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minutes meeting date 2026-03-13 · fetched 2026-09-17 · 4568 characters · read by OCR, check numbers against the source · official file · plain text
CITY OF . CITY OF POCATELLO, IDAHO SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING GOAL SETTING MEETING MARCH 13, 2026 a AGENDA ITEM NO. I: ROLL CALL Mayor Mark Dahlquist called the City Council Special Goal Setting meeting to order at 8:42 a.m. Council members present were Dakota Bates, Brent Nichols, Hayden Paulsen, Stacy Satterfield and Ann Swanson. Council member Corey Mangum arrived 8:54 a.m. John Gribas from Idaho State University served as a facilitator. Staff members and members of the public were also present. AGENDA ITEM NO: 2: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - GOALS FOR THE CITY Mr. Gribas led Council members in a discussion regarding their long-term visions for the city. Council members shared the following items they believe would strengthen and grow the community: e Emphasis on growing the commercial property tax base and strengthening the local economy through partnerships with Idaho State University (ISU); e Develop the city into a vibrant college town e Expansion of job opportunities and economic development, including growth at the airport; Increased beautification efforts and expanded youth activities; Development of a strong “game day” culture tied to ISU events; Creation of a cultural shift toward a proactive, “can-do” community mindset; Establishment of downtown as a cultural and economic hub featuring open spaces, events, concerts and thriving businesses; Enhancement of city entrances with improved aesthetics and curb appeal; e Development of a walkable, bike-friendly community while maintaining a small town feel; e Promotion of community pride and positive public perception; and e Strengthening communication and transparency between City departments and residents Council members discussed the importance of sustainable “smart growth” rather than growth for its own sake. They shared concerns regarding expansion, including infrastructure strain and housing compatibility. Council members expressed a desire for diversified economic opportunities to retain ISU graduates locally and an interest in regional coordination with neighboring communities and Bannock County. Mr. Gribas reviewed current goals with the Mayor and Council members and, if the goal had been completed or was no longer relevant, Council asked that the goals be removed from the evaluation list. Those items included commercial cardboard recycling program, Riverside Clubhouse project; city walking tourapp; charging stations initiative; online city parks platform expansion; Olympic swimming pool initiative; and spay/neuter ordinance. Council identified goals which should be retained or updated including the following: Fire/Police training facility; deferred maintenance program; housing plan; airport SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING GOAL SETTING MEETING 2 MARCH 13, 2026 development; greenway trail maintenance plan; water conservation plan, code enforcement improvements; business licensing ordinance; and hiring of an Economic Development Director. Council members expressed an interest to modify or refocus the following goals: e City entrance improvements expanded to include a comprehensive city entrance and corridor beautification plan; ° Xeriscaping standards revised to include broader landscaping standards; e Sidewalk and street improvements refocused to include a long-term planning strategy; and e Downtown parking improvements tied to broader redevelopment plans. Potential new goals were identified and discussed and included the following: Enhance downtown parking Expand or relocate police station facilities Develop Phase 2 of the city skate park Establish a city purchasing function within the Finance Department Improved coordination between Planning, Engineering and Building Departments Increased public transparency through financial dashboards and reporting tools Initiate long-term net-zero carbon emissions planning Develop a comprehensive communication strategy aligned with the city’s long- term plan SONA ROWN = Council members discussed the importance of clear prioritization of top objectives and alignment between goals and the City Mission Statement. They emphasized the need for measurable outcomes and implementation strategies. Council members completed a mission alignment scoring exercise to evaluate how they felt each goal aligned with city priorities. They discussed potentially addressing items during a future Work Session. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: ADJOURN There being no further business, Mayor Dahlquist adjourned the meeting at 12:08 p.m. APPROVED: Whew MARK DAHLQUIST, MAYOR ATTEST AND PREPARED BY:
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