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minutes meeting date 2026-10-05 · fetched 2026-11-08 · 15823 characters · official file · plain text
City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes 1 680 Park Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Monday, October 5, 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 Absent: Councilor John Radford Also present: Ian Turner, Airport Director Jack Penning, Volaire Aviation Consulting Darin Jones, Human Resources Director Mark Hagedorn, Finance Director/Treasurer Jacob Beck, Assistant City Attorney Linda Lundquist, City Clerk Mayor Burtenshaw called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. with the following items: 1. Agenda A. Office of the Mayor 1. 26-385 Mayor and Council Reports: Announcements, liaison reports, events, calendaring, citywide updates, concerns, questions, proclamations, notes and/or minutes from boards and commissions Presentation/Discussion (Council and Mayor): Council discussed several ongoing matters and upcoming activities. • Alcohol Ordinance: Council President Francis reported that work on the comprehensive alcohol ordinance revision is continuing. Although no deadline has been established, meetings with the City Attorney continue to address the revisions. • Sidewalk Parking: Council President Francis reported that Police are using Citizen Watch to address vehicles parked across sidewalks and obstructing pedestrian access. Citizen Watch personnel may issue citations for parking on sidewalks. • Police/Fire/EMS “Halo” Ordinance: Council discussed a proposed ordinance establishing a minimum distance for members of the public who are recording police officers while officers are performing their duties. The Police Department is working with Legal to prepare an ordinance. Council discussed 15 feet versus 25 feet, with consensus favoring 25 feet as a safer distance. Council also discussed extending the concept to Fire and EMS because emergency personnel have experienced members of the public interfering with their work. Legal was asked to consider police, fire, and EMS in developing the proposed ordinance. City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes 2 680 Park Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83402 • Street Striping: Council discussed the progress of striping newly constructed streets. Staff is working to complete striping as quickly as possible. • Bicycle, Scooter and Greenbelt Regulations: Council reported ongoing discussions with the Snake River Trail Alliance, Snake River Mountain Bike Club, and others regarding bicycle and mountain-bike activities, including development of the Gem Lake bike trails. The Parks and Recreation Commission is also considering bicycle and scooter rules for the Greenbelt and other areas. Council discussed asking the Commission to recommend appropriate scooter speeds, motor sizes, and related regulations, including a review of practices in the Treasure Valley. • Idaho Falls Power: Council reported that the Bulb project is being reassembled and, after testing, is expected to be operational in November. • Utility Board: Mayor Burtenshaw reported that the October Utility Board meeting was canceled because substantial utility business had already been addressed during the prior Council Work Session and there were insufficient additional items to warrant a meeting. • PUD Review: Mayor Burtenshaw reported that the Planning Commission would be discussing PUD regulations and concerns raised by Council and the Commission. Council will have an opportunity between October 19 and November 9 to visit selected PUDs and evaluate issues such as parking on private streets, congestion, desirable characteristics, and concerns. Council will receive survey questions and an opportunity for written comments. A November 9 discussion is planned to consider potential code revisions, including “low-hanging fruit,” to move revisions forward before the Christmas break if possible. • Upcoming PUD Hearing: Mayor Burtenshaw reminded Council that a PUD near Freeman Park is scheduled for the October 8 Council meeting. The hearing procedure will allow the developer, staff, and public to participate while Council asks questions and deliberates during the open hearing rather than closing and reopening the hearing for deliberation. If an impasse occurs, Council may table the decision and direct Community Development Services to work with the developer rather than outright rejecting the application and requiring the process to begin again. B. Airport 1. 