, or jersey barriers, the latter of which could be installed with the City backhoe and moved if necessary to access a nearby manhole. Supervisor Cope can find out the cost of creating the barrier. Councilmember Dodge moved to table the decision until the November meeting, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
Mr. Burke also asked that each City Council agenda be posted at the Post Office and/or the Juliaetta Market. He argued that most people don’t go to City Hall and won’t know what’s on each agenda. He was reminded that agendas are also posted on the City’s website. Councilmember Dodge moved and Councilmember Witt seconded to have the agendas posted at the Post Office, as well as City Hall. Motion carried.
Resolution 2023-03, the surplus property resolution, was presented to Council. The Treasurer said that items to be auctioned off would be in the newspaper and that bidders would provide sealed bids for items. All items will be sold As-Is. Councilmember Witt moved and Councilmember Dodge seconded to approve Resolution 2023-03. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope reported the crosswalks have been repainted; those by the school will be repainted soon. The water treatment plant is running well.
Councilmember Anderson said this year’s Light the Park event will be held November 19 at 5:00pm. He and his wife will donate hot cocoa. Any donations received will be used for next year’s Christmas lights. The Treasurer would like to hold a chili cook-off at the Lighting this year.
The Treasurer reported liquor revenues have increased. She also asked for information for the Newsletter.
The Fire Department had nothing to report.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 pm.
The public hearing was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Water and garbage rates increased by 5%. The sewer rate increased by $4.50. There was no comment by the public.
Brandon Johnson of Inland North Waste was allowed to speak. He is sorry his company will no longer be Juliaetta’s garbage collection provider, and hopes to earn our business back in the future.
The regular meeting was called to order. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner, Ryan Lindhorst, City Maintenance, and Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope.
The minutes of the August 8, 2023 meeting was read. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. Bills from the month of August 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope provided a list of surplus items, as well as pictures, to Council to determine how they should be disposed of. Of the items listed, some will be sold as scrap, some will be auctioned, and some will be thrown away. A resolution will be prepared for October’s meeting for Council consideration, and will list all items.
Employee raises were proposed by the Mayor earlier in the budgeting process: a $5 per hour increase for the Public Works Supervisor, $4 for the Treasurer and Clerk each, and $1 for Maintenance. Council was provided cost of living amounts, as well as wage information from other local cities; discussion was held. Councilmember Dodge moved to give the Treasurer a $2.50 per hour raise, the Clerk a $4 per hour raise, the Public Works Supervisor a $5 per hour raise, and Maintenance a $2 per hour raise, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
The Mayor reappointed Cynthia Nye and Justin Cope to the K-J Planning and Zoning commission.
Resolution 2023-02, the fee and rate schedule, was presented to Council. Changes made to monthly water, sewer, and garbage rates were discussed in August, reflected in the resolution. Councilmember Witt moved to approve Resolution 2023-02, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
Ordinance 2023-03, the FY2024 appropriations ordinance, was presented to Council. Councilmember Anderson moved to suspend the rules and have the ordinance read by title only, seconded by Councilmember Witt. The Clerk read the title of the ordinance. Councilmember Anderson moved to adopt Ordinance 2023-03, seconded by Councilmember Witt. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, no. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope reported an 80’ culvert had been ordered to install to control water erosion on Charles Burke’s property. The culvert is not in stock yet. He also reported that school crosswalks still need to be painted.
Councilmember Maland extended congratulations on the success of the recent Blackberry Festival.
There was no report from the Fire Department.
At 7:46 pm Councilmember Anderson moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 subsection 1:f. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, no. Councilmember Anderson moved to return to regular session, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. At 7:57 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The public hearing was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. The total amount of the FY2024 budget is $12,286,484.00. There was no comment by the public. The public hearing was adjourned.
The regular meeting was called to order. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner, Ryan Lindhorst, City Maintenance, and Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope.
The minutes of the July 11, and July 25, 2023 meetings were read. Motion to approve both was made by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. Bills from the month of July 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Stillman Norton, Keller Associates, addressed Council regarding the wastewater improvement project. Due to unprecedented inflation, especially in the construction industry, costs have increased significantly. This is affecting projects all over Idaho, as well as the US. Mr. Norton is now attempting to secure additional funding from USDA-RD, a grant/loan combination totaling $4.4 million, $900,000 of which would be a loan. The project’s original funding from USDA was in the amount of $2.9 million, $750.000 of which is a loan. Due to these costs, it is projected that user rates will need to be in the low- to mid-$70 range to support both the operation and maintenance of the sewer system, and to pay back the loan portion of the project funding. Mr. Norton added that Juliaetta is still in a better position than some other cities who are looking at potential user rates in the triple digits. Juliaetta’s project does not contain any “frills,” only what construction and upgrades are needed to meet our permit. Also, due to the original timing of the loan funding, Juliaetta will not have to comply with the Build America, Buy America Act, which could increase project cost by 5%. Mr. Norton added that there may be additional grant funding available once the project starts.
To attain the projected higher user rates, he suggested smaller annual or biannual increases. The extra revenue will pool in the sewer fund until the first payment is due, probably in Summer 2026, one year after construction is finished. Final funding results will be due back from USDA’s national office in September, which is also when the project design will be ready to submit for review. Mr. Norton gave some rate increase examples: Sewer rates are currently $38.85. With a $5 increase every six months, the rate will be $73.85 by October 2026; a $4 increase will be $66.85; a $4.50 increase will be $70.35. Councilmember Witt moved to increase sewer rates by $4.50 every six months, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Councilmember Anderson requested a roll call vote: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes. Motion carried.
