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Jefferson County Commissioner Meeting Minutes

April 25, 2016

Meeting called to order at 9:00. Those present are Commissioner Farnsworth, Commissioner Hancock, Chairman Raymond, HR/Emergency Management/Park & Rec. /Commissioner Assistant Rebecca Squires, Planning & Zoning Naysha Foster, Treasurer Kristine Lund, Assessor Cody Taylor, Sheriff Steve Anderson, Probation Tammy Adkins, Extension Office Lori Dye, Weed Department Mitch Whitmill, Clerk Colleen Poole; Audrey Moon is clerk of the board. Pledge of Allegiance offered by Sheriff Anderson. Prayer offered by Cody Taylor.

Commissioners – Elected Officials – Department Heads

  • Staff Meeting

9:01:55 AMChairman Raymond is unsure why we have such a small staff meeting this morning. Will save his comments until the end of the staff meeting.

9:02:35 AMCommissioner Farnsworth went to a social services convention feels they learn something each time they go. Also attended the Sheriff’s open house on Saturday there was a nice turnout.

9:03:21 AMPlanning & Zoning – Naysha Foster said they have done twenty-four permits in April. Will be reviewing the airport ordinance and the Rigby area of impact. The State Flood Plain coordinator sent the CAV report so are working on those housekeeping items. State Flood plain re-updated their ordinance so they will have to re-updatetheir ordinance again as well.

9:05:09 AMAssessor – Cody Taylor they are working on revaluations for assessment notices to go out in June.

9:05:32 AMExtension Office – Lori Dye said that 4-H is in full swing things are looking good. Have a lot of youth signed up. Did the interviews for the ag position and an offer has been made. Hoping by June to have this individual ready to begin 4-H camp.

9:07:05 AMTreasurer – Kristine Lund is going to Boise today for an IAC board meeting asked if anyone has any questions for her to take to them. Will be having a tax deed hearing on May 9. Kristine asked if they are going to firm up the vehicle and traveling policy. Wondering about fairness about taking department vehicles. Chairman Raymond said they may need to look at that policy again. Commissioner Hancock said sometimes it is more practical to rent a car.

9:11:02 AMWeed Department - Mitch Whitmill said that today are going to have some employees going to an envirothon up in Challis. Gearing up have finished building the overhead on their shop. Will have a few spray date projects from Bingham up to Fremont. Our county will have an East West spray date. Will be at the fairgrounds will have some education as well as backpacks in the spring. Will do consultation on revegetation and spraying. Have some cost share money to provide the chemical. Suggests to haveindividuals contact them it’seasier to use these backpacks then mixing chemicals themselves. Scheduled for June 21 and June 22. Trying to have people hold off on spraying right now. Kelly Canyon project will be with the Department of Lands and some private landowners in September this will revegetate this area and is funded by the State. Road side spraying will begin around the second week of May.

9:17:52 AMProbation - Tammy Adkins had discussed the wrap around contract before.This has been terminated. Have moved forward with this. Hoping in the next week or so to get an ad out to hire for this contract and get this program back in place.

9:18:56 AMSheriff – Steve Anderson mentioned they did have their open house on Saturday had well over 300 people in attendance. Lions Club brought their trailer and did eye and hearing testing as well as offered hot dogs. Waterway deputies are going to some training this week. Have some new employees they have had some turnover with employees who have chosen federal jobs. The Lions Club also appreciated being allowed to bring their trailer out and do the eye and hearing tests. Idaho Meth Project showed up and handed out bracelets.

9:20:47 AMHR/Emergency Management/Park & Rec. /Commissioner Assistant - Rebecca Squires said at the Lake have almost 300 trees in the ground. Was happy with the Eagle Scout project the Scouts worked very hard and got all of the trees planted. The media response was very nice as well had reached out to The Star, The Post Register and Local News 8. As departments have events suggest getting media releases out to promote these. Also doubled the size of the parking lot by the tennis court. Will be able to access this parking lot now. Asked Mitch to spray a pre-emergent to contain the weeds. May 2 is the day they start taking campground reservations. Have had over 100 calls for campsites for July 2. Will have individuals camping out early.Has some ideas for crowd control. Suggests directing them toward the doors on the north. Naysha said one problem with that is that door is usually open at 8:00. Rebecca said her staff will be here at 8:00 but will not start taking reservations until 9:00. On May 4 will have a meeting with those who want some grant money through Emergency Management SHSP grants. Will need to have a grant request completed. Will prioritize the funds by the needs of each item. On May 10 will be having a LAPC meeting to re-vamp the Emergency Management Plan. The Department of Energy has requested a meeting about a mini nuclear reactor with the commissioners. Want to present this project looks like May 3 at 1:00. Rebecca mentioned they need to come up with a unified way to notify Bryan Briggs for maintenance issues. If they do not notify him of any issues he may not know it is an issue. Asked how they would prefer to get messages to him? Lori said they did call them to see when he would mow the lawn so they are not watering the lawn at the same time but he was unsure. Naysha said maybe do like they do Computer Arts let the supervisor know and they will contact him.Rebecca thinks something written by a supervisor is a way to go his phone does receive texts. Tammy mentioned the voicemail is not set-up on the phone that is how she usually contacts him but cannot leave a message. Rebecca said on issues outside the court he is still learning his summer time schedule so they will just need to get an idea. Lake mowing has to happen early morning on the weekdays so he may stop and do their lawn the same day. Bryan also has a folder in the Clerk’s office where notes can be left. Mitch asked when the lake opens. Rebecca said on May 15.

