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minutes meeting date 2026-01-12 · fetched 2026-09-09 · 21927 characters · official file · plain text
POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 1 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 POWER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Meeting Minutes Commission Chambers 543 Bannock Ave. American Falls, ID 83211 www.powercounty.id.us Monday, January 12, 2026, 9:00 a.m. I. CALL TO ORDER The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session Monday, January 12, 2026, and called the meeting to order at the hour of 9:00 am, in the Commission Chambers of the Power County Courthouse. II. COMMISSIONERS/STAFF PRESENT: Commissioner Chris Fehringer, Chair Commissioner Kryst Krein Commissioner Jason Povey ABSENT: None STAFF: Sharee Sprague, Clerk Brock Bischoff, Legal Counsel OTHER PARTIES PRESENT: Mike Funk Brock Driscoll Kami Chandler Jacob Reiss Amanda Collins Mark Blanscett Nate Mortimer Ryan Grayson Whitney Nichols Gilbert Hofmeister Laura Porath Jeff Rankin Anthony Simerlink Josh Campbell Kami Chandler Deanna Curry III. AGENDA A. NOTICES/REPORTS 1. Public Comment: Brock Driscoll (Driscoll Transportation) and Mike Funk (Transystems) addressed the new interchange installed out by the Valley Store/Maverick intersection on the bypass road and that the installation of a light will disrupt the current smooth truck traffic flow. The Commission advised that the Idaho Transportation Department reports that the light will use smart technology to keep the bypass green approximately 90% of the time, prioritizing truck traffic flow while addressing safety concerns about potential accidents, especially in winter conditions, and officials commit to monitoring and adjusting the light's patterns to maintain efficient traffic movement. The Commission explained that while the intersection is working well now, POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 2 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 the county must install the light or pay $500,000 back to the federal grant, as the original project plan included a light and was funded through a grant with the exception of a $7,000 match. Commissioner Krein reports that he wants to dig into the reimbursement requirement as it seems excessive to him. 2. Elected Officials/Department Head Meeting: Elected Officials/Department Heads presented the following reports from each of their respective departments; Treasurer: Treasurer Curry reports that operations in her office are proceeding as normal. All property tax statements have been sent out with limited complaints with the exception of one individual who has made threats towards multiple agencies. Treasurer Curry states the Sheriff’s office has been notified of the situation and is taking appropriate action. Probation: Probation Director Grayson reports that operations in his department are proceeding as normal. Director Grayson states that they are currently working on a new combined adult and juvenile probation policy following review of state policies. Assessor’s Office: Assessor Porath reports that operations her department are proceeding as normal. Regarding Treasurer Curry’s report of an individual threatening multiple agencies, Assessor Porath states that she has coordinated with the Sheriff’s Office, if the individual becomes disruptive, they will follow protocol and contact law enforcement to stop and escort the individual from the courthouse. Landfill: Director Rankin reports that stickers have been ordered to place on windshields to verify Power County residency. Once residency is verified, residents will receive a sticker so verification is easily identifiable. This process will be completed annually, with a new sticker issued each year reflecting the current year. Extension Office: Extension agent Anthony Simerlink reports that a grant, through the University of Idaho, has given their office 3 laptops that they can check out when needed. Mr. Simerlink further states that he will be in Boise from January 28th -29th. On a separate matter, Mr. Simerlink coordinated with the IT team to go their office for technical support. Prosecutor’s Office: Prosecutor Bischoff informed the group that any documents that are being submitted to the Commissioners and need review, to please do so well in advance as he needs time to review the documentation. Sheriff’s Office: Sheriff Campbell reports that vehicle upfitting is ongoing. Efforts are underway to make the gun range operational for training purposes. An employee has been assigned to temporarily fill the vacant Civil Deputy position and will attend training in Bingham County. The group also discussed animal at large issues. Ambulance: Director Chandler reports that they are improving security at the ambulance building and are adapting different precautions to ensure this. Director Chandler also states that they are updating flyers for CPR classes as prices have changed. IT: The IT team reports that email updates have been completed for all departments. New computers have been deployed to several departments, with updates currently POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 3 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 underway for the Sheriff’s Office and Dispatch, followed by any remaining departments. The group also discussed the new website, which is now operational. Departments have individual