The FY2024 was reviewed by Council. Councilmember Anderson asked if next year, raises could be discussed in executive session. Councilmember Witt moved to approve the FY2024 budget, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Council discussed regionalizing wastewater with City of Kendrick. Councilmember Anderson believes it is in Juliaetta’s best interest to maintain control of the wastewater treatment plant, rather than forming a sewer district. Supervisor Cope was asked his opinion; he believes either option will be fine but he does not see a huge benefit to Juliaetta by regionalizing, other than a bigger plant. He is concerned about future expansion of the City and if the plant would still be able to keep up. Councilmember Maland liked that there could be cost sharing savings. Mr. Norton interjected that not having a sewer district could make Kendrick’s cost very high. The ability to serve a population of 800 was built in to plant design. When asked about disruption to the trail, he said it could be out of commission for 4-5 months. Councilmember Witt would like to wait to see what Kendrick decides. There was no decision made by Council.
Supervisor Cope reported a large water leak was fixed near Old Main Street.
The Clerk advised Council that the city building inspector gave his 30-day notice. She has contacted the State of Idaho about a new building inspector, and is waiting to hear more information. Likely the new inspector would have a similar agreement with the City, wherein their fees would be paid through building permit fees. Meanwhile, anyone who needs a building permit can apply through the State. However, the State will retain all fees.
There was no report from the Fire Department.
At 8:05 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 5:01 pm by Kendrick Mayor Rose Norris. Kendrick Council members in attendance were Jessica Wegner, Keith Wilson, Paul Rush, and Angie Coulson. Juliaetta Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Kendrick Clerk/Treasurer Nadine Towne, Jake Lustig, Kendrick Public Works; Juliaetta Clerk Wendy Sandino, Juliaetta Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, and Ryan Lindhorst, Juliaetta Maintenance. Dodd Snodgrass and Krista Baker, CEDA, also attended. The presenter was Stillman Norton, Keller Associates.
The purpose of this meeting was to provide information and have an open discussion about the possibility of regionalizing wastewater treatment for Cities of Juliaetta and Kendrick. Both cities have the same temperature requirements to be met in their IPDES permits. Kendrick also has an ammonia limit, as their lagoons cannot remove ammonia in the same manner as Juliaetta’s mechanical plant; currently, they are unable to reach that amount. Therefore, Kendrick has three choices. The first is to regionalize with Juliaetta via a pipeline to Juliaetta’s wastewater treatment plant. The second is to run a pipeline to and discharge in the Clearwater River. This is a very high-cost option; it may encounter permitting issues on tribal reservation land, and will require land acquisition to install a lift station. The third option is to build a wastewater treatment plant in Kendrick. If option three is chosen, Juliaetta’s project will continue as planned.
Councilmember Wilson asked about installing a SAGR system for ammonia removal. He was told it is a cheaper option and will work with Kendrick’s lagoons. Mr. Norton said in Kendrick’s application it will not remove enough of the ammonia to meet the permit limit, nor will it clean the water enough to run it through the necessary mechanical chiller.
If regionalization is the option chosen by both cities, Juliaetta and Kendrick could choose to form a joint sewer district, including a separate sewer district board, which would be manned by at least one councilmember from each city. Both cities would pay into the district for their service, and rates would be uniform. The board would have to decide on staffing for administration and billing, as well as a maintenance agreement. If Juliaetta continues to own and operate the wastewater treatment plant, it would have to be decided how Kendrick would pay for services, by flow amount, and/or by number of users. A maintenance agreement could also be implemented.
Option one of regionalizing would be to run a 10-inch pipe from Kendrick to Juliaetta’s wastewater treatment plant, via the trail. As this would be a gravity flow line, no lift stations are required. Juliaetta’s permit will remain valid, and Kendrick’s lagoons would be used as equalization basins. The cities would need to agree on the regionalization format; if Juliaetta maintains ownership a contract for improvement would also need to be agreed upon. Also, this would require substantial improvements at the Juliaetta plant to account for increased capacity. Option two has the same advantages and disadvantages but construction would change slightly. The 10-inch pipe would run to Juliaetta’s collection system. At that point, approximately 5,000 linear feet of sewer line would need to be upsized to 15-inches. This option could provide some cost-sharing opportunities.
Upgrades would need to be implemented to handle increased flow at Juliaetta wastewater treatment plant. The lift station will require a third pump and headworks equipment will need to be upsized. The equalization tank will require two additional 40 gpm pumps and expansion. An additional packaged unit will be needed for extended aeration. A UV system will be installed for disinfection upgrades. Two additional chillers will be needed, as well as an additional feed pump for solids, and the generator will be upsized.
A detailed first-draft cost analysis was provided by Mr. Norton, which listed a potential savings of $488,000 for Juliaetta due to cost sharing. But he believes the purpose of regionalizing is the long-term benefit in operating a single facility.
Questions & Answers
Will Juliaetta would have to re-bond? Mr. Norton believed that was a possibility, depending on when the cities merged. Kendrick probably will have to re-bond. He suggested the cities contact their bond attorneys.
Will permit limits change? Mr. Norton is able to gauge permit limits in the future; he believes Juliaetta’s plant will be able to meet any future changes.
What is the savings benefit for regionalization? The cost is more upfront for Kendrick to run the pipeline to Juliaetta. But the purpose of regionalizing is long-term benefit, including cost savings in operating a single facility. Also, agencies are working hard to provide more funding, especially in the form of grants.
Can city personnel do any of the work to save cost? City personnel can work on the project, at their own wage rate; they do not need to be paid Davis Bacon wages. But they must be qualified to do the work they perform.
Mr. Lustig has concerns about Kendrick having their own mechanical plant due to occasional low flow rates.
Each Council should make their own decision. Mr. Norton is happy to provide additional information if necessary. If re-bonding is necessary, CEDA can provide bond education to the community. If the cities decide to proceed with regionalization, Kendrick will submit a written proposal to Juliaetta.