26-372 Idaho Falls Regional Airport Leakage and Retention Study Presentation/Discussion (Director Turner and Mr. Penning): Director Turner introduced Mr. Penning, the airport’s consultant of record for 21 years, who presented the updated passenger retention and leakage study (year ended first quarter 2026), which uses the same catchment area and methodology as four prior studies. Retention: Retention of local passengers rose from 42% in 2016 to 59% in 2019, dipped during the pandemic as the overall market grew about 20% from national park demand, and now stands at roughly two-thirds, which is the 67% goal Mr. Penning projected in 2016 would take 20 years. It was reached in City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes 3 680 Park Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83402 ten. About 26% of the catchment now uses Salt Lake City, down from more than 50% a decade ago. The next goal is 75%. Passenger volume: In 2025, the airport served an average of 942 passengers per day in each direction, roughly double 2019. The catchment generates more than 1,470 passengers per day each way, with about 970 using IDA and about 500 still driving to other airports. Passengers using IDA are up 236 per day each way (32%) since 2023. Fares: For the first time in the study’s history, IDA fares are lower than Salt Lake City, about $12 less each way (airfare only, not counting driving and parking costs). The average fare paid was $253, and IDA is also lower than Boise. Competition among Delta, United, American, Alaska, and Allegiant was cited as a factor. Mr. Penning noted that sell-outs on peak days (Thursdays and Sundays) drive up last-minute fares and feed the perception that IDA is more expensive, and that capacity limits on those days are a main reason travelers still drive elsewhere. Pocatello retains only about four passengers per day each way. Load factor: IDA fills almost 85% of seats, the highest in the Pacific Northwest (average 81%). In response to Council’s question, Mr. Penning explained that low load factors make routes difficult to sustain, as in Pocatello, where revenue guarantees have been needed, and that Walla Walla and Yakima are challenged on profitability. Industry headwinds: Jet fuel has roughly doubled from about $2 to about $4.15 per gallon, and each 10- cent increase adds about $5 per seat. IDA’s short-haul routes are better positioned than long-haul flying, and airlines may redeploy aircraft to shorter routes, potentially increasing frequencies here. Overall costs are up 26% while real airfares are down about 4%. Consumer confidence is a concern, but at least 40% of IDA travelers are price-insensitive business travelers, and no demand softening has been seen in the region. Over the past 18 months, 389 routes nationally were canceled and 369 added, including Allegiant’s suspended Oakland service, which was withdrawn because Allegiant closed Oakland as a base, even though IDA was its top-performing Oakland market. Future service: The largest unserved markets are Los Angeles (about 105 passengers per day each way), San Francisco, and San Diego, which are the short-term priorities. The airport holds a $1 million Small Community Air Service Development Grant for a minimum revenue guarantee (written for Los Angeles, with a waiver allowing use for San Francisco), with a goal of service in 2027. Longer-term opportunities include Minneapolis–St. Paul, Houston, Atlanta, and potentially Honolulu in 5 to 10 years. Council discussion: Councilors praised the report. Mr. Penning identified the airport’s attractiveness as quick, easy travel, TSA efficiency, short walks, affordable parking, and good schedules and connectivity, and recommended continued in-person meetings with carriers because incentive requests may change with fuel costs. He expects one California market to be added next year. Director Turner added that the current tools should be used first, with attention to terminal facilities and operational capacity, before formulating the next step. C. Finance 1. 26-388 Overview and Discussion of the City’s Weekly Claims and Settlement Process City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes 4 680 Park Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Presentation/Discussion (Director Hagedorn): Director Hagedorn explained the weekly claims and settlement process following the transition to Workday. A “claim” is an amount owed by the City, and a “settlement run” is a batch of claims prepared for payment. Process • Supplier invoices go through a three-way match (purchase order, invoice, receiving document) in Procurement • A specialist reviews each invoice, then the settlement report is generated • The weekly email to Council is created from the settlement report • The Procurement Manager reviews each invoice • The Treasury Operations Manager or Director Hagedorn gives a final review before payment Payments outside the review • Some payments are generated through the bank and appear in the next settlement run, such as: o Utility refunds o Payroll liabilities o Debt payments • Emergency payments are handled carefully because urgent requests are a common fraud indicator • Recent emergency requests turned out to be spam attacks Internal controls • Only Procurement can change supplier data • Multiple approvals are required • Duties are segregated: Procurement creates the payment type, and Treasury initiates and executes it • An independent reconciler is used • Workday automates these controls • There is no internal audit function yet • Finance conducts annual self-reviews of selected areas and may create an audit function in the future Legal basis • State law requires Council approval of claims before payment and an adequate system of internal controls • The City uses a "negative confirmation" process: the weekly email is considered approved unless Council replies • Other Idaho cities use the same