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minutes meeting date 2026-02-18 · fetched 2026-09-17 · 12909 characters · official file · plain text
Page 1 of 4 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SODA SPRINGS, CARIBOU COUNTY, IDAHO, HELD FEBRUARY 18, 2026. ROLL CALL SHOWED THE FOLLOWING PRESENT: Paul Gritton, Mayor Mitchell J. Hart, Council President Ryan Carpenter Paige Byram Daniel Larsen EXCUSED: ALSO PRESENT: Dan Squires, Director of City Services Andrea Haderlie, City Clerk Thomas Smith, City Attorney CeJay Golightly, Chief of Police Hope Hansen, Librarian Brandon Hall Bryce Somson Curtis Keller Brock Byram Beth Cheriette Kate Lauck 1. Roll call & Additions to Agenda: Mayor Gritton opens the meeting, asks for a prayer from Bryce Somson, and Mayor Gritton leads the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Gritton confirms the presence of all council members. 2. Review & Approval: Councilman Hart moves to dispense with the reading and approve them as written in the February 4, 2026, meeting minutes, seconded by Councilman Carpenter. All were in favor, and the motion carried. Councilman Carpenter moves to approve the accounts payable January 19-31, 2026, and payroll for January 2026, seconded by Councilwoman Byram. Councilman Carpenter and Chief Golightly discuss a prepaid oil change package for Liberty Dodge, clarifying its terms and benefits. Bryce Somson questions the transparency of the payables, prompting a discussion of the total amounts and the need for greater transparency. Mayor Gritton calls for any further questions on the payables, with no additional comments from the council. Councilwoman Byram questions the Discover area guides bill, leading to a discussion about the need for updated advertising. Mayor Gritton and Clerk Haderlie discuss the need to keep the advertising up to date to avoid staleness. Mayor Gritton confirms that the payroll is not listed. All were in favor, and the motion carried. 3. Appointments: 5:10 PM Mayor Gritton introduces the next agenda item, a public hearing for the wastewater planning study. Public Hearing for Wastewater Planning Study. Director Squires explains the environmental comment period required for the facilities planning study. Mayor Gritton declares the public hearing open, and Clerk Haderlie reads the hearing notice. Clerk Haderlie confirms that no written or public comments were received, and Mayor Gritton declares the public hearing closed at 5:11 PM. Councilwoman Byram questions a graph showing higher water usage in 2024, prompting a discussion of potential causes. Director Squires explains the correlation between drinking water and wastewater and clarifies the graph's purpose. Councilman Carpenter makes a motion to accept the wastewater planning study and send a copy of the Meeting Minutes to DEQ, which is seconded and approved. Attorney Smith clarifies the motion's purpose to ensure it aligns with the public hearing's requirements. Director Squires commented that it is time to close it out and to receive our matching funds. Because DEQ paid for half of this facility's study, it's just a requirement on DEQ’s part that we have a public hearing posted, except for public comments. Then we have to provide the DEQ with the written minutes from the meeting and discuss the need for updated facilities plans to qualify for state funding and the importance of timely updates. Councilman Carpenter asked if there were any major changes from the last planning study. Director Squires stated that we've Page 2 of 4 identified additional areas of concern that weren't identified in the first planning study. Part of that was due to this study, and part of it was due to the camera we purchased, which enabled us to conduct many inspections ourselves. We have identified additional areas of concern, but we fixed four or five at Octagon Springs and made some improvements. Beth Cheirrett announces Drew Erickson of Woodeye Industries as the contractor for phase two of the library refresh. Councilman Carpenter suggests combining phases two and three to expedite the project. Beth Cheirrett and Kate Lauck discuss the next steps, including a meeting with city staff to finalize details. Kate Lauck commented on 18,000.00 to 20,000.00, with flexibility. Once we demo that wall, if we find asbestos back there, or if we have to demo the ceiling because those light fixtures are weird and can't be replaced. There's something weird with the bulbs in some of the light fixtures: when a bulb stops working, the whole light fixture has to be replaced. There is a lot of old infrastructure in the library that, once we start digging into it, might be a problem. She pointed out that if we're pulling things out and it's a bigger problem to get the city involved, we'll find a solution together. But we trust Drew, and we feel really confident in his knowledge of the library and its idiosyncrasies, and he seems well aware of some of the pitfalls that he may come across. Councilman Carpenter and Mayor Gritton discuss the budget and the need for additional funds for unexpected expenses. Councilman Larsen made a motion to move forward with phase two of the study room and to add $10,000 from the fund balance to go towards phase three. If you do run into unforeseen issues, keep the city notified, and additional funds will come out of the funds balance. Councilman Carpenter seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion carried. 4. Citizen Input There were no citizen comments. 