Sentinel Media records · public agendas and minutes, text only, refreshed nightly from each body's own site · not a newspaper

City Council Work Session

minutes meeting date 2026-05-18 · fetched 2026-09-17 · 25679 characters · read by OCR, check numbers against the source · official file · plain text

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Monday, May 18, 2026
3:00 PM
City Council Chambers

Call to Order and Roll Call
There were present:
Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw

Council President Jim Francis
Councilor Michelle Ziel-Dingman

Councilor Jim Freeman
Councilor Kirk Larsen

Councilor Brandon Lee
Councilor John Radford

Also present:
Bryce Johnson, Police Chief

Darin Jones, Human Resources Director
Robert Wright, Library Director

Roger Chunn, Library Chairman
Ron Rapp, Library Chairman

Zack Jones, City Attorney

Jasmine Marroquin, Deputy City Clerk

Mayor Burtenshaw called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. with the following items:

Mayor, City Council – Discussion: Citywide updates, concerns, questions, reports:
•
Council President Francis
o
He said he is drafting revised language for the proposed stop-work and certificate-of-occupancy
ordinance after Council previously asked staff to soften or “mellow” the language. He plans to
send a draft to the City attorney and Community Development Services Director Wade Sanner for
review and invited other Council members to submit ideas.
o
Regarding downtown delivery concerns, the City determined the issue is already covered under
existing parking enforcement rules and does not require a new ordinance. Blocking traffic lanes
for deliveries is considered a parking violation, and downtown parking enforcement can handle it.
Existing loading and unloading zones downtown remain available.
o
Council President Francis reported that a mediation agreement had been reached for the Willows
Place development dispute. The agreement will come before Council for acceptance, but the
project will still need to return later through the normal Planned Unit Development (PUD) and
public hearing process with a revised site plan.
o
Council members also discussed scheduling and quorum concerns because some members will be
traveling during future meetings. They confirmed remote participation would be necessary to
maintain a quorum for upcoming discussions related to the Willows Place matter.
o
Council President Francis announced that the revised alcohol ordinance is nearing completion. It
is scheduled for a June 1 work session presentation focused on explaining the changes and overall
structure, followed by another discussion later in June. Tentative Council approval is planned for
July 9.
o
During discussion of the alcohol ordinance, Council referenced recent bartender/server training
held at the Mountain America Center, where about 50 participants attended. Staff explained that
the updated ordinance will include server certification requirements, though the language has
been significantly revised from earlier drafts. The police department plans to continue offering
training programs for bartenders and servers.

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
o
A police department announcement informed the Council that the crematorium at the animal
shelter was being rebuilt and repaired, with construction already underway. The project was
expected to take about two weeks, and residents might notice a large crane at the shelter during
the work.
o
Council members briefly discussed the fact that the crematorium has required repairs multiple
times in the past and noted that the Council has previously approved funding for those fixes.
•
Councilor Radford
o Council members briefly discussed the timeline for voting on the tree ordinance and whether any
additional changes were needed before approval.
o One Council member asked if the vote would occur on Thursday and whether there were any
remaining issues to address. The response was that most of the desired changes had already been
incorporated. However, the idea of creating provisions for “heritage trees” would likely need
additional long-term work and could return in the future, possibly a year later. Councilor Radford
noted he did not want to delay the current ordinance further because staff had already spent
significant time working on it.

•
Councilor Lee – Nothing at this time

•
Councilor Larsen – Nothing at this time

•
Councilor Freeman – Reminder of Funland opening on May 23rd. Ribbon cutting on May 19th for the re-
grand opening of the Log Hut.

•
Councilor Dingman – Nothing at this time

•
Mayor Burtenshaw
•
Negotiations are underway to create a more unified fire response system between the City and
surrounding jurisdictions. Before making major changes, the parties agreed to conduct a feasibility
study. Because the study will not be completed before the current contract must be renewed, the
upcoming agreement will likely include “good faith intent language” committing all sides to work
toward standardized operating procedures, equipment, training, and dispatch coordination.
•
Inconsistent fire standards between the City and others can create problems. She described a recent
development case where a property owner considered staying outside City limits to avoid stricter fire
access requirements, even though Idaho Falls firefighters would still likely respond to emergencies
there. She said this disconnect affects both safety standards and City fire-service revenue.
•
Mayor reported that both fire chiefs support moving toward a unified system with consistent
expectations, training, and response protocols. The current contract will likely be renewed for another
year while the feasibility study is completed, with the agreement expected to come before the
Council around mid-July.
•
The City’s new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is scheduled to go live within two weeks.
While acknowledging the transition has required extensive overtime and behind-the-scenes work
from staff, she said payroll and other critical functions are expected to operate successfully during the
launch.