access to update and manage their own pages. Clerk’s Office: Clerk Sprague reports that the outside auditor requested that elected officials would designate parties to process and sign claims on their behalf and that the parties would sign forms much like banks do so that the audit would be able to trace authority and have signatures to compare. Clerk Sprague reported that she drafted a policy for all the departments to review and discuss necessary changes. Clerk Sprague reported that she sent the draft to Prosecutor Bischoff to review, however, he did not believe a policy was necessary. Clerk Sprague stated that her concern would be that should there be an incident of embezzlement, there could be a question why we had not followed the advice of the outside auditor. Prosecutor Bischoff stated that Idaho Code gives authority to the elected official and the chief deputy to process claims and therefore, does not believe the policy would be warranted. Following discussion between the Elected Officials and Department Heads, it was decided to not move forward with the policy at this time. Clerk Sprague advised it will probably be referenced again in the upcoming audit and as we have all new commissioners and questions, it would be good to discuss when the outside auditor is present. 3. Annex Building Discussion: Amanda Collins, Community Development Manager for the Southeast Idaho Council of Governments and Brownfield Coordinator, provided an update on the Power County Annex demolition project. Ms. Collins outlined the following timeline: • June 2024: The EPA confirmed the site was eligible for brownfield testing. • Phase I & II Assessments: Testing identified asbestos and lead-based paint within the building. • August–September 2024: Additional drilling near the oil tank indicated no soil contamination. • September 2024: Cleanup alternatives plan and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) review request were submitted to the EPA. Ms. Collins reported that EPA approval is pending due to the federal government shutdown and significant staffing shortages, noting that EPA Region 10 is currently operating at approximately 10% of its previous staffing levels, resulting in a substantial backlog. Ms. Collins further reported that all grant-funded testing has been completed. Demolition will be funded through a sub-grant from the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund, with sufficient funds available for full demolition and removal. The County previously requested demolition bids but tabled the process pending EPA approval. Ms. Collins emphasized that while the project has involved an extensive testing process, they are awaiting final confirmation regarding the historical preservation of the building and it is now in the final approval stage before the County can receive demolition funding. POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 4 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 4. Sheriff’s Office Update: Sheriff Campbell appeared before the Commission with the following updates; • 911 switch upgrades: Added CCS control switches ($800 each for two consoles), to be paid from the 911 Capital Fund. Ongoing efforts to revise 911 cell fee structure and develop sustainable funding. • Training: Co-sponsored supervisory training. $6,000 upfront payment required; reimbursement to be billed to Bingham and Bannock Counties. Clerk Sprague inquired on discussions with the other counties regarding reimbursement. Sheriff Campbell reported they hadn’t really discussed the details. Clerk Sprague advised Sheriff Campbell to process the claim expending Power County’s share against his training expenditure line and the remainder to be paid from the Auditor’s Trust. Clerk Sprague advised the Sheriff to advise the other Sheriff’s that she will coordinate reimbursement with the auditors of the other counties. Contact: Jason Lehman. • Jail medical billing: Hospital District billing error identified; corrective action in progress. 5. Discussion with the City of American Falls: City of American Falls Mayor Gilbert Hofmeister appeared before the Commission to discuss the following items: • There were no new updates regarding the animal shelter; however, additional funding options are being explored. Judy Fehringer is currently working on this matter. • An update was provided to Mayor Hoffmeister regarding discussions held during the public comment portion of the meeting and developments with the installation of traffic lights at the new intersection of Pocatello Ave and Highway 39. • A $7,000 match in funds was discussed, to be split between the City and the County for a district dispatch. Mayor Hofmeister asked Clerk Sprague if he should provide a copy of the invoice and each entity would pay their share or should the City invoice the county. Clerk Sprague advised that they are happy to process payment either way, but suggested that as the City is the responsible party in the grant, the City may want to invoice the County for their share and then remit the full amount to the grant from the City so that the City’s obligation would be easier to verify during a grant audit. Clerk Sprague requested authority to process reimbursement by demand upon receipt, which the Commissioner approved by consensus. District dispatch was noted as a significant benefit. Mayor Hofmeister stated that a meeting will be needed in the near future to address additional items and expressed appreciation for the continued collaboration. 