Mr. Norton reported that Juliaetta’s design plans will be finished by the end of August, to be submitted to Juliaetta City Council in September, and then to USDA.
At 6:41 pm Councilmember Wegner made a motion to adjourn the regular session. Councilmember Coulson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Kendrick councilmembers remained onsite for Executive Session.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner.
The minutes of the June 13, 7, and 21, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve all minutes was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried. Bills from the month of June 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Bonnie Whismore has been working on fundraising for the Juliaetta Splash Pad since last year. She had a spaghetti dinner, a prime rib dinner, organized a duck race, held a yard sale, and sold concessions at local baseball and softball games, raising $8,799.35. Phil’s Family Foods donated vegetables for the concession stand, raising the total to $8,891.88. She is hopeful that by next May she will have reached $15,000 in donations. She also applied for a $50,000 grant from T-Mobile; those results will be received in September. Ms. Whismore presented letters of support form the Juliaetta Community Center (JCIA), Christine Prokay, Richard Groseclose, and the K-J Baseball Association. She recently held a family fun night where she gathered many signatures of splash pad supporters. If construction moves forward, she has spoken with Matt Ross, the Ag teacher at Kendrick High School, whose students could do some of the demolition work. She also talked to CKA, an architectural firm, and Mike’s Mechanical, who may be willing to donate services. Ms. Whismore has contacted Dodd Snodgrass, CEDA, who prepared a tentative budget in preparation to apply for grant funding. Grant writing for the project will cost $3,500. City matching funds are needed to score additional “points” in the grant application judging process, therefore Ms. Whismore is requesting the City of Juliaetta pledge to match her projected raised funds in the amount of $15,000. This amount could be funded, if necessary, by Revenue Replacement ARPA funds. Councilmember Dodge asked why the amounts the Splash Pad Committee has requested has changed. Initially the Committee asked for support only, then they requested $75,000. The project scope has changed, and so have the committee members, since the $75,000 request. Ms. Whismore explained that she “downsized” the splash pad from the original presentation by lowering the number of fixtures that would be purchased from Raindeck. These could be added individually at a later date as budget allows. Councilmember Anderson was concerned that grant conflicts would surface if the library purchase proceeds. Mr. Snodgrass explained there are no conflicts, as the Latah County Library District is applying for that grant, which is not a block grant. Also, public facility and park block grants are separately funded. After discussion, City Council was not interested in proceeding.
The tentative FY2024 budget was presented to Council. The Treasurer explained she had created additional budget lines for the wastewater project. Councilmember Anderson moved to adopt the tentative FY2024 budget, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
The Latah County Solid Waste Collection Agreement has been presented to Council. The initial agreement is for five years, and may renew for an additional five years. The contract includes annual rate increases as well as 20% administration fees. The agreement was reviewed by the City Attorney. Amanda Bashaw, Latah County Solid Waste Coordinator, is working on FAQs for customer information regarding the new collection company, Sunshine Disposal, who will begin providing services October 1. Collection, recycling, bulky waste, as well as free shred day and tire amnesty day are covered under the collection contract. Service days will likely stay the same for residential customers, though commercial customer schedules may change. It is unsure if Sunshine Disposal will provide new roll carts to customers or if the current carts will be relabeled. Recycling will change to a format of comingling dumpsters, which will be serviced weekly. The number of recycling containers will be added or subtracted as needed, and a sign will be posted to inform customers of the collection date. Sunshine Disposal is a fourth generation, family-owned company that began in the Seattle area. Their business model covers small and medium sized cities. Drivers will check in at City Hall at the finish of their route, to check for customer service issues. Sunshine Disposal also has a direct call number for customer support. Councilmember Anderson moved to allow the Mayor to sign the Latah County Solid Waste Collection Agreement, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
The Treasurer presented information about Paya and Invoice Cloud to Council. They are two different applications the City could utilize to provide electronic billing to customers, as well as allowing customers to pay their city utility bills online either by credit or debit card, or by ACH. Both Paya and Invoice Cloud require Cash Receipting, a module of the City’s current Caselle software; this module would need to be purchased by the City and an additional monthly fee of $200 would be assessed to the City. With Cash Receipting, payments made through Paya or Invoice Cloud would automatically be credited to the customers’ accounts, rather than having to be manually entered into the utility management module by City staff. Additionally, those payments will also automatically flow into the general ledger rather than having to be manually entered and accounted for. Discounts are available if Cash Receipting and Invoice Cloud are purchased at the same time. Customer costs vary per type of transaction. Council would like more of a breakdown of savings costs. Councilmember Dodge moved to table the issue until September, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
Proposed Ordinance 2023-02, the Mayor and Council salary ordinance, was presented to Council. The ordinance will set Mayor salary at $330.00 per month, each Council member would receive $150.00 per month. Councilmember Dodge moved to suspend the rules and have the ordinance read by title only, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. The Clerk read the title of the ordinance. Councilmember Dodge moved to accept Ordinance 2023-02, seconded by Councilmember Witt. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, no; Councilmember Maland, no. The tie was broken by the Mayor’s vote, yes. Motion carried.
Water, sewer, and garbage rates were presented to Council, showing the current rate, as well as what the rate would be at a 5% increase. Sewer rates will need to gradually increase to meet the needs of the wastewater project. A proposed resolution of rates and fees will be on the August agenda.
