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minutes meeting date 2026-07-20 · fetched 2026-09-09 · 11800 characters · read by OCR, check numbers against the source · official file · plain text
Page 1 JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING MINUTES JULY 20, 2026 Meeting called to order at 9:00. Those present are Commissioner Clark, Commissioner Young, Chairman Hancock, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Chase Hendricks, Emergency Management Rebecca Squires, Sheriff Steve Anderson, Engineer Sam Scott, Clerk Melanie Smoot; Audrey Moon is clerk of the board. Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Clark. Prayer offered by Chairman Hancock. Recording available at https://icqov.us/AgendaCenter SHERIFF’S OFFICE e WATERWAYS RESPONSE SHED BID OPENING AND SELECTING LOW BID - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said there was one bid delivered this morning. Sheriff Anderson does not have any bids. e APPROVE RESOLUTION #2026-41 - AUTHORIZING AWARD TO DEPUTY COUNTY SHERIFF OF HIS HANDGUN AND BADGE UPON RETIREMENT - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Commissioner Young reads Resolution #2026-41 regarding award to Deputy County Sheriff of his handgun and badge. 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Young to approve resolution #2026-41. Second by Commissioner Clark. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young — aye, Chairman Hancock — aye. Motion passed. ELECTIONS - CATHY DABELL e DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF ELECTION SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE, LLC. HARDWARE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said this is an agreement for maintenance. Chase has reviewed this. Cathy said they are going to do the maintenance on these machines every two years. Commissioner Clark said the cost is $11,200. 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Clark to approve the Election Systems & Software, LLC hardware service agreement for 24 months at $11,200. Second by Commissioner Young. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young - aye, Chairman Hancock — aye. Motion passed. SHERIFF'S OFFICE e WATERWAYS RESPONSE SHED BID OPENING AND SELECTING LOW BID - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said this bid is for the waterway facility. Have two bids. Commissioner Clark said Alpine Construction Management bid is for $619,000. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said next bid is Titan Steel with a bid of $259,228. It shows here that the site prep and plumbing is included in the price. Will look at these more closely but looks like Titan Steel is the low bid. On the back page it shows that it is not included in the building price. Engineer Sam Scott said his total was $309,078. Chairman Hancock said that is still the lower bid. One place shows it’s included and one does not. Will go with the second page. Will review to make sure they have all of the information and licensing. Sam asked if they need to approve this pending their stipulations. 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Clark to approve the bid for Waterways building from Titan Steel for $309,078 contingent they met all of the bid requirement. Second by Commissioner Young. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young - aye, Chairman Hancock — aye. Motion passed. PLANNING & ZONING - MILTON OLLERTON e DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF CONTRACT WITH ROCKY MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL FOR HYDROLOGIC STUDY - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said he did review this. Milton said this is a ground water study. Chairman Hancock said a lot of the data they already had just had to assemble it. By not addressing incidental recharge they start seeing shortages. Need to recharge the aquifer. Had some people call about how ground water people are still pumping after they run out of water. Burgess Canal is losing 16,000 inches of water a day into the ground. 9:00:23 AM Commissioner Young goes over wells and if canals start lining that hurts the recharge. Chase asked on the depth of the wells. Commissioner Young said usually around 120 feet. Chairman Hancock said a neighbor at 70 feet ran out of water. Rocky Mountain has done a lot of testing and has a lot of data. Chase had spoken to an Engineer in Fremont they have deep wells. With all of the rentals they are struggling with infrastructure. Chairman Hancock said the wells were too shallow and got contaminated. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said they should award this study so people can look at this. Have plenty of water. Milton said in the NP study subdivision wells do not affect each other. Commissioner Young said the amount of water that is used is not noticed. Chairman Hancock brings up the recharge that will be done in old gravel pits. Mike Carter with Road & Bridge said they have another three years in the Crystal Pit. Chase asked if Rocky Mountain should look at this now. Chairman Hancock is not sure if they should now. 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Young to approve the contract with Rocky Mountain Environmental Hydrologic Study for $6,000. Second by Commissioner Clark. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young — aye, Chairman Hancock - aye. Motion passed. Commissioner Young amends that to not exceed $6,000. e UPDATE Commissioner Meeting Minutes July 20, 2026 Page 2 o AUGUST PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING IN TERRETON 9:00:23 AM Milton said they have a sheep processing facility and a zone change out in the area. Thought they would go out there so they can participate closer. Have already arranged this. o CANAL SETBACKS 9:00:23 AM Milton said this is a continual problem. May need to change the wording on this. Let the canal company sign a letter or the plat Stating this is thirty feet. Chase said our ordinance does not say this. Chairman Hancock said they can do away with not having these structures and have it approved by the canal company. Milton said if a house had to be closer they could look at it. Commissioner Clark said some canals may not want to sign