County Commission Meeting Minutes

March 27, 2000

 

         Present for the meeting were Commissioners Neal Christiansen, Glenn Davis and Frank Mackert. Clerk Mickie Funke was also present to take minutes. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

 

Elected Officials: Commissioners met with elected officials on county business. Present were Assessor Ivel Burrell, Treasurer Patricia McCoy, Attorney Penny Stanford, Sheriff Terry Thompson and Clerk Mickie Funke. Sheriff Thompson presented contracts for the patrolling of the sand dunes for the Bureau of Reclamation and an agreement with the sheriffs’ association.

         Tom Thompson submitted a written resignation to the commissioners. He will be managing a farm and feels he cannot do both jobs. Commissioners will look at replacement for the position.

         Commissioner Neal Christiansen made a motion to go into executive session to review protocol and personnel. Commissioner Frank Mackert seconded the motion; a voice vote was taken with all commissioners voting in favor. After the executive session the open meeting was resumed.

         Clerk Mickie Funke passed out election calendars. Commissioner Neal Christiansen announced he would not be running again. Assessor Ivel Burrell discussed assessment drive. She said the state has approved all ratios in every category.

         Lisa Turner from Data Processing wanted to know if we were going to contract with ML on maintenance agreements. She said that the AS400 will need to be replaced and that updates on software will need to be done in this year or in the next budget year.

 

Salem Road and Bridge Project: Willie Tuescher from Forsgren Engineers discussed the Salem Road and Bridge Project. A representative from the Army Corp of Engineers will meet at the site on wetland mitigation. The archeological clearance is still needed. The biological assessments will be worked on in April and May.

 

Road Report: Weldon Reynolds gave a road report. He discussed the request from Dennis Brower, representing Bill Robinson, on plowing the reclamation road further. Sharing the road with the groomed snowmobile trail and vehicles is a problem. Park and Recreation Chairman Tamra Cikaitoga said that she hesitates giving up any distance of groomed snowmobile trail. She promotes decisions be made and cites good for the whole, including economics for the area. Commissioners will try to improve parking areas. She discussed the blanket closure announced on banning snow machines in the Yellowstone National Park and John D. Rockefeller Park Way leading to Flagg Ranch.

         Commissioners directed Reynolds to see about leasing the track hoe for a few months rather than bidding at this time.

 

Social Services: Deputy Clerk Debbie Adams, Social Services Director, met with the commissioners in closed session to review medical claims. Commissioner Glenn Davis made a motion to accept an offer on an old medical claim #99-160 for $3,000 and release the lien on real property so it could be sold. Commissioner Frank Mackert seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken with all commissioners voting in favor. Other business was one approval of a catastrophic assignment, three orders of reimbursement and one lien was approved.

 

Park and Recreation: Tamra Cikaitoga and Jim Moore from the Fish and Game met with the commissioners to request a study be done on the boat ramp at Frome Park on Henrys Lake. Cikaitoga presented a master agreement on the joint agreement between the county and the Fish and Game Department on the study to evaluate the park and the dock. The park has high use and is the only non-fee area on the lake. Moore said he would like the ramp widened, a new restroom and to rebuild and enhance the area. The department would like to pay for the study. They may be able to give seed money for grants if any were awarded for the actual improvements. There would be no attempt to create a Recreational Vehicle park with hookups. Day use would be promoted or use by self contained campers. Commissioners will send the agreement to the county attorney for comment before signing.

         Cikaitoga said the Fish and Game is donating some pre-poured slabs for boat ramps that will need to be installed by the county. They will be working on sites on Snake River by the Ora and Vernon bridges and will look at the old Jim’s Dock as well. Cikaitoga said docks would be installed soon at the Jim’s Dock site on the Ashton Reservoir. Moore said that the Fish and Game Department might be able to help with dock replacement. There was discussion on the section of old bridge that an ice flow moved off the pillars and into the reservoir. The section is underwater; rails need to be cut off of the section as they may create a hazard to users (boaters and fisherman). Tamra will work with the power dam operators on the responsibility and liability of the rail removal. Cikaitoga discussed plans to open the golf course. Cikaitoga requested permission to price a small pickup for her use. Commissioners agreed to have her get proposals.

