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minutes meeting date 2025-10-13 · fetched 2026-09-17 · 11724 characters · official file · plain text
COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING October 13, 2025 203 Broadway Ave N PRESENT: Pam McClain Mayor Marla Sisson Council President Michael Higbee Council Member Amanda Hawkins Council Member Chelsea Popplewell Clerk/Treasurer Andrew Wright City Attorney Jason Scott Public Works Director Jeremy Engbaum Police Chief Mike Main LT – PD Candice McCall Code Enforcement Nestor Madrigal HMH Engineering Concerned Citizens PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CONFIRMATION OF QUORUM: Chelsea Popplewell confirmed a quorum. Sue Gabardi was not in attendance. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Minutes of September 22, 2025 – Working Session 2. Claims for Payment 3. Monthly Department Head Reports – Fire, Engineer, Public Works, Police 4. Commission Minutes – Planning & Zoning, Housing Authority, Library 5. Clerk/Treasurer Report Marla moved to approve the consent agenda. Michael seconded the motion. There was a roll call vote on the motion. Michael voted yes, Amanda voted yes and Marla voted yes. The motion passed. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: There is no unfinished business. NEW BUSINESS: Review and Consideration of Contract with Workman & Co.: Marla moved to approve the contract with Workman and Company. Michael second the motion. Amanda asked how the cost of the audit compared to last years. Chelsea did not have the numbers in front of her and said she would get them and send Council an email with the comparison. There was no further discussion. There was a roll call vote. Michael voted yes, Amanda voted yes and Marla voted yes. The motion passed. Review and Consideration of Resolution to Enter Intergovernmental Agreement: Mayor McClain explained that the resolution was unavailable at the previous meeting. Michael moved to approve Resolution 2025-15. Marla seconded the motion. Amanda and Chelsea clarified how it was not available at the last meeting. There was no further discussion. Amanda voted no, Marla voted yes, and Michael voted yes. The motion passed. Amanda stated that she voted no because she felt it was taking out the checks and balances out of our grant applications. Review and Consideration of the First Federal Signers Resolution: Michael moved to approve resolution 2025-14. Marla seconded the motion. Chelsea stated that Autumn Jones will come off as a signer and Cristina Barriente will go on. There was no further discussion. Marla voted yes, Michael voted yes, and Amanda voted yes. The motion passed. Parking Discussion: Michael read a statement summarizing his amendment to the parking ordinance. The changes proposed were to 5-2-4 A.3, to a “except while engaged in the actual loading or unloading of passengers or property, for a time not to exceed 24 hours in any contiguous 7 days, and must be parked adjacent to the owner’s property and in an otherwise legal manner;”. An additional proposed change was to 5-2-4 C.2 to read “for any purpose incident to any lawful construction project, or non-permit requiring trades work, located within the immediate vicinity of such parked vehicle”. Andrew noted that the time limit is very hard to enforce, like the 72 hours was before. He brought up a time period idea. Chief Engbaum noted that he believes a time frame would help the officers and code enforcement officers and would support that type of idea. Amanda asked about 72 hours enforcement for a standard vehicle. LT Main asked about a permit system. There discussion regarding this process and whether or not it would lighten the load of our officers. Michael requested to have the permit on the agenda in a month, the first meeting in November. Live Stream/Recording Discussion: A conversation was had about options to live streaming the Council meetings on YouTube. Council was all in favor of Chelsea looking into how it could work. Pool Maintenance: Jason Scott spoke to the maintenance of the pool this year. The lifeguard job posting was posted before the meeting. Jason said ideally, they would like to be fully staffed by the end of March. Amanda asked that the letter from Leo Puente be included in the minutes: To Whom It May Concern, I, Leo Puente, as Parks Manager for the City of Buhl have been asked to provide an accounting for the preparations undertaken in regards to the impending pool season of summer 2026. It is important to note that while it is a lengthy and time consuming process to prepare the pool to open each year, we were not closed for the 2025 season due to mechanical issues, rather, we were closed this year due to lack of certifiable staff. The list of preparations goes as follows; 1. Most significant among the work this year to the pool are the purchase of three new filters and three new two-way valves to accompany them. These are the last three sets needed to update to the "new" style of filter, increasing our water quality by boosting our turnover rate and filtering more effectively, as well as being much faster and easier to service when necessary. These three filters will be installed this winter as time allows Parks Staff. 2. Another significant preparation carried out for the impending pool year has been repairs that have been made to the pvc filter lines, including the replacement of old and/or damaged valves. This process will ensure that there will be a smooth startup to as far as the filtration system is concerned with regards to the pool. There will be at minimum one more replacement valve installed this winter by Parks Staff as time allows. 