this. Main thing was this helps them on liability. Chase said his concern is a public service announcement. People don't realize they cannot build a fence along a canal. Anything that requires a permit they should come in. Milton said if they build anything they should come in. 9:00:23 AM Commissioner Clark said his opinion is if they build right on the canal they need to know they may have to take it down. Chase said they could make it a requirement that they need to have covenants that explain this. Commissioner Young said homeowners really need to know about this. Milton said they are dealing with the past and the future of all the new subdivisions. A lot of the subdivisions have sat for so long. Haven't sold the lots and are unsure on how to maneuver the setbacks. o BUDGET REVIEW - SALARIES/ATTORNEY COSTS 9:00:23 AM Milton would like to create a Senior Planner. Need to recognize that ability. Will consider this and has one other position that will need fixed. Now is Administrative Assistant but is doing some of the reviews. Need to sit down with Audrey. Audrey said there were some budget items the Clerk put in for the salaries. Is a goal to update job descriptions and have these match the budget amounts. 9:00:23 AM Milton does understand the costs and time he utilizes the Prosecutor's Office. Chairman Hancock said they could look at a percentage of time being paid by Planning & Zoning. Milton said it helps when they justify their costs. He spends a lot of time back and forth. It is very valuable. Seeing the lawsuits going around the state it is becoming they need an attorney involved to keep us out of trouble. o RIGBY AOI UPDATE 9:00:23 AM Milton said they are planning the Rigby Area of Impact and creating a webpage for this. o PERMIT UPDATE 9:00:23 AM Milton goes over the building permits are 440 year to date. Building a lot of houses. Mapped out the Greater Rigby Area. Looking at vacant lots and that potential in this area. If everything broke out to one acre would have 10,000 parcels. Really addressing the sewer and water issues this number will increase. This is why they did the hydrology study. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock thinks the City is trying to bond to upgrade their lines. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock asked if they found anyone to help with electrical and plumbing. Milton said when they charge the inspection frees and everything else it ends up being more. The state could be up to a three week wait. Bonneville County has been doing a pass through on these inspection fees. Chase said maybe work with the other counties. Milton said then they are waiting on them. Commissioner Clark asked how many would be done a week. Chairman Hancock said they usually have two inspections for every permit. Chase said this is timing on finishing the rest of the home. COMMISSIONERS e APPROVE CERTIFICATES OF RESIDENCY - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Clark to approve certificates of residency for fall 2026 and spring 2027 to the College of Eastern Idaho for Henry Shelton and Atison Taylor. Second by. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young - aye, Chairman Hancock - aye. Motion passed. 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Young to approve certificates of residency for fall 2026 and spring 2027 to the College of Southern Idaho for Lillian Waddell. Second by. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young - aye, Chairman Hancock - aye. Motion passed. e APPROVE COMMISSIONER MEETING MINUTES - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Clark to approve Commissioner meeting minutes from July 6, 2026. Second by Commissioner Young. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young - aye, Chairman Hancock — aye. Motion passed. e APPROVE CLAIMS - (ACTION ITEM) 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Young to approve claims from July 11, 2026 to July 17, 2026 for $479,752.66. Second by Commissioner Clark. Roll call taken. Commissioner Clark - aye, Commissioner Young - aye, Chairman Hancock — aye. Motion passed. e BUDGET DISCUSSION 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said that they need to look at the revenues. Look at the taxes. Need to make sure departments are turning these in. This is how they determine if they have enough money. Look at what we got last year and where we ended up. Will be less for Road & Bridge. Mike is not sure if the July payment has not posted yet and think they will see the difference there. Commissioner Clark is not sure the revenue is quite as bad. Mike said the high fuel prices have made some of a difference. Hopeful they will level out. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said on fuel tax increases it is always said they will use their surplus of sales tax. Mike said in 2023 they started seeing some sales tax and general fund money that came in. Chairman Hancock said this was a good thing but as soon as they had a short fall it was cut. Commissioner Clark said the legislation wants to cut taxes. Chase said even if they don’t raise this but dedicate these funds to the county. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock said they need to see the revenues. Then can see what has been requested to see if they even come close. Need to look at the additional funding. Will need to see what they can receive from taxes. Melanie said she has some of these numbers already. Commissioner Meeting Minutes July 20, 2026 Page 3 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock discusses what the State Tax Commission told one of the cemeteries. Commissioner Clark said they had tried to be efficient and did not take the increase and now they cannot seem to keep up. 9:00:23 AM Chairman Hancock asked for anything else on budgets. 9:00:23 AM Motion by Commissioner Young to adjourn at 10:24. Second by Commissioner Clark. All in favor - aye. Motion passed. ear. Menard . 7/ at (2 airman of the Board Date \\ (7) NOWNTY COW, [3 7 / Clerk of the Boa Pa cFERS SZ ~ Date : Be ee RE 2B COUNTY /a: Laz /, 226 a), ee see County/Clerk %, S. “0 S Date %G \D ~ Man Ew \’ Commissioner Meeting Minutes July 20, 2026
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