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
•
The ERP system is expected to significantly improve the City’s ability to track expenditures and
revenues in near real time, helping department directors manage day-to-day operations more
effectively instead of relying on outdated financial information.

Police, HR - Review: Police Personnel Manual Changes, to include Holiday Pay Changes (Chief Johnson, Director
Jones):
•
Police leadership and HR presented proposed updates to the Police Personnel Manual, which has
been in place for about 7–8 years.
•
The changes would follow the City’s normal policy update process:
o
Council reviews draft changes.
o
Employees receive a 30-day comment period.
o
The policy returns to Council later for final approval.
Housekeeping Changes
•
References to outdated sections of the City personnel manual would be updated.
•
The term “probationary police officer” would largely be removed from the manual.
•
Staff said the department already treats probationary and non-probationary employees the same
regarding discipline and due process.
•
Removing the language would also help recruit experienced lateral officers who currently cannot
immediately participate in career path programs.
Holiday Policy Changes
•
The biggest discussion involved holiday leave and payout policies for police officers, dispatchers, and
animal control officers.
•
Staff proposed changing the wording from “pay period” to “pay date” for when holiday hours are
deposited into employee holiday banks.
o
Officials said the old wording caused confusion and grievances because different departments
interpreted “pay period” differently.
o
“Pay date” would clearly refer to the first paycheck date in January.
Holiday Cash-Out Increase
•
The department proposed increasing the optional holiday cash-out limit from 60 hours to 80 hours.
•
Police leadership said the long-term goal is eventually reaching 96 hours, matching the Fire
Department.
•
Officials said they are increasing the amount gradually to avoid unexpected budget impacts.
•
Staff believe the change can remain budget neutral because:
o
Employees cashing out leave may reduce overtime costs tied to covering vacation shifts.
o
Better staffing levels are helping reduce overtime pressure.
•
Some officers reportedly struggle to use all accrued leave because of scheduling demands, so the
cash-out option helps employees still receive value from unused time.
Equity and Department Comparisons
•
Council members asked how the policy compares to other City employees.
•
HR explained the policy only applies to employees who provide year-round or holiday coverage:
o
Police officers
o
Emergency communications officers
o
Animal control officers
•
Firefighters already receive a 96-hour holiday payout structure.
•
Most other City employees receive traditional holidays off instead of holiday banks.
•
Animal control officers were clarified as year-round employees, though not 24/7 employees.
•
Code enforcement staff continue following the regular City holiday system.

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Separation and Retirement Payout Changes
•
Staff proposed changing how holiday banks are paid out when employees retire or resign.
•
Under the current system:
o
Employees receive their full annual holiday bank at the start of the year.
o
Some employees could retire shortly afterward and still receive payout for the full amount.
•
Police leadership said this unintentionally created a financial incentive for early-year retirements and
large payouts for unearned time.
•
The proposed change would:
o
Only pay employees for holidays actually earned while employed.
o
Calculate payout based on holidays that had passed before separation.
•
Example:
o
An employee leaving shortly after New Year’s would only receive payout for holidays already
earned, not the full annual bank.
•
Officials said the change would:
o
Save the City money.
o
Prevent large, clustered retirements early in the year.
o
Eliminate what they called an unintended “signing bonus for separation.”
Council Feedback and Clarifications
•
Council members suggested language clarifications to better define payout calculations.
•
The City attorney recommended wording changes such as using “whichever is later” instead of
“whichever comes first.”
•
Council also suggested referencing the City’s holiday policy directly in the manual instead of listing
holidays separately.
Transition Timing
•
Police leadership clarified the policy in effect at the time an employee separates would govern their
payout.
•
Employees retiring before Council adopts the new policy would still receive payouts under the current
rules.
•
Staff said some employees nearing retirement were concerned about whether the changes would
apply retroactively.
Next Steps
•
Staff will revise the wording based on Council feedback.
•
The updated draft will then go out for the required 30-day employee review period.
•
The proposal will later return to City Council for final consideration and possible approval.

Library - Presentation: Budget (Director Wright, Chairman Rapp, Chairman Chunn)
Library staff introduced their roles, including:
•
Community engagement and adult/teen programming – Beth Swanson
•
Business office management – Kim Rafferty
•
Adult and teen services – Liza Evans
•
Children’s library programming – Alicia Stout
•
Technology and electronics support – Tyrone Dickerson
•
Board Chairs Ron Rapp (has served on the library board for 22 years) and Roger Chunn (joined in
2025)
Council members explained they invited the library earlier in the budget cycle than usual so the board could
clearly communicate priorities before final budget decisions are made.