Supervisor Cope contacted Lyman Dust Abatement the day after the June Council meeting to schedule dust abatement services. They have not yet been in contact. He and Ryan Lindhorst are working on trimming brush in alleys and on the trail. He is unsure if the City will do any tree trimming this year. He also spoke with a private contractor who sprays the trail in the County to get rid of weeds and blackberries. He works at a cost of $250 per hour for his labor and equipment, and can control the blackberry bushes so they will no longer encroach on the trail. However, this would also make it so people can no longer pick the berries along the trail. Supervisor Cope also wants to modify the edging around the playground so it is easier for vehicles to round a sharp corner.
Councilmember Maland reported the jagged concrete base of the merry go round at the park is exposed and could be dangerous.
There was no report from the Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department.
At 8:34 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The special meeting was called to order at 5:59 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present was Wendy Sandino, City Clerk. City Attorney Ken Nagy joined by phone.
At 5:59 pm Councilmember Anderson moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 subsection 1:a—to consider hiring a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent, wherein the respective qualities of individuals are to be evaluated in order to fill a particular vacancy or need, unless a vacancy in an elective office or deliberations about staffing needs in general. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes. Councilmember Anderson moved to return to regular session. Councilmember Maland seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The solid waste disposal agreement with City of Moscow was discussed. City Attorney Nagy had previously listed concerns with the agreement, as well as portions he wanted to bring to Council’s attention. He contacted City of Moscow’s City Attorney with the concerns; she responded that other cities had already signed the agreement with no reservations, but that if City of Juliaetta had concerns, she would bring them to the attention of Moscow City Council. City Attorney Nagy wanted clarification of “all fees and other expenses… .” Councilmember Anderson explained that the fees would be government fuel surcharges that will be unknown until the government assesses them. City Attorney Nagy also wanted the word “indemnification” removed from Section XIX, or to include an indemnification clause. City Attorney Nagy said the decision could be tabled until the new city attorney could review and advise on the contract. After discussion, Councilmember Anderson moved to have the Mayor sign the solid waste disposal agreement contract with City of Moscow, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. A roll call vote was requested: Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, no. The motion carried.
After discussion held in executive session, Councilmember Dodge moved to appoint Jennifer Douglass as new City Attorney for Juliaetta, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. The motion carried. Councilmember Dodge moved to allow the Mayor to sign the agreement with Douglass Law, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
At 7:07 pm, Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, and Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope.
The FY2024 budget was discussed. The Treasurer made the changes requested by Council, and entered revenues from the County. She will enter grant and other amounts for the wastewater project, the amounts will be broken down by DEQ, USDA-RD, Army Corps, etc. She also reported PERSI is changing their contribution rates on July 1. Employers will change from 11.19% to 11.18%, employees will change from 7.16% to 6.71%.
The minutes of the May 9, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve minutes was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried. Bills from the month of May 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Mayor Groseclose has nominated Jennifer Douglass to be the new city attorney. She currently also represents the cities of Lapwai, Peck, Culdesac, and Genesee. She would provide general counsel, human resources and zoning guidance, and complete contract reviews. She does not offer criminal litigation, but attorneys in her office may be able to. She also has relationships with other attorneys outside her office if litigation is necessary. Her rate is currently $150.00 per hour, but may increase in 2024. She is covered by ICRMP as a city attorney. Councilmember Anderson moved to table further discussion until a special executive session meeting can be held, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried. Current City Attorney Ken Nagy can extend his service until the new attorney can be appointed. The special meeting will be held June 21 at 6:00 pm.
Mayor Groseclose and Juliaetta City Council received a letter from Kendrick Mayor Rose Norris requesting another meeting between the two councils to discuss the possibility of regionalizing wastewater treatment for both cities. Stillman Norton, Keller Associates, says Kendrick has two alternatives to meet terms of their wastewater permit: either they regionalize with Juliaetta or build their own mechanical plant. The majority of their Council would like to build their own plant, but they want to explore all options and hear Juliaetta’s opinion. Keller Associates would host the meeting on behalf of Kendrick. City Attorney Nagy suggested the City require a formal written proposal from Kendrick outlining exactly what is expected from City of Juliaetta, before any decision is reached. However, no decisions would be made at this informational meeting; a second meeting could be scheduled later based on interest. Juliaetta City Council wants more information on the proposal. Use of the trail would be disrupted during construction. Changes would need to be made to Juliaetta’s wastewater treatment plant design for upsizing. Almost all extra costs would be borne by City of Kendrick. Councilmember Maland moved to move forward with a meeting with City of Kendrick, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
Mr. Norton reported Keller Associates will be quality control checking plans and specs soon; a 90% design review meeting will be held in two to three weeks. He is continuing to work with USDA to get more funding for the project. Flow monitors have been installed to see if there are parts of the system that are of concern. Smoke testing will be done later this summer, coordinated with Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department. Residents will be made aware of the testing before it is performed.
The City Attorney reviewed concerns he had regarding the solid waste disposal agreement with City of Moscow. There were language changes he would like to be made, and he would like a mutual termination clause to be included. He allowed that some of his concerns may be addressed by the contract with Latah County, but likely not all. Council could also have the new City Attorney review this contract; he would be happy to share his comments with them. Councilmember Dodge moved to table the solid waste agreement decision for more review, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried. City Attorney Nagy will serve until the new city attorney is appointed.
Proposed Ordinance 2023-01 was reviewed by Council. City Attorney Nagy had previously provided proposed amendments to ordinances in Juliaetta City Code regarding penalties for violations, changing some penalties from misdemeanors to infractions. The general penalty will also be modified from misdemeanor to infraction unless otherwise provided; it is a uniform way for providing penalties. After discussion, Councilmember Anderson moved to suspend the rules and have the ordinance read by title only. Councilmember Maland seconded, and the motion carried. The Clerk read the title of Ordinance 2023-01. Councilmember Maland moved to adopt Ordinance 2023-01, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes. Motion carried.