3. Lastly, another step taken for preparations for the 2026 pool year is the use of a professional contractor to seal some weathering of expansion cracks and seams in the pool structure itself. This process is ongoing, and will aid in preserving the structure of the pool, keeping it going for years to come. We as the Parks Staff have also cleaned the pool of debris and litter, and have maintained all coverings of infrastructure, as well as servicing all pumps and tools and filters, a process conducted every year to maintain good working order of all the parts and pieces required to operate the pool. I feel it necessary to add that while we do this, the pool remains open to the elements all year long, and so most things that take a significant amount of time such as painting the pool itself as well as painting deck signs must be done close to opening and operating the pool, so as not to be wasteful of costly resources such as paint which would experience significant weathering through the winter and would need done again. There will inevitably be issues that arise, and will need to be dealt with as we get closer to and prepare for the 2026 year. Having such an aged facility, it comes with the territory. However, we at the Parks Department are ready and able to to take on yet another year of operation and maintenance repairs for our City Pool. There was no further discussion. MAYOR & COUNCIL COMMENTS: Mayor McClain read the below statement. We need to make sure that we comply with the law regarding employee privacy issues. If a member of City Council would like to discuss any issues pertaining to complaints, discipline, etc., of a city employee, those will first need to be discussed with the mayor, who is the chief city administrator per Idaho Code 50-602. After review of the complaint, discipline, etc., if it needs to go before City Council, it will be listed under an executive session on the upcoming meeting agenda. Mayor McClain gave an update on the flag for the Chamber of Commerce. Elijah Morris from Twin Falls is getting his Eagle Scout badge and was working on approval for a 25-30 foot pole and all the equipment for an enclosed pole. Mayor commented about the citizens of Buhl being heard and believe it to be true. She stated that those being heard also include Council. She said she received screenshots of a post on Buhl Chat regarding the Police building by the owners of Magic Valley Brewing. She emphasized that the parking lot closure was for safety concerns and issues. She read an email from Matt Swanson, Assistant Superintendent with CORE Construction: Thursday October 9th around 8 am I spoke with Judy White of Magic valley brewing regarding the changes to our layout design for the parking lot of the Buhl police station remodel allowing more parking for her customers. After walking the job site with Chief Engbaum we concurred for safety of both the public and construction workers that the entire parking lot should be fenced off. After the walk with Chief Engbaum I once again approached Judy and informed her of the Chief and my conversation and that we would be closing off the entire parking lot. No further discussion has been had between Judy and myself. Matt Swanson Assistant Superintendent CORE construction Mayor McClain said she hadn’t had a chance to reach out to the owners before the meeting but said that she would. She spoke about parking in the city and how the City has reached out to Century Link regarding the building they have on Main St. to be able to provide more parking. Marla stated that she attended the CORE ribbon cutting and is looking forward to the completion. Mayor McClain mentioned that there will be another ribbon cutting when it is completed and the community will be welcome. Amanda asked about the open planning and zoning spot and who came off the commission. Mayor McClain stated that Maggie Himmelberger came off. CITIZEN COMMENTS: Mike Machado, Buhl, Idaho: Fist City Council meeting. Just wanted to come and observe and he stated that he appreciated this body taking these topics up and working on them. Amanda stated that she had reached out to AIC and they referred her to the city attorney regarding the executive session. Amanda asked if anyone had contacted ICRMP and if the city was covered. There was some discussion regarding the meaning of that. Amanda stated that if a phone call had not been made, she would like the executive session to be put on the October 27th meeting. Pam requested for a motion to go into executive session. Andrew reminded that nothing needed to be done before deciding to go into executive session. Executive Session: Amanda moved to enter executive session with provision of Idaho Code 74-206, subsection 1.b. to consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent. She requested a roll call vote. Michael seconded the motion. There was a roll call vote. Marla stated that she did not want to go into executive session due to not being contacted by ICRMP as well as she believed it was beyond Council’s scope. She read a statement regarding disciplinary matters. It was stated that the session was requested by Amanda. Michael requested that they move to a vote. Marla voted no, Michael voted yes, and Amanda voted yes. Executive session was entered at 7:41 PM. Attendees in the executive session were Mayor McClain, Michael Higbee, Marla Sisson, Amanda Hawkins, Chelsea Popplewell and Andrew Wright. Michael moved to adjourn the Executive Session. Marla seconded the motion. There was a vote; all voted yes. The Executive Session was adjourned at 7:52 PM. Consideration of Executive Session Discussion: Amanda stated for record that Council has been advised no action at this time. MEETING ADJOURNED –Amanda moved that the meeting be adjourned; Marla seconded the motion. There was no discussion. All voted yes. The meeting was adjourned at 7:54 PM. Minutes prepared by Chelsea Popplewell, City Clerk
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