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Mission, Vision, and Priorities
The board recently adopted new mission and vision statements emphasizing:
•
Community literacy
•
Public access to accurate information
•
Free or low-cost educational resources
The library’s adopted priorities are:
1. Collection development (physical and digital materials)
2. Children and youth literacy
3. Staff and professional development
4. Community engagement
5. Technology and digital access
6. Facility maintenance

Library Usage and Performance
The library reported:
•
Approximately 285,000 annual visits last year
•
Projected growth to over 293,000 visits this year
•
More than 50 programs annually for children, teens, and adults
•
60 hours of weekly operation
•
24 full-time employees plus seasonal staff
Officials emphasized attendance continues to grow despite the loss of county participation in the library
system.
Council members noted the library functions as a major public gathering space and praised its importance for
literacy, social connection, and community health.

Financial Challenges
The presentation focused heavily on the financial impact of the county leaving the joint library system in
2022.
Key impacts:
•
Roughly $1.1 million in revenue was lost when the county withdrew
•
Current revenues remain below pre-2022 levels
•
Attendance has rebounded and now exceeds some prior years
•
Salary and benefits account for roughly 67% of the library budget
•
The aging 50-year-old building requires major maintenance
A major upcoming expense is a roof replacement estimated between $250,000–$350,000.
The library also described ongoing risks associated with:
•
Aging HVAC systems
•
Heat pump replacements
•
Potential future cooling tower failure

Proposed Funding Plan
The library requested a phased partnership with the City to stabilize finances rather than rapidly deplete
reserves.
Proposal:
•
Use library reserve funds and City funding in a 50/50 split
•
Begin in fiscal year 2027
•
Initial City contribution request: approximately $201,661

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
•
Continue gradual annual support increases through 2031
The board emphasized:
•
The request is intended to be temporary and self-terminating
•
The goal is long-term sustainability
•
They want to preserve a healthy reserve fund for emergencies
Without intervention, library reserves could fall from roughly $3 million to about $405,000 by 2031. Under the
proposed plan, reserves would remain closer to $1.8 million.

Staffing and Service Pressures
Library leadership explained that growing attendance is placing pressure on staff, especially in:
•
Shelving returned materials
•
Assisting patrons
•
Supporting children’s programming
The children’s library staff reportedly spend 4–5 hours daily shelving books instead of helping patrons.
Part of the funding request includes additional part-time staffing to:
•
Reduce pressure on full-time staff
•
Improve customer service
•
Support growing programming demands
Council members discussed the difficulty of projecting future staffing needs but praised the library’s use of
data tracking to monitor patron movement and service demand within the building.

Digital Materials and Collection Costs
•
Demand for e-books and audiobooks continues to rise
•
Digital materials are often more expensive than physical books
•
Publishers impose restrictive licensing terms
•
Waitlists for popular titles can exceed 100 patrons
The library participates in cooperative electronic lending agreements with other Idaho libraries to help expand
access.

Council Feedback
Council members strongly praised:
•
The professionalism and detail of the presentation
•
The library’s fiscal responsibility
•
Long-term planning efforts
•
Conservative budgeting practices
Several members described the library as one of the City’s most valued public assets and compared it
favorably to larger metropolitan libraries.

Council members also emphasized:
•
The library has historically avoided emergency funding crises
•
The board has thoughtfully managed reserves
•
The proposal represents proactive budgeting rather than reactive financial distress
One Council member called the presentation “exactly what we’ve asked departments to do” by clearly linking
priorities, budgeting, and measurable outcomes. The meeting concluded with Council members thanking the
library board and staff for their work and transparency.