Latah Credit Union requires joint owners of an account to be named in City Council minutes, to make the change to the former Community Library Project/City of Juliaetta account. Councilmember Dodge moved to name Richard Groseclose, Wendy Sandino, and Bonnie Whismore as joint owners on the account, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
Dust abatement has been applied on City streets for the past two years. Residents of the private section of Old Main Street would also like their road done; they will be billed. Maintenance Supervisor Cope checked prices, dust abatement will be 14c per linear foot. Funds are available in the street fund. Councilmember Anderson moved and Councilmember Dodge seconded to apply the dust abatement on the same streets as last year. Motion carried.
Public works supervisor Justin Cope reported a resident has been experiencing a lot of mud washed on to his property. A culvert will be installed int a ditch on 2nd Street below Main Street to help alleviate the issue.
Councilmember Dodge is concerned about the increasingly large ditch in front of the post office. ITD will need to be contacted.
There was no report from Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department.
At 8:44 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The special meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present was Wendy Sandino, City Clerk.
Chris Sokol and Rochelle Smith, representing the Latah County Library District, presented information regarding an available grant opportunity, which will allow them to buy a building in which to move the Juliaetta Community Library. The library district is seeking the support of City of Juliaetta for their grant application. The grant is in the amount of $500,000, from the Idaho Commission for Libraries. If the grant is awarded and the property is purchased, the library district will own the building for five years, whereas most city libraries are owned by the cities, due to budgetary issues. The cities maintain the buildings in exchange for staffing, books, etc.
The district is considering the Colters Creek Winery building, which is currently for sale. The move will provide more inside space as well as outside space for library patrons. Some remodeling will need to be done to remove the commercial kitchen, as well as some structural changes so the building will support the weight of the books and shelves. If the grant application is successful, other grant opportunites could be explored to help with remodeling; the district would ask for City funds as well. Some of the back and green space could be converted to provide more parking. Phase two of the proposed project would include converting the downstairs area into a community meeting space.
Councilmember Anderson moved to write a letter in support of the grant application, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
At 6:27 pm, Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, Ryan Lindhorst, Maintenance, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner.
The FY2024 budget was discussed. In the water fund, salaries will be increased by $50,000 to account for wage increases. PERSI, etc. will also increase. The sewer fund budget is more complicated due to the wastewater project. The treasurer will have adjustments entered by the June meeting for revenue. In the garbage fund, the accountant suggested to allocate some of the office salaries to garbage to alleviate pressure on the water and sewer funds. Some Avista City Hall expenses can also be allocated to garbage. The treasurer will do some figuring and averaging.
The minutes of the April 2023 meetings were read. Motion to approve minutes of April 11 was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion to approve minutes of April 18 was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motions carried. Bills from the month of April 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Jen Root of Latah County Library District attended the meeting, as well as Dana Kelly of Friends of the Library. Friends of the Library is trying to reorganize after numbers declined due to COVID. Ms. Kelly would like the City to notify the public as to the status of the Community Library Project and what the City will do with CLP funds. Ms. Root explained the library district is exploring opportunities for a new library including potential grant opportunities and she would like the City to hold off on any new projects at the current library building. Councilmember Maland moved to hold off spending CLP funds on the library until we hear more from the library district, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
City Attorney Ken Nagy reviewed the amended CEDA contracts and suggested a change to add “Section 1” to both contracts that makes it clear that the two contracts take the place of the original contract, which has no further effect. Councilmember Anderson moved to approve the Mayor to sign the CEDA/CDBG tasks and /DEQ tasks contracts, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
The City Attorney prepared an advisory memorandum regarding proposed amendments to Juliaetta City Code regarding penalties for violations. These changes were discussed. One of his proposed changes dealt with the City’s Traffic Code; Council felt the change that could take place was unclear. Councilmember Anderson moved to table the issue until the Attorney can explain the traffic code, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
Maintenance Supervisor Justin Cope reported the windows at the water treatment plant have not yet been installed; the company needs 50% of the cost up front before we can be added to their schedule. He also stated Ryan Lindhorst previously held a collection conveyance license; IBOL will reinstate that license as it’s been less than a year since it lapsed. He will begin work on his Water I license right away, hopefully testing by the end of summer. A 60% design review meeting is scheduled with Keller Associates on May 11. The new lawn mower has been delivered.
Councilmember Anderson would like Supervisor Cope to update Mr. Lindhorst on where he needs to mow this summer.
Councilmember Maland is concerned that drought conditions may be coming in the months ahead.
The Treasurer traveled to Utah for Caselle training and learned a lot. Caselle is the City’s accounting, payroll, and utility management software. She learned of a cash receipting module that can be purchased, which, along with Paya, could provide customers with paperless billing and auto pay, along with other features. The module is $5,000 plus a monthly fee.
There was no report from Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department.
At 7:29 pm Councilmember Dodge made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Anderson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The special meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. The purpose of this meeting was to hold executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 subsection 1: (d) To consider records that are exempt from disclosure as provided by law.
At 5:00 pm, Councilmember Dodge moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 subsection 1: (d). A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes.
Councilmember Dodge moved to return to regular session. Councilmember Maland seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
At 5:13 pm, Councilmember Dodge made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Witt seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 6:15 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, Ryan Lindhorst, Maintenance, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner.
The FY2024 budget was discussed. Mayor Groseclose proposed salary increases for Mayor and Council. Their last raise was in 2003. He suggested a $25/month increase for Councilmembers and a $100/month increase for the Mayor. He also proposed the following raises for employees: Justin Cope–$5 per hour, Bonnie Whismore–$4 per hour, Wendy Sandino–$4 per hour, Ryan Lindhorst–$1 per hour. It has been suggested to the Treasurer by the City’s accountants to add a salary expense line to the sanitation fund, which will help the water and wastewater funds. Other expense lines could also be added to sanitation fund. Justin Cope asked for an increase in street repair funds—to $27,500. He said the City has a lot of gravel, so that expense could decrease to $5,000. He is still gathering information to order security cameras for the park. In related maintenance news, a company is coming within the next week to give a bid on shaving down high spots on city sidewalks, and a quote was received for the new mower–$4,021 including the trade in amount.