6. Board Updates: The Commissioner provided updates from their respective boards. Updates are as follows; • Airport: Commissioner Fehringer reports that FAA hangars require inspection and are restricted to aircraft storage only. Failure to enforce usage POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 5 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 requirements could result in repayment of grant funds and/or ineligibility for future grants. Prosecutor Bischoff states he is researching the applicable requirements and next steps regarding designation. • Fair Board: Commissioner Povey informed the board that there may be grant funding available for restroom improvements at the fairgrounds. Outreach to corporate sponsors for fair-related items was discussed. 7. Building & Grounds: Chet Taylor provided some drawings for the museum building awning and coverage. Mr. Taylor reported that Duffer Construction wanted to bid the work and was advised to deliver bids for compilation with the other bids. Mr. Taylor reports that the painting and plumbing should be completed by the end of the month. 8. Jail Inspection Reports Discussion: Clerk Sprague apologized for not providing better information on the inspection process, citing that the Jail and/or her office should have assured that the proper forms were being completed and filed for jail compliance. Clerk Sprague updated the Commissioners on requirements for the inspections citing that reports must be filled out and submitted during and after the inspection. Commissioner Povey states that he will conduct the next inspection. 9. Final Claims for January: Clerk Sprague asked the Commissioners how they wanted to process claims for the vacated January 26th meeting as the Commissioners will be attending an IAC conference. The board agreed to have claims emailed for review and approval, with formal ratification to take place at the next scheduled meeting. 10. Bypass Stoplight Update: This item was reviewed and discussed during the public comment section. No action was taken. B. MOTIONS: 1. Agenda: A motion to approve the agenda for Monday, January 12, 2026, was presented by Commissioner Povey with a second by Commissioner Krein. Following audible call of the Board, motion unanimously carried. 2. Consenting Agenda: A motion to approve the consenting agenda was presented by Commissioner Povey with a second by Commissioner Krein. Following audible call of the Board, motion unanimously carried. The following items were approved; Claims: FUND Paid 0001 GENERAL FUND (CURRENT EXPENSE) $ 293,541.36 0004 POWER COUNTY AMBULANCE DIST. $ 66,365.48 0006 DISTRICT COURT $ 79,557.17 0008 JUSTICE FUND $ 38,812.59 0009 DRUG COURT $ 352.80 0010 ENHANCED 911 SERVICES $ 50,227.19 0011 HEALTH DISTRICT $ 31,821.98 0015 ELECTIONS $ 1,599.48 0020 REVALUATION $ 11,150.00 0023 SOLID WASTE (LANDFILL) $ 8,587.76 POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 6 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 0027 WEEDS $ 102,138.57 0038 WATERWAYS $ 1,451.24 0039 MUSEUM $ 2,041.96 0041 AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT $ 17,747.98 0050 PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES $ 80,553.36 Total Amount Paid $ 785,948.92 Approval of Past Meeting Minutes: Minutes for the board of county Commissioner meeting held on 12/22/2025 were approved. 3. Sheriff’s Office Motorola Camera Purchase: Sheriff Campbell presented an invoice in the amount of $94,050 from Motorola for cameras that were approved for payment and installation in patrol vehicles from the FY2025 budget, however, the invoice was overlooked and needs to be paid. will be installed on patrol vehicles. Following discussion, a motion to purchase Motorola cameras for patrol vehicles to be paid out of 50-00-0526-00 and to authorize demand for payment was presented by Commissioner Krein with a second by Commissioner Povey. Following audible call of the board, the motion unanimously carried. 4. Resolution 2026-02 Designating Precincts and Polling Locations: Chairman Fehringer opened the meeting for Resolution 2026-02 A Resolution designating precincts and polling locations for the 2026 calendar year at 11:50 am and roll call of attendance is as follows; • Commissioner Fehringer • Commissioner Povey • Commissioner Krein • Clerk Sharee Sprague Clerk Sprague read Resolution 2026-02 into the record. Following discussion, a motion to approve Resolution 2026-02 A Resolution designating precincts and polling locations for the 2026 calendar year, was presented by Commissioner Krein with a second by Commissioner Povey. Following audible call of the board, the motion unanimously carried. 