practice, including Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and Caldwell • Until 2017, Council also ratified payments after the fact; this was discontinued as redundant Report contents • Tabs: summary, supplier invoice, expense report, ad hoc, and miscellaneous • This week's run was about $3.2 million, compared with the typical $1.2–$1.5 million • The increase is because the end of the fiscal year and start of the new year bring the largest payment runs • Checks carry the highest fraud risk • The City encourages electronic payment but cannot require it • Director Hagedorn said staff will work on: City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes 5 680 Park Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83402 o Adding fund numbers or cost centers o Clarifying refund types in the ad hoc tab o Removing or explaining zero-dollar P-card lines in the expense tab What Council should look for • Council is not expected to know every payment's purpose, but should apply a "sniff test": o Do the vendor and amount make sense? o Is anything unusual or politically or operationally sensitive? • Questions can be sent to Director Hagedorn and the Accounts Payable email address • The report typically arrives Monday (occasionally Tuesday) • Payments are not released until Friday mid-morning, so Council has until then to respond • Asking a question does not automatically stop a payment • Council may also request a future Workday training session D. Human Resources 1. 26-383 City of Idaho Falls 457 Plan – Capital Group/American Funds Presentation/Discussion (Director Jones): Director Jones described an old, deferred compensation plan with Capital Group/American Funds, likely begun in the 1980s or 1990s, that was never terminated. Staff learned of it in June 2025 after receiving correspondence, and no plan documents could be located by the City or the provider. Three participants still held funds at that time (two retirees and one current employee). The retirees have since moved their money, and the remaining employee intends to withdraw no later than January 2027. Current plans available to employees (Nationwide, Empower, and Corebridge) have current plan documents. Director Jones plans to bring the item as an action item on Thursday’s regular Council agenda, asking Council to approve cancellation of the plan, and noted that a termination letter would not be sent until the last employee’s funds are removed. In response to a Councilor’s question about the form of the motion, Council discussed authorizing the Mayor (or designee) to cancel the plan when no participants remain, rather than using a fixed date, to avoid needing an amendment if the withdrawal slips past January. E. City Attorney 1. 26-381 Executive Session (Council will reconvene after the executive session.) Motion: Move Council into executive session pursuant to Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(j) and 74- 206A(1)(a) to consider a labor contract matter. • Moved by: Councilor Francis • Second: Dingman • Vote: Aye: Dingman, Freeman, Francis, Lee, Larsen. Nay: none. • Result: Motion carried 5-0. Start: 4:20 PM City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes 6 680 Park Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Present: Mayor Burtenshaw, Councilor Francis, Councilor Freeman, Councilor Dingman, Councilor Lee, Councilor Larsen, Attorney Beck, Director Jones. End: 4:29 PM F. Human Resources 1. 26-382 Union Contract with Local 1565 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Presentation/Discussion: The MOU documents an agreement between the City and Local 1565 to increase the maximum sick-leave payout available to eligible Local 1565 employees from $2,500 to $3,000. Council returned to open session following the executive session and voted on the item without further discussion. Motion: Approve the MOU between the City of Idaho Falls and Local 1565 concerning the sick-leave payout available to eligible Local 1565 employees and give the Mayor authorization to execute the necessary documents. • Moved by: Councilor Freeman • Second: Councilor Lee • Vote: Aye: Lee, Dingman, Francis, Freeman, Larsen. Nay: none. • Result: Motion carries 5-0. 3. Announcements • This weekend is the last weekend the Zoo will be open, and Boo at the Zoo is the following weekend. • The ice rink has been converted for the season, and ice-skating lessons are being offered. • A speaker shared a visit to Temple View Elementary, where third graders answered what the City does to keep roads safe in winter, including plowing, salting, and putting down sand and oil. • Councilor Freeman plans to be at the Farmers Market this weekend to answer questions from the public. • The Mayor is participating in the Mayors’ Walking Challenge (10,000 steps per day), with the City earning $1,000 for a 10,000-step average or $500 for 5,000. She will invite departments and Council members to take part, and a walk and proclamation with the White Cane community is planned for next Saturday. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:34 PM. /s/ Linda Lundquist_________________ /s/ Lisa Burtenshaw _____________ Linda Lundquist, City Clerk Lisa Burtenshaw, Mayor
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