The minutes of the March 2023 meetings were read. Motion to approve minutes of March 14 was made by Councilmember Witt, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion to approve minutes of March 23 was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motions carried. Bills from the month of March 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Krista Baker and Dodd Snodgrass of CEDA addressed Council. In June 2021 Council approved a grant administration contract for the wastewater project. For billing and administration purposes, CEDA has divided that contract into two parts, separating DEQ and Community Development Block Grant tasks. This separation allows a $3,250 reduction in cost to the City. The amended contracts help keep bookwork clear and aid with auditing purposes. The city attorney will review the contracts and it will be added to the May agenda as an action item. They also invited Council to CEDA’s annual meeting to be held April 27.
The Clerk spoke with Latah County Chief Deputy Tim Besst about the percentage of infraction fines paid which a city receives. He spoke with the Court Clerk’s office who gave him an example from City of Troy. “A deputy wrote a citation for a city code violation that had a fine of [$]81.50. After the court costs, the city received $25.00, so on average, the city would receive less than a 1/3 of the total fine.” City Attorney Nagy explained the code provides for a general penalty if an ordinance doesn’t have a penalty, the general penalty applies. In Juliaetta’s case, the general penalty is currently a misdemeanor. In his search through the code, he only found one penalty that was specified as an infraction. His opinion is that only serious violations should be misdemeanors, such as those dealing with alcohol code violations. He will write a memo of recommendations, which Council will then review and make decisions on what, if anything, should change. He also suggested some penalties should have stepped-up violations where the penalty increases over a certain amount of time with each violation. He then suggested changing the general penalty to an infraction. Councilmember Maland asked what happens to violators when they don’t pay a fine. Latah County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Carpenter agrees with changing many violations to infractions. If a fine isn’t paid, the County sends it to a collections agency. If a code enforcement person is employed by the City, that person will point out violations to a deputy, who then serves a letter to the violator. This can also be done by City Maintenance. A letter of violation (certified) can be sent by the City also. Councilmember Maland would like the City to take more action in these initial stages. Councilmember Anderson moved to table the issue, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Resolution 2023-01, which proclaims April as Fair Housing Month was presented to Council. This is a requirement for Block Grant grantees. Councilmember Maland moved to declare April as Fair Housing Month, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
Council is also required to hold a budget hearing each year before the new fiscal year’s budget is adopted. Councilmember Dodge moved to set the date of the budget hearing as August 8 at 7:00 pm. Councilmember Witt seconded the motion, which carried.
In her research, the Treasurer found that safety glasses could be purchased from online retailers for as little as $70-$100, depending on the prescription. She feels it would be easiest to reimburse City Maintenance Workers up to a certain amount and have them purchase necessary prescription glasses themselves. Councilmember Anderson moved to allow up to $150 reimbursement for prescription safety glasses, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Public Works Supervisor Cope recently ordered fertilizer and weed spray for the baseball fields, park, and other grassy areas in the City. Justin Clemenhagen, Facilities Director of Kendrick Joint SD #283, received a donation of 2,000 pounds of fertilizer from Primeland for the baseball fields and the high school football field, which Primeland will also apply. Supervisor Cope can store the majority of the fertilizer he purchased and use it in other areas. He believes this may become a recurring donation. Supervisor Cope and Mr. Lindhorst have removed the chains, plow, and sander from the dump truck for the season. They hauled a load of sludge and picked up compost for the Pink Garden. They will finish painting crosswalks and curbs soon. Mr. Lindhorst also reported the need of a service call for the backhoe, which has a hydraulic leak. This was not a maintenance issue. The new windows for the water treatment plant have been ordered at a savings of $500 under the bid. Street sweeping is being performed and will be soon finished.
Councilmember Anderson checked at Stella-Jones pole yard; they have been running Saturdays due to being behind in their work. It will discontinue when they’re caught up.
At 8:02 pm Councilmember Dodge made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Anderson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm by Kendrick Mayor Rose Norris. Kendrick Council members in attendance were Paul Rush, Zach Voglewede, and Jessica Wegner. Juliaetta Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Kendrick Clerk/Treasurer Nadine Towne, Jake Lustig, Kendrick Public Works; Juliaetta Clerk Wendy Sandino, Juliaetta Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, and Juliaetta Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope. Guest speakers were Paul Sifford, Dion Holton, and Kurtis Hart, IRWA; Howard Lunderstadt, Amanda Zweifel, and Tracey Daelyn, USDA; Stillman Norton, Keller Associates; and Krista Baker, CEDA.
The purpose of the meeting was to hold a Sustainable Management of Rural and Small Systems workshop for the two cities. Paul Sifford of Idaho Rural Water Association presented the class. The workshop objectives were to learn about key utility management areas, to engage in a self-assessment process, to discuss tools, tips, and measures for performance improvement, to exchange insights and tips with other local utilities, and to begin to create an action plan for moving forward.