5. Resolution 2026-03 Establishing Commissioners Districts: Chairman Fehringer opened the meeting for Resolution 2026-03 A Resolution establishing commissioners districts at 11:56 am and roll call of attendance is as follows; • Commissioner Fehringer • Commissioner Povey • Commissioner Krein • Clerk Sharee Sprague Clerk Sprague read Resolution 2026-02 into the record. Following discussion, a motion to approve Resolution 2026-03 A Resolution establishing commissioners districts, was presented by Commissioner Povey with a second by Commissioner Krein. Following audible call of the board, the motion unanimously carried. POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 7 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 6. Board Appointments: Commissioner Fehringer presented Bonnie Anderson and Andrew Porath for Fair board appointments. Following discussion, a motion to appoint Bonnie Anderson and Andrew Porath to the Fair board was presented by Commissioner Fehringer with a second by Commissioner Povey. Following audible call of the board, the motion unanimously carried. Board appointments are as follows; Name Term Expires Lucas Sprague January, 2028 Shane Bolgen January, 2029 Harry Colton January, 2029 Rod Colton January, 2029 Andrew Porath January, 2026 Bonnie Anderson January, 2026 John Hunt January, 2028 7. Personnel Updates: Clerk Sharee Sprague reports that Rulon Bohman has resigned from the Ambulance District and is not eligible for any separation benefits. Clerk Sharee Sprague reports that Hunter Miller has resigned from the Sheriff’s Office and is eligible for separation benefits as follows; • 50.5 hours of Compensation pay for a total of $1,172.11 • 159.84 hours of Vacation pay for a total of $3,709.89 • 48 hours admin leave during the last payroll for a total of $1,114.08 • Employee is eligible for (3) month(s)COBRA Insurance Coverage through the County Clerk Sharee Sprague reports that Bristol Miller has resigned from the Sheriff’s Office and is eligible for separation benefits as follows; • 6 hours of Compensation pay for a total of $126.00 • 30.62 hours of Vacation pay for a total of $643.02 • 84 hours worked during the last payroll for a total of $1,798.00 • Employee is not eligible for COBRA Insurance Coverage through the County Clerk Sharee Sprague reports that Travis Kingsbury has resigned from the Power County Transfer Station and is not eligible for benefits. The Power County Transfer Station Department hired Mark Christensen to fill the part-time position vacancy and requests that Mr. Christensen receive $17.00 hourly as compensation for completion of assigned job duties. The Ambulance District approved a step increase due to National & State Paramedic license Certification and requests Jesse Johnston receive $21,294.00 annually or $21.00 hourly as compensation for completion of assigned job duties. The Ambulance District approved a step increase due to National & State Paramedic license Certification and requests Kyle Whitman receive $20,280.00 annually or $20.00 hourly as compensation for completion of assigned job duties. The Ambulance District approved a step increase due to National & State Paramedic license Certification and requests Danielle Chesler receive $39,312.00 annually or $21.00 hourly as compensation for completion of assigned job duties. POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 8 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 Following discussion, a motion to approve the personnel updates as submitted was presented by Commissioner Povey with a second by Commissioner Krein. Following audible call of the board, the motion unanimously carried. 8. Surplus: The Sheriff’s Office requested a 1973 Bus, VIN #M08861 for surplus advising that the vehicle has no value and should be discarded. Following discussion, a motion to approve the surplus list as submitted was presented by Commissioner Povey with a second by Commissioner Krein. Following audible call of the board, the motion unanimously carried. C. POINTS OF ORDER: 1. Probation Department – State Passthrough Funds Agreement: This item was tabled to the next Commissioners meeting. 2. Resolution 2026-01 FY2026 Budget Changes: This item was tabled to the next Commissioners meeting. IV. EXECUTIVE SESSION: 1. Executive Personnel Session I.C. 74-206(1)(b) 11:25 am: A motion to enter into executive session to consider personnel actions pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b) was presented by Commissioner Krein with a second by Commissioner Povey. Clerk Sharee Sprague conducted roll call on the motion; • Commissioner Povey, AYE • Commissioner Krein, AYE • Commissioner Fehringer, AYE Following roll call of the Board, motion unanimously carried. Upon conclusion of discussion, Commissioner Fehringer declared the meeting open at 11:46 am. 2. Executive Personnel Session I.C. 74-206(1)(b) 12:35 pm: A motion to enter into executive session to consider personnel actions pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b) was presented by Commissioner Krein with a second by Commissioner Povey. Clerk Sharee Sprague conducted roll call on the motion; • Commissioner Povey, AYE • Commissioner Lasley, AYE • Commissioner Fehringer, AYE Following roll call of the Board, motion unanimously carried. Upon conclusion of discussion, Commissioner Fehringer declared the meeting open at 1:12 pm. V. ASSESSMENTS/CONCLUSIONS: 1. Next Meeting: The next regular session for the board to meet is slated for February 9, 2026 2. Adjourn: Having no further business to come before the Board, a motion to adjourn was presented by Commissioner Krein with a second by Commissioner Povey. Following audible call of the Board, motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 1:32 pm. The foregoing minutes were approved by the Board of County Commissioners during the Regular Board Meeting held February 9, 2026. POWER COUNTY COMMISSION Page 9 of 9 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Monday, January 12, 2026 ATTEST: MARIANO VILLA, Deputy Clerk __________________________________ COMMISSIONER FEHRINGER, Chairman
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