9:35:34 AMCommissioner Hancock said he has been to several 5C meetings which he will discuss later in the meeting asked Tammy to try and come back for that discussion around 1:00.

9:35:56 AMClerk – Colleen Poole mentioned it is that time of the year to do the budget sheets. These will be handed out in the next couple of weeks. Wants them to go ahead and include any step & grade increases fortheir employees’ salaries since it will be easier to remove later if a step & grade is not approved.

9:37:05 AMChairman Raymond said it is the season to talk about transparency. Want to ensure the staff that there has been no misuse of executive sessions or violations of the open meeting law. Do not intend to misuse either of these. When this has come up they have successfully defended themselves. When they have got caught up in an executive session they did rectify themselves. Commissioner Farnsworth mentioned they are doing their best to not violate these.Did get caught up in the Great Feeder discussion but did come out in the next meeting and discussed it. Commissioner Hancock mentioned they are so transparent they cannot even negotiate because things have already been in the paper. Chairman Raymond wants the staff to feel comfortable when they need an executive session. Last week he was in Washington D.C.as a private citizen was working on BLM land. Two observations some agencies have been given a tremendous amount of authority by the President. He truly appreciate our part-time situation in the county.Thinks when governing boards move to a full-time position itchanges the way they govern. Director of the BLM for the United States has some legislators believing that the ranchers are okay with the new land use policies. This is simply not true. Did meet with Representative Labrador and RepresentativeSimpson and they understand all of our concerns. Endangered Species Act and Waters of the United States are a huge issue for this county and will be for a long time. Goes over endangered species. Has been in meetings last week also dealing with BLM issues. Has an instructualmemorandum that has not been issued to the public but has reference to thresholds and responses. Did go out on the ground to view these thresholds and these will never be met. Met with directors of BLM and the Forest Service and have been shocked that this memorandum is being implemented. Will continue having meetings about all of these issues. Is another meeting in Boise tomorrow he plans to attend. This is a big deal. Every acre the federal government has on ungrazed land costs them $5 per acre. For grazed on land costs $2 per acre. It is important from a taxpayer standpoint. He trusts the commissioners will stay engaged in these issues. The Lead Counsel for the Department of Interior had statedthat once this land use plan is in effect they are hopefulthat inten years they can go back to where we are today. What happens if they went to the business district in Rigby and cut their business by 50% and hoped in ten years theywould be back the way it is now. Ag in 2050 needs to create twice as much as it does today but are asking livestock producers to cut production by 50%. Visited director BLM for the United States.His claim is he was raised in Elko Nevada and understands these issues, but the dead giveaway was he worked for Harry Reid. His concern is wild horses and burro’s. United States has enough rangeland to support 30,000 wild horsesbut have 60,000. Costing them$50,000 per horse to maintain.Thinking in Washington is since it costs this much to take care of the wild horses the solution is adopting these horses. Have to adopt them for ten years they have to be feed and taken care of and they will pay the individual $10,000 per horse which saves them$40,000. Chairman Raymond says that this thinking is not logical. This is driven from fourth graders in New York. This has not been implemented but there are already horses that are starving. Chairman Raymond said the last item is had met with Senator Dane and Representative Stuart who talked about law enforcement. All federal agencies have their own law enforcement. Scary that all regulatory agencies have their own SWAT teams. Mentioned they need to keep their Sheriff’s department properly funded. Reason is our Sheriff is a constitutionally elected official and is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for our county. Does not matter who comes to town our Sheriff is the Chief Law Enforcement and they all have to go through him while in our county. Chairman Raymond mentioned he is concerned about assessments for range lands may become hard to pay taxes. Mitch said not only ag will be affected also camping, ATV’s even horses won’t be able to get into these areas. Chairman Raymond believes this has to be a coalition of individuals that work on this and will be an ongoing battle.

10:01:05 AMMotion by Chairman Raymond to move the executive session 74-206 (B) – Personnel to 3:00. Second by Commissioner Hancock. Roll call taken. Commissioner Farnsworth – aye, Commissioner Hancock – aye, Chairman Raymond – aye. Motion passed.