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Mayor - Announcements, Events, Calendaring, Proclamations, Notes and/or Minutes from Boards and
Commissions (presented before the Library presentation due to time requirements):
Community Events and Parks
•
Council Member Radford highlighted several upcoming community activities:
o
The opening of Funland.
o
Memorial Day weekend activities in City parks and cemeteries.
•
Councilor Radford also praised recovery program volunteers from Phoenix Rising for helping clean
Rose Hill Cemetery, noting their work helped save the City money.
Farmers Market Update
•
Outreach efforts with the farmers market are temporarily paused while the new board and manager
transition into leadership roles.
•
Staff plan to reconnect with the market after Memorial Day regarding future City outreach
opportunities.
•
Officials noted the market was busy despite colder weather.
Sports Tourism Success
•
Council Member Lee praised the partnership between Idaho Falls Chukars/IFFC soccer tournament
organizers and the Parks and Recreation Department during a recent sports tournament.
•
The tournament:
o
Drew 236 teams from four states.
o
Generated more than $1 million in local economic activity over about two and a half days.
o
Was described as the largest tournament in Idaho.
•
Councilor Lee also complimented local hotels and restaurants for accommodating the influx of
visitors.
•
Officials discussed improvements in parking management at tournament facilities, including better
protection of sprinkler systems and grass areas.
Idaho Falls High School Choir Concert
•
Councilor Lee announced Idaho Falls High School’s final choir concert of the year.
•
The performance would include patriotic selections tied to America’s upcoming 250th anniversary
celebration.
•
Council members also praised the choir’s recent performance during the police memorial ceremony.
Neighborhood Park Planning
•
Officials discussed a recent neighborhood park planning event, describing strong participation from
local families and children.
•
One Council member suggested future neighborhood park planning efforts could include public input
on tree species selections.
•
Staff shared a lighthearted example involving plans to plant chestnut trees near a park located on
Chestnut Street.
•
Mayor Burtenshaw noted the neighborhood clearly demonstrated a strong need for a park because of
the large number of nearby families and children.
New City Clerk
•
Mayor Burtenshaw announced that the City’s new City Clerk would begin work the following week.
•
Mayor also thanked Deputy Clerk Jasmine Marroquin for continuing to assist during the transition
period.
Cemetery and Burial Discussion
•
Council discussed a special cemetery request involving a family gathering at a gravesite.
•
Officials clarified:
o
No burial would occur.

City Council Work Session
Meeting Minutes

680 Park Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
o
No dirt would be moved.
o
No heavy equipment or vaults would be used.
o
The event would not disturb surrounding gravesites.
•
Council members expressed concern about maintaining safety and respect in the cemetery during a
busy Memorial Day weekend.
•
Some members suggested limiting additional structures such as tents to avoid impacting nearby plots.
•
Officials emphasized this was being treated as a unique accommodation rather than a permanent
policy change.
Cemetery Technology Improvements
•
Staff discussed new GIS and drone mapping efforts at the cemetery.
•
The City is updating their cemetery software which would allow visitors to search for relatives’
gravesites by name and receive exact locations without needing staff assistance.
Memorial Day and Field of Honor
•
Officials confirmed Memorial Day weekend would also include the annual Field of Honor display and
ceremony.
•
Council members briefly discussed the keynote speaker and Memorial Day observances.
Melaleuca Fireworks
•
Mayor Burtenshaw confirmed the Melaleuca fireworks celebration will remain in the same location as
last year because no new site has been selected.
Park Naming Discussion
•
Council briefly discussed the temporary naming of a new neighborhood park.
•
Officials agreed to continue referring to it as “Meppen Park” for now while considering naming and
compliance issues in the future.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:53 PM.

Jasmine Marroquin________________

/s/ Lisa Burtenshaw
_____________
Jasmine Marroquin, Deputy City Clerk

Lisa Burtenshaw, Mayor

Idaho Falls Public Library

PROPOSED BUDGET FY27 PERSONNEL (SALARY + BENEFITS) LIBRARY MATERIALS BUDGET CITY ADMIN TRANSFER FY27
$3,760,844 $2,530,540 $600,000 $160,204
46.2% vs. FY26 budget A +41% vs. FY26 budget A+$100K vs. FY26 A +$42,385 vs. FY26
Largest cost driver — sensitive to attrition & market Core collection investment recovering toward target Includes ~$48,707 new ERP/IT cost allocation

PERSONNEL COST AS % OF REVENUE & FTE COUNT - FY2021-FY2027

Personnel (salaries + benefits) as a share of actual revenue — rising trend signals growing structural pressure on the budget

oO
@ FIEs @ Personnel Cost 67 O

STAFFING — #1 COST DRIVER

$4.0M 80 FTE
of projected revenue consumed by
salaries & benefits in FY27

$3.5M 70 FTE

$30M 60 FTE Competitive wages are essential to retain
qualified staff — and proper staffing levels
guard against burnout and attrition, both

$25M 50 FTE

of which carry significant long-term costs
and directly impact the level of service

$20M 40 FTE the community receives.