 

Teton Travel Plaza Closure: Representatives from East Central Idaho Planning and Development Association, ECIPDA, Dave Ogden and Kurt Hibbert met with the commissioners on the closure of the Teton Travel Plaza in Ashton. They have had an offer on the property of $1.7 million but it is less than what is owed. There are back taxes and it is a local improvement – Urban Renewal District – with the City of Ashton. Ogden reviewed the creditors and the amounts owed to them and what portion may be expected if the offer is accepted. Ogden asks that portion of the back taxes of $92,681.18; be cancelled by the county leaving a balance of $43,808.00. Commissioner Neal Christiansen felt that the county could forgive the interest but is not willing to forgive the taxes at this time. A foreclosure sale is scheduled for July unless a sale is made.

         A town meeting informing residents of ECIPDA will be held this spring. Commissioner Christiansen will find committee members. A committee will need to be formed with representatives to oversee the economic development advisor that will be employed.

 

Road Issues – Island Park Dam Road: U.S. Forest Service Representatives, Supervisor Jerry Reese, Wally Bunnell and Leon Bleggi, and the county road and bridge supervisor Weldon Reynolds met on the proposed transfer of the road across the Island Park dam to access Silverhawk Sub Division. Road base and millings for the road were discussed.

Costs would be worked out. Total cost of the work on the road is estimated at $83,300. Silverhawk would deposit 1/3, $25,654, the Bureau of Reclamation would deposit $27,767, and the Forest Service’s work and contributions would be equal to 1/3 of the estimated cost of the above-described project. Fremont County would assume all cost to spread asphalt and chips and to accept jurisdiction of the Island Park Dam Road from the existing County road to the Silverhawk Subdivision including the turnaround and parking lot and will be expected to perpetuate and maintain the facilities and public access to them. Reynolds made sure that the county would do labor only on the asphalt, the materials would be furnished. Winter road opening would be determined between the homeowner’s association and the county. Commissioners agreed to the draft agreement as presented.

 

Beer Sale Proposal: Joe Hess returned to the commissioner’s meeting on his proposal to apply for a beer license to sell beer near the Sand Dunes, not on BLM ground. Commissioners feel that selling beer near the sand dunes would not be advantageous to the county and do not wish to see beer sold there. Hess may still apply to the state for a state license and return with an application. Commissioners recommend a permanent site and building for the application to be considered in the future.

 

Emergency Medical Services: Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Mary Lou Davis presented a proposal from Blue Cross to contract ambulance services at a preferred rate. Currently a basic trip fee is - out of county $500, Blue Cross would allow $356 which is a revenue loss of $212. In county is $450 with a revenue loss of $94. Oxygen current fee is $29, Blue Cross allowance would be $25 a revenue loss of $4 for both in and out of county. There would be no loss for mileage. Commissioner Glenn Davis made a motion to accept the offer from Blue Cross to become a preferred provider for ambulance services. Commissioner Frank Mackert seconded the motion, a voice vote was taken with all commissioners voting in favor.

 

Public Hearing: As advertised a public hearing was called to order on fee increases for the drop off of refrigerators and freezers at the landfill and an increase of fees for recreational vehicles to drain holding tanks into the sewer systems as advertised. There were no members of the public in attendance. There were no written or oral comments submitted to contest the fee increase as follows:

Commissioner Glenn Davis made a motion that effective April 15, 2000 to increase the fee for dropping off a refrigerator or freezer at the landfill from $3 to $25.00 and to increase the fee for Recreational vehicles to dump sewage waste into the system through the receptacle at the Macks Inn Office from $1 to $5. Commissioner Frank Mackert seconded the motion; a voice vote was taken with all commissioners voting in favor. The public hearing was then closed.

         Commissioners will hold ordinance hearings in the future on making it a misdemeanor to have weapons on county property and on boating boundaries near the outlet on Henrys Lake and to consider a leash law for dogs.

 

Sewer Systems: Dan Lostutter discussed renewing the contract with Cathy Acomb to clean the restroom at the Macks Inn office building. Commissioners agreed with the contract renewal. Lostutter gave a report. He has worked with the City of Island Park on hookup fees, payments will be made to the county tax collector. Dan reported that the Snowfluent tower was used and is now shut down.

 

         There being no further business to come before this Board, the meeting was recessed until the next regularly scheduled meeting to be held on April 10, 2000.

 

         Dated at St. Anthony, Idaho, this twenty-seventh day of March 2000.