Probation – Tammy Adkins

  • Probation Building

10:01:28 AMTammy is here today with Mr. Gravatt who is the buyer of the probation building. Mr.Gravatt said that in the paper was stated there was 60 days’ notice, was understood they only had to give 30 days’ notice. Discussed the day they would close on the building.He needs to know how much notice needs to be given. Tammy had emailed Robin and asked him to be here today but had never heard back. Commissioner Hancock thought Robin had said it was 60 days. They are looking at another location to move into tomorrow and would know more then. Assumed the contract said 60 days but Chairman Raymond does not see any problems with moving faster once they find a location. Commissioner Hancock said from their perspective they may know more tomorrow. Will work with their legal counsel. Mr. Gravatt said they are moving in the Pediatric Center and they want this up and running by August 1. Commissioner Hancock said they do have a meeting at the other location at 4:00 tomorrow to tour the building.

10:07:27 AMTammy goes over the area to potentially lease. Would need both portions that are available. The Liquidation Outlet will be cleaned out by May 1 and will be available. Have had Joyce look at this for the network costs and may need a few weeks to move all of the equipment. Colleen mentioned Joyce had spoken with her about the costs that will be involved. Tammy said it is what it is though. They have to move either way. Chairman Raymond mentioned will have a savings monthly but will have some upfront costs to move everything. Tammy just needs definite direction. Commissioner Hancock said that once they meet tomorrow will maybe have a better idea moving forward. Chairman Raymond asked what Joyce’s concerns were. Colleen said it was budgetary concerns.

10:12:17 AMTammy said the new owners have been very workable. But they do not believe they need to give the 60 days’ notice. Have been pleasant but are also looking for answers so they can move forward. Chairman Raymond said they will also need to get some resources to help move.

  • Quarterly Report

10:14:04 AMTammy has the quarterly report everything has been basic. Discuss a change coming on the adult drug court. Are in budget season. In the upper valley we have always been in the Upper Valley Problem Solving and Drug Court programs. Receive funding from the State. These funds are split up amongst districts. Had written a grant years ago. They provide a portion around $15,000 to Upper Valley. Tri-county is with Teton, Fremont and Madison County went in years ago toward misdemeanor services. Sounds like Teton County is splitting off. Brought up questions and concerns. Have funded a neutral coordinator in Bingham and Bonneville who split these funds. Need to have a neutral coordinator in each county. Currently give Madison County $15,000 for a PO position. Tammy thought based on their numbers being down because Teton County is leaving they will be requesting additional funding for the PO position. Thought where her staff is they currently have a PO that goes down to Bonneville County for court.Could have their PO go up and participate in the mental health and drug court. Would save the money they pay Madison County. That is her recommendation to take the supervision of those clients back on she currently has the staff to do this. This will free up some funds if they do proceed with a neutral coordinator. Tammy is unsure when the next meeting is. This will help so they do not have to come up with funds if this coordinator position is required. Chairman Raymond agrees.

10:21:26 AMCommissioner Hancock said it sounds like the numbers are dropping. Tammy said they have stayed pretty consistent as far as numbers in the quarterly. Did drop a few years ago. Nothing stood out in thisquarter. Commissioners have no other questions.

Treasurer – Kristine Lund

  • Credit Card Discussion

10:24:35 AMKristine wants to discuss county credit cards. The credit card situation has been ongoing.Trying to work out the best way to handle record keeping. Made a change to a control account to get individual statements. Was creating more work so they have all financial statements going to her P.O.Box. The last statements on some credit cards had an annual fee. Does not pay annual fees on cards and was able to get the annual fee taken off. There is a program out there called Amazing Rewards. They do a cash back incentive depending on where the cards are used. Have the cards for a convenience and pay them off every month so we are not paying interest. If the Amazing Rewards was implemented these would be put in the general account. If they decide to do this all cards would have to be reissued.

10:28:46 AMThis is separate for the Sheriff’s department cards. Kristine is unsure of the savings. Around $10,000 annually is spent thinks may see around $1,000 in rewards. Small amount for all purchases then a larger amount for specific purchases. Chairman Raymond said they use credit cards as a convenience. Kristine said yes and they have no annual fee and do not pay interest. Commissioner Hancock said the businesses pay the percentage for using the card with them. Kristine said it’s a service available that they can use. Kristine is not sure this is her decision to make so she brought this to the board. Does not have a strong recommendation her main concern is that they balance and are secure. If they are leaving money on the table that is available feels they should at least look at the option. Kristine can look at the numbers and report back. Chairman Raymond said if the benefit is $1,000 or more she will bring this back to the commissioners. Commissioner Hancock mentioned that he has seen some abuse cards and they don’t want to go toward that type of situation.