5. Unfinished Business: Director Squires provides updates on various projects, including the Main Street energy-efficiency rebate for street lights, the PRV study reimbursement, and the second East bore. Mayor Gritton mentions the upcoming HWY 30/Second South bid and its potential impact on city projects. Director Squires discusses the Hispanic Access project, including the agreement with the county for hauling silica sand. Mayor Gritton provides an update on the Ledger Creek project, emphasizing the ongoing efforts and collaboration with outside agencies. Begin preparatory work and scheduling for the second East bore project to be ready for mid-summer execution, and ensure project permit timelines are tracked (permit valid for one year) Mayor Gritton introduces the Chapter 17 code amendment, focusing on zoning updates. Councilman Hart and Councilman Larsen discuss specific changes, including snow-load ratings and building-code compliance. Attorney Smith and Director Squires provide input on the need for clear language and compliance with building codes. Councilman Hart suggested that we have it ready for the next meeting to adopt and approve, and, between now and then, let's do a little more homework and see if we can catch a few nitpicks. Mayor Gritton introduces the fee schedule review, discussing proposed building permit fees and city equipment rentals. Councilman Larsen and Mayor Gritton discuss the importance of the contract building inspector and the need for economical fees. Implement and ensure recreation staff use the updated rental equipment liability waiver process (including requiring life jackets) for kayaks, paddle boards, ice skates, and collect completed forms at the time of rental at the City Hall front desk. Council will review the proposed fees and be ready for the Public Hearing and approval on March 18, 2026. Councilman Hart presents the USS Idaho commissioning tickets and discusses their availability and potential use. Councilman Larsen suggests making the tickets available to city employees, with the council's approval. Mayor Gritton and Councilman Hart discuss the logistics and potential costs associated with using the tickets. Page 3 of 4 6. New Business: There were no updates from Director Squires or Attorney Smith. Clerk Haderlie updated that she is waiting for the auditor to obtain and schedule the audit visit date, and she will notify the council once it is confirmed. Mayor Gritton reported that over the last month or so, he has had the opportunity to spend a fair amount of time at City Hall, and the staff is constantly very busy working hard. I have a whole new appreciation for our city staff and the things they're accomplishing. He wanted to give a little shout-out to our department heads who are making the wheels turn on this bus. Councilwoman Byram provides updates on the Recreation Department Director, Thurman, who had emailed a report on adult basketball sign-ups and the ice rink's reopening. The Soda Springs Rotary, represented by Dillon Liechty, will donate a Zamboni. It will have to be stored in the City Shop to keep it warm. Nerf wars will not be happening. Prepare appointment paperwork and formal appointment items for the Recreation Board nominees so the council can officially appoint them. They are Haley Heron, Danny Zander, Melissa Ayers, Braden Lott, Casey Hlavety, David Torgensen, Trent Clark, Heidi Walker, and Kyler Peterson. Open Mic Night is having good participation. The Mayor and Council reviewed the City Hall Fiber Renewal with Direct Communications. Clerk Haderlie stated it will go down in price. Councilman Hart and Attorney Smith reviewed the agreement and gave it the thumbs-up to proceed with signing. Councilman Carpenter motioned that we approve the mayor or Clerk Haderlie to sign the agreement. Councilman Hart seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion carried. Mayor Gritton introduces a resolution 2026-1 to remove current appointments to the Greater Soda Springs Community Development Board. Councilman Hart makes a motion to adopt the resolution, which Councilman Carpenter seconds. All were in favor, and the motion carried. Mayor Gritton discusses the need to update the city code, Chapter 5, Business License Code, to include specific penalties for non-compliance. Attorney Smith and Councilman Hart provide input on the existing penalties and the need for clear language in the code. Mayor Gritton suggests maintaining a list of potential code updates for future review and revision. Building Inspector MOU with Derby County Mayor Gritton introduces the agenda item on the building inspector MOU with Caribou County, noting that the county has approved the agreement and it is ready for the council's review and approval. Councilman Hart makes a motion to allow the mayor to sign the agreement on behalf of the city, which Councilman Carpenter seconds. All were in favor, and the motion carried. Clerk Haderlie will send a copy to County Clerk Stoor. Councilman Hart provides background on the fee split, explaining that 70% of the building fee goes to the county and 30% to the city, emphasizing the need for understanding. Mayor Gritton and Councilman Larsen discuss the city's ability to offset expenses by having Clerk McDowell handle the building permit fee increase and recognizing the county's substantial contribution. Councilman Hart and Bryce Somson discuss the fee split, with Bryce mentioning that other cities have similar splits, and Councilman Hart suggests a 60/40 split. Councilwoman Byram and Councilman Carpenter discuss the negotiation process, with Councilman Carpenter expressing appreciation for the county's willingness to work with the city. Attorney Smith clarifies that he and Doug from the county worked together to reach the agreement without extensive negotiation. Councilman Carpenter mentions the city's intent to hire a certified building inspector and encourages interested candidates to apply. Councilman Larsen inquired about the agreement's effective date, which is for the current calendar year, with the possibility of renewal. Bryce Somson and Councilman Carpenter discuss the potential for a long-term arrangement if it proves more economical for the citizens. Mayor Gritton emphasizes the city's willingness to explore a long-term arrangement if it benefits the citizens. Mayor Gritton expressed gratitude to the county for their cooperation. Page 4 of 4 7. Citizen Input: Brock Byram raises a question about the difference between city-sponsored and non-city- sponsored activities, specifically mentioning the skating rink. Councilman Hart explains that city- sponsored activities involve providing the venue, such as the ice cream and kayaks at city-owned properties. Mayor Gritton thanks the county for its assistance with hauling silica sand for the city and mentions that updates will be provided once available. Councilman Carpenter motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilwoman Byram seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried. Mayor Gritton thanks everyone for attending the meeting. PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON MARCH 4, 2026. _________________________ Paul Gritton, Mayor ATTEST _________________________ Andrea Haderlie, Clerk
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