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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 State of the City Address.4-� City of Chubbuck 5160 Yellowstone Avenue CHUBBUCK, IDAHO 83202 (208) 237 -2400 JANUARY 26, 1993 CZ=D Office of the mayor I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND TO TELL YOU THAT THE CITY IS STILL IN BUSINESS. THERE WERE TIMES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT I HAD GREAT CONCERN AS TO OUR FUTURE DIRECTION. WE HAVE INITIATED SEVERAL CHANGES IN EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEE ASSIGNMENTS. HOPEFULLY THESE CHANGES WILL RESULT IN A BIT TIGHTER OPERATION AND A BETTER SPIRIT AND ATTITUDE AMONG OUR EMPLOYEES. OUR EMPLOYEES NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYMENT. THOSE AFFECTED ALREADY KNOW. TONIGHT THE MAYOR WILL MAKE ASSIGNMENTS TO COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENT HEADS. WE HAVE NOT ONLY HAD MANY HOURS OF DISCUSSION AS TO PROCEDURE WE ALSO HAVE HAD A REAL WINTER. WE CERTAINLY NEED THE SNOW. HOWEVER IT HAS TAXED US TO THE LIMIT, IT SEEMS, AS TO EMPLOYEES AND EQUIPMENT. EMPLOYEES HAVE DONE A SUPERB JOB. WE HAVE HAD A FEW COMPLAINTS BUT FAR MORE WORDS OF SATISFACTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT WITH OUR WORK. PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE IMMENSITY OF THIS TYPE OF WORK AND UNDERSTAND WE CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE FIRST. ONE OF OUR MOST SERIOUS, NOT TOTALLY SOLVED PROBLEM, IS YELLOWSTONE AVENUE. THIS STREET MUST BE KEPT IN SERVICE BOTH FOR MOTORIZED VEHICLES AND ALSO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC. WE FEEL WE HAVE A POSITIVE APPROACH TO THE SIDEWALK PROBLEM GOING AT THE PRESENT WITH CO- OPERATION BETWEEN PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE CITY AND STATE. WE PLOW THE MAIN ARTERIAL STREETS FIRST AND THEN COME BACK TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL WINTER CHRISTMAS SEASON. DECORATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING. THERE IS NO WAY THAT ONE CAN PICK A WINNER. IN CHRISTMAS DECORATING. WE CONGRATULATE ALL CITIZENS FOR YOUR EFFORT TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY A PRETTY TOWN TO LIVE IN. OUR LAW SUIT WITH THE CITY OF POCATELLO PROCEEDS. THIS PROBLEM IS SO "SHALLOW" THAT I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE OUR FRIENDS ON THE POCATELLO COUNCIL TRULY BELIEVE WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY CERTAINLY HAVE NOT INCREASED ANY GOOD WILL IN THE NORTH COUNTY AREA AND EVEN THE CALLS I RECEIVE FROM POCATELLO PEOPLE INDICATE THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THEIR COUNCIL IN THIS. BE THAT AS IT MAY WE