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minutes meeting date 2026-04-06 · fetched 2026-09-09 · 7053 characters · official file · plain text
REGULAR SESSION, APRIL 6, 2026 Commissioner Bolduc opened the meeting at 10:00 a.m. Commissioner Buhler, Commissioner Eames, Mike Elliott, Chad Hoeft and the acting County Clerk, Jackie Fuqua was present. BROADBAND Broadband business was discussed later in the session. MINUTES Commissioner Buhler moved to approve March 30, 2026, minutes. Commissioner Eames seconded the motion. Motion carried. COLUMBIA BENEFITS/FIRST CHOICE HEALTH Jim and Ann Hawkins with Columbia Benefits joined the meeting via telephone. There are two documents the Board needs to sign. There is some language changes with no additional funds required. Commissioner Bolduc requested a change to the contact names on Appendix H. Commissioner Eames made a motion to sign the First Choice Health Plan Regulatory Reporting Requirements and the Plan Sponsor Acceptance documents. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Buhler. Motion carried. SHERIFF GOUGH/SHELLY BATES/TREASURER WINES/ASSESSOR BALDWIN MOVING AS400 TO MDF Treasurer Wines explained that the complete Treasurer’s and Assessor’s programs are on the AS400 and would like to see it remain in the current location in the server room in the courthouse instead of being moved into the M.D.F. Shelly said E.T.S. does not perform maintenance on the AS400 and has nothing to do with it. It would be safer to do backups at different times of the day or night if it stays where it is as opposed to having to access it outside in the M.D.F. Shelly will speak with E.T.S. to see if they wouldn’t mind leaving it where it is. CORRESPONDENCE Commissioner Bolduc and Commissioner Buhler received certificates for attending the Board of Equalization training. COMMITTEE MEETINGS There was nothing to report on this day. Commissioner Bolduc recessed the regular session and opened the Ambulance District meeting at 11:00 a.m. AMBULANCE DISTRICT Director Kepler brought an endorsement letter for the commissioners to sign, to apply for a state grant for a command vehicle, a laptop and radios. The current command vehicle has over 100,000 miles on it. There would be no match required on the county’s part. He is still waiting for radios to be installed in the new ambulance. There is a state inspection today and he says the ambulance will not pass due to the radios not being installed yet. Commissioner Buhler made a motion to sign the letter of support. Commissioner Eames seconded the motion. Motion carried. Director Kepler said Gooding Fire is no longer interested in purchasing the old ambulances. The commissioners asked about online auctions and Director Kepler said he will check with Karl to inquire how he did it in the past with county vehicles. There are other county vehicles that need to be sold as well. Commissioner Bolduc adjourned the Ambulance District and reconvened the regular session at 11:10 a.m. HARDSHIP EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY TAXES Cathy Davis asked the Board for an exemption due to financial hardship for her 2023 property taxes. She missed the deadline for the circuit breaker that year and has not been able to pay the past due taxes. Assessor Baldwin pointed out there is a state program that will help with past due taxes that pays the county and then she would pay the state. Commissioner Eames suggested she contact the Office on Aging in Twin Falls for additional help. Commissioner Eames made a motion to deny the hardship exemption as there is another resource available. Commissioner Buhler seconded the motion. Motion carried. Commissioner Bolduc recessed the regular session for a lunch break at 11:40 a.m. and reconvened at 12:15 p.m. IDAHO POWER TO DISCUSS BROADBAND WITH ETS Joe Kendall from Idaho Power shared his concerns with the Broadband project. He is in support of the project but has safety concerns for both the public and construction workers. He is open to working with and collaborating with E.T.S. going forward. He wants to make sure everyone understands if an emergency happens with the project, E.T.S. is the contact and will respond and perform all maintenance. Chad Larson from E.T.S. met with Idaho Power and went over the list of safety concerns and is working to make sure everything is up to code. He is taking traffic control seriously and will update Idaho Power continually. Tom Duchen, President of River Oaks Communications, and Bob Duchen, Vice President shared their concerns regarding Idaho Power’s form agreement. He states if the Broadband lines are attached to Idaho Power poles, Idaho Power could, in the future, ask for the lines to be removed leaving the county with a substantial cost to move the lines. They also said the 911 service, among other services, is included in the lines and are worried that a disruption would occur countywide. River Oaks remains open to working with Idaho Power for solutions to get the construction completed. Jacob Johnson, chief technician for E.T.S., is 100% committed to working with Idaho Power. They have gone over all the options and would’ve liked to have buried the lines, but the highway districts wouldn’t allow it. Idaho Power would be willing to have the lines attached to their poles, but there are attachment costs. Tammy Smith, a resident in the area, asked why the lines weren’t running down Highway 30 instead of River Road. She says the view has been ruined and the lines are all through the trees. Jacob Johnson with E.T.S. replied, the State Broadband group did the research and decided it should go down River Road so the underserved people who live in that area could have access to Broadband. He pointed out that if 911 goes down due to an incident in a certain location, there is a holistic ring that goes around the problem. Taylor Yost with Idaho Power says they are open to the county attaching to their poles. They have never denied access and are still willing to allow it. The rates are $11.09 per attachment and that rate fluctuates year by year. There is a $1,644 application fee per application. Each application is for 50 poles. She says it’s rare to have to regain a pole and there have only been 10 poles Idaho Power has had to regain space from. Tom Ducheon urged the commissioners to reach out to Lincoln County Commissioner Wood, as they have had problems with attaching to Idaho Power poles. Commissioner Bolduc stated the project must be finished and maybe with future grant money improvements can be made. Jacob Johnson suggests meeting with the highway districts because the problem is with them. Joe Kendall asked again if E.T.S. will provide ongoing maintenance to which Jacob Johnson said yes, they will provide maintenance and conduct annual inspections. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no other public comment. Commissioner Bolduc adjourned the meeting at 1:20 p.m. _________________________________ _________________________________ ______________________________ Mark E. Bolduc, Chairman Vern Eames, Commissioner Ronald Buhler, Commissioner Attest:____________________________ Jackie Fuqua, acting County Clerk
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