$1.5M 30 FTE FTE levels have remained relatively
stable since FY21 (~25—27 FTE), yet

$10M 20 FTE attendance has grown 10.7% over the
same period. The library is serving more

<a5h iO FTE people with the same staffing — visits per
FTE have increased from ~10,500 to
~11,900, demonstrating efficiency gains

$0.0M OFTE that cannot be sustained indefinitely

without adequate staffing and support.

qT f $ 707 ERPAIT «

ty Admin Transfer includes ~$48 707 £

aho Falls Public Library

ACCOUNT

PERSONNEL
Administrative Salaries
Seasonal Employees
Overtimé

Employee Benefits

COLLECTIONS & MATERIALS
32

Library Materials — Budgeted

Library Materials - Mae Neuber

SUPPLIES & OPERATIONS
Postage

Special Dept Supplies
Collection Fees
insurance

Travel & Meeting Costs
Dues & Subscriptions
Senanarill Training
Custodial Cleaning

City Employes Events

Credit Card Fees

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE
Technology
Software Expense

Computer Equipment

FACILITIES & MAINTENANCE
Heat, Lights & Utilities
County Landfill Fees

Rep & Mtnce Office Equip
Repair & Mtnce Grounds
‘seen Mtnce Buildings
Rep & Mtnce Auto Equip
ocic

Maint Work Order Transfer
CITY TRANSFERS & OTHER
City Gen & Admin Transfer f

Miscellaneous

MERF Depreciation

FY2026 BUDGET

$1,442,551

$417,080

$10,876

$727,980

$500,000

$22,000

$1,200

$119,250

$5,000

$30,792

$10,000

$4,300

$11,000

$11,235

$2,500

$3,800

$5,598

$61,256

$6,000

$78,567

$1,512

$6,000

$20,000

$8,000

$1,746

$9,256

$50,000

$117,819

$500

$1,895

FY2027 PROPOSED

$1,534,848

$262,237

$10,000

$724,455

$600,000

$17,000

$1,200

$134,990

$5,000

$38,729

$7,500

$4,300

$6,500

$11,000

$2,500

$4,200

$6,030

$51,273

$5,000

$72,000

$2,232

$7,000

$16,000

$10,000

$1,746

$9,600

$54,000

$160,204

$500

$1,800

$ CHANGE

+$92,297

-$154,843

- $1,876

+$100,000

-$5,000

+$15,740

+$7,937

1
”
i)
wo
fe)
°

-$4,000

+$400

+$432

-$9,983

-$1,000

6,567

“

+$720

+$1,000

-$4,000

+$344

+$4,000

+$42,385

% CHANGE

+13.2%

-40.9%

+10.5%

+7.7%

-16.3%

-16.7%

-8.4%

+476%

+16.7%

~-20.0%

+25.0%

+3.7%

+8.0%

+36.0%

Idaho Falls Public Library

FY26 REVENUE BUDGET

$3,244,263

FY27 PROJECTED REVENUE

$3,357,046

A +$113K

+3.5% over FY26

FY27 REVENUE GAP

$403,798

A Deficit

actuals exceed revenue

Structural gap before any City contribution

BUDGET, REVENUE & ACTUALS - FY2021-FY2027

FY21-FY25 show all three series. FY26 and FY27 show budget/proposed only — the library has consistently managed actuals to revenue received, not to the larger adopted budget

OpBudget @ Fevenve @?ri Actuals [J Revenue w/ Proposed Cost Share

$5.0M

a +$599K

REQUESTED CITY CONTRIBUTION

$201,661

5.4% of proposed budget

Library matches dollar-for—dollar from fund balance

4 +$404K
a4 +$202K

a +$122K A SBOE.
B ¥ -$170K ang
$3.0M "20 -*
| |
FY2027 re sumed 3% annual escalation for step and COLA increases, prior to any City contribution

2
soo”
=="
| I |

29 26 y. t

Idaho Falls Public Library -FY2027 Budget Request

Idaho Falls Public Library

ACCOUNT FY2026 BUDGET FY2027 PROPOSED $ CHANGE % CHANGE
Property Taxes $3,042,763 $3,134,046 +$91,283 +3,0%
Rural Registration $100,000 $75,000 -$25,000 -25.0%
Lost Materials $10,000 $10,000
eure Interest $50,000 $100,000 +$50,000 +100.0%
Photo Copied $10,000 $10,000
Friends of the Library $10,000 $10,000
MAE Neuber Foundation $22,000 $18,000 -$4,000 -18.2%

Text is extracted by machine from the official file linked on each page; the official file is the record. Sentinel Media, LLC.