City of Kendrick is interested in possibly running a wastewater line from their lagoons to Juliaetta’s wastewater treatment plant. Kendrick is currently unable to meet limits of their wastewater permit, so, if an agreement is reached, Kendrick’s wastewater would be treated in Juliaetta’s plant before being discharged into the Potlatch River. Mayor Norris shared information from a previous Sustainable Management class giving two options if this partnership moves forward. Either a new sewer district could be formed, or a Memorandum of Understanding could be agreed upon and signed by both cities. Stillman Norton of Keller Associates is the engineer for both cities’ wastewater projects; he noted several strategic workshops would be held for how things could progress if this joint project takes place. He is also working on options for Kendrick if the joint project does not proceed. He will have preliminary information ready in about a month. In the meantime he suggests Council make a note of all their questions and they can be answered at the next joint meeting. Howard Lunderstadt noted a joint project has the benefit of spreading project costs over a larger number of customers, making one large “community” project more cost effective than several small communities with their own systems. However, Keller Associates, IRWA, CEDA, and USDA-RD all remain neutral on whether or not the cities decide to work together. And Juliaetta’s project is on track and proceeding as planned.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:00 pm.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, Ryan Lindhorst, Maintenance, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner.
The minutes of the February 14, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve minutes was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried. Bills from the month of February 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Dodge, seconded by Councilmember Anderson. Motion carried.
Jean Dering addressed Council regarding ordinances not being upheld in the City. She showed photos of junk at residences. It was explained that Latah County Sheriff’s office enforces ordinances, and when she said she wanted violators to be fined, she was told that currently, fines could only be levied after the offender was convicted in court. She also showed pictures of sidewalks on Main Street and State Street that are in disrepair. Councilmember Maland suggested the City address ordinance violations beginning with those that are safety issues in public areas. Ms. Dering was also having issues with a chicken coming in her yard, which Justin Cope took care of for her. She ultimately was concerned about the value of her home when she lists it for sale, due to the state of the surrounding neighborhood.
Supervisor Cope reported windows at the water treatment plant need to be replaced due to broken seals. Two quotes were received: Norm’s Glass bid $4,229.13 for the project; Moscow Glass and Awning bid $4,070 plus installation and travel. The Treasurer reported sufficient funds in the budget for the project. Councilmember Anderson moved to approve the bid from Moscow Glass and Awning, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
A City account for Community Library Project still exists at Latah Credit Union, though the CLP is effectively dissolved. There are multiple signers on the account, many of whom are no longer affiliated with the City. The balance is $22,280.70. The easiest way to “clean up” the account would be to close it and re-open it as only a City account. The Treasurer would like to see some of that balance be deposited into a CD. Some of the funds could also be used to build an ADA accessible bathroom in the Library; that decision will be made at a later date. Councilmember Dodge moved to close the CLP account and re-open it with the appropriate signers, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
The Clerk informed Council that City Attorney Ken Nagy suggested Council change some or all of its ordinances that give misdemeanors as penalties rather than infractions. This will allow sheriff’s deputies to write tickets for violations. Council could also consider hiring a code enforcement person who would spend a few hours each week identifying the violations and then could pass them on to a Sheriff’s Deputy. The Clerk is not certain who receives revenue when tickets are written and fines are paid; Council would like clarification on that before they proceed. Councilmember Dodge moved to table the issue, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
A budget workshop needs to be scheduled to begin work on the FY2024 budget. Councilmember Anderson moved to hold the budget workshop before the April Council meeting, at 6:00 pm. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Dodge, and carried.
Supervisor Cope tested for and received his Water I license. He attended the IRWA conference in early March and returned to find the water and wastewater plants cared for perfectly in his absence by Ryan Lindhorst. The two repaired and capped an unused water line in the area of Middle Potlatch Creek Road, and will have crosswalks and sidewalks painted by the end of the month. They have also replaced the water heater in the concession stand. A JCIA clean up day is scheduled for March 26 at the cemetery and along the highway. He also reported the spreader will be stored inside the city shop as soon as the water tender can be moved out.
Councilmember Anderson gave Supervisor Cope some recommendations for dump truck fluids.
Councilmember Maland reported seeing ATVs on the trail and has reported the sighting to the Sheriff’s office.
The Clerk asked Council if they would like the City Attorney to be present at the special joint meeting with Kendrick City Council. They did not.
Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner reported the Fire Department would hold a breakfast at the Elementary School on March 21.
At 7:46 pm Councilmember Anderson moved to go into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206 subsection 1: d. A roll call vote was held: Councilmember Witt, yes; Councilmember Dodge, yes; Councilmember Anderson, yes; Councilmember Maland, yes. Councilmember Dodge moved to return to regular session, seconded by Councilmember Witt.
At 8:32 pm Councilmember Dodge made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Witt seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner.
The minutes of the January 10 & 18, 2023 meeting were read. Motion to approve minutes was made by Councilmember Witt, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried. Bills from the month of January 2023 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried.
Kendrick Mayor Rose Norris and Councilmember Zach Vogelwede addressed Council regarding their wastewater project. They have hired Keller Associates as their new engineer; the agreement is being finalized. The preliminary engineering report should be completed mid- to late summer. Keller Associates is working on a couple options for Kendrick’s wastewater, one of which is to lay pipe from Kendrick to Juliaetta’s wastewater plant. They could also, at that time, lay water pipe for any future water needs. A Sustainable Utility Management class was held by IRWA and attended by both Kendrick and Juliaetta personnel, as well as Krista Baker of CEDA, Cameron Arial of Clearwater Financial, and Stillman Norton of Keller Associates. They cited a few different municipal systems who have similar situations, and how that has worked for them. Ms. Norris suggested the cities could also sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the use of the Juliaetta wastewater system. DEQ has suggested grant funding will be greater if the two cities decide to work together. Ms. Norris would like to invite the full Juliaetta and Kendrick City Councils to another SUMs class to be held by IRWA, and again attended by CEDA, DEQ, Keller Associates, and Clearwater Financial’s attorneys. Information presented will include how to proceed, design, and placement. All questions can be answered at that time. Councilmember Dodge moved to attend an exploratory joint meeting with Kendrick, seconded by Councilmember Witt. Motion carried. The Clerk or Council President Anderson will be contact points for determining the schedule of the meeting.
After last month’s incident wherein maintenance employee Ryan Lindhorst’s glasses were damaged at work, the Mayor suggested both Mr. Lindhorst and Justin Cope both purchase prescription safety glasses to be worn at work, paid for by the City. The Treasurer had found a website where the glasses could be purchased for an economical price. Supervisor Cope and Mr. Lindhorst’s city insurance covers a $50 eye exam. Councilmember Dodge moved to table the decision of whether or not to purchase until cost has been determined. Councilmember Anderson seconded the motion, which carried.
Supervisor Cope applied for and received an extension to apply for the new wastewater permit. When the permit is issued, limits may change. He also reported TOC numbers have improved in the last two months. If that trend continues, we will be able to stop sending the TOC notice to consumers by mid-summer. Mr. Lindhorst now resides in Juliaetta; this was a condition of being hired. Maintenance has been searching for security cameras to be installed at the park, City Hall, and the water plant. They found a pack of 5 outdoor-rated, wireless cameras with a two-year battery for $227.00. Drilling has been performed at the wastewater plant site for core samples. Maintenance has also been searching for a leak that has been draining the upper reservoir by about a foot of water daily. The leak could be in the line that runs down to Middle Potlatch Creek Road. There may also be a leak in the hydraulic line in the backhoe. An estimate has been given of $3,100 for repair. The concession stand at the park is in need of repair. The hot water heater is not functioning, and the stove and fridge may need replaced. Supervisor Cope also suggested increasing the size of the kitchen by taking some space from the storage area. Mr. Lindhorst will be researching costs for four new windows at the water treatment plant. The old aluminum windows have broken seals and are cloudy. Finally, Supervisor Cope will be taking his Water I License test on March 3.
Councilmember Witt has received complaints about loose chickens. A letter has been sent to the owner.
Councilmember Anderson reported all the Christmas lights at the park have been removed. He attended the initial Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) meeting on February 3. Inland North Waste and Sunshine Disposal are both interested in bidding on providing garbage collection services for the area. On February 17 both companies will meet with SWAC members.
Councilmember Maland is concerned about dogs running loose in Juliaetta.
Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner reported the hot water heater at the Fire Station is broken; they will replace it. He also said they may have an opportunity to replace Engine 23 with a newer truck. The older model has an outdated pump that will not be able to be replaced if it fails.
At 7:28 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm on January 10 by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner.
The minutes of the December 13, 2022 meeting were read. Motion to approve the minutes was made by Councilmember Witt, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Councilmember Dodge abstained due to not being in attendance at the December meeting. Including a vote by Mayor Groseclose, motion carried. Quorum was lost at 7:06 pm when Councilmember Dodge had to answer an ambulance call. The meeting ended.
The resumed meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm on January 18 by Mayor Richard Groseclose. Council members in attendance were Vickie Witt, Wendi Dodge, Nick Anderson and Mark Maland. Also present were Clerk Wendy Sandino, Treasurer Bonnie Whismore, Public Works Supervisor Justin Cope, Ryan Lindhorst, Maintenance, and Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner. Bills from the month of December 2022 were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Councilmember Anderson, seconded by Councilmember Dodge. Motion carried.
Tony Matson, Hayden Ross, presented the FY22 audit results. The general fund exceeds the GFOA recommended minimum fund balance. The water fund is increasing and has nearly met that minimum goal. The sewer fund is also increasing but still does not meet the recommended minimum. Mr. Matson recommends using remaining ARPA funds on wastewater related expenses to help close that gap. The sanitation fund is in good condition.
Eric McDowell, JCIA, requested of the City last March approval to install an LED community reader board. Instead of the original location across the street, he would now like the sign to be installed with the Juliaetta Market signs, replacing a part of it. Councilmember Anderson moved to support the new site for the sign, seconded by Councilmember Maland. Motion carried.
Supervisor Cope reported an incident in December wherein he was working with Ryan Lindhorst on Adams Lane. Supervisor Cope slipped on the ice and struck Mr. Lindhorst with a shovel, breaking the latter’s glasses. He was not seriously injured. After insurance, he will still need to pay $519.00 for new glasses. The Treasurer opened a Workers Comp claim for the incident, but they have not yet contacted her.
Supervisor Cope, Mr. Lindhorst, and Mayor Groseclose recently attended a SUMS class along with representatives from City of Kendrick, learning about sustainable utilities. Regarding City of Kendrick’s wastewater issues, they are still possibly interested in working with City of Juliaetta in some way, though they have not formally approached Juliaetta City Council. They have chosen Keller Associates as their new engineer, and have been informed that there are grant funds available for a possible combined project. It is anticipated that both City Councils may meet to discuss the issue.
Mr. Lindhorst reported the new spreader has been installed in the dump truck, the chains are back on, and they are ready for more snow.
Councilmember Dodge reported hearing complaints of someone driving an ATV on the trail. All motorized vehicles, other than City vehicles, are prohibited from driving on the trail.
Councilmember Anderson said he will work on getting the rest of the Christmas lights out of the trees at the park as soon as possible.
Councilmember Maland wanted to know how the public can get ahold of City Maintenance if they need assistance. Supervisor Cope said both his and Mr. Lindhorst’s cell phone numbers are on the outgoing message on the City Hall phone. They can also be reached via facebook messenger. He said when it snows they generally plow very early so residents can get to work, then again in the afternoon so they can get home. They only plow during the day if it’s snowing heavily.
Fire Chief Clifford Heimgartner reported he has been elected the new Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department Chief. Joe Dodge is the new assistant chief.
At 7:46 pm Councilmember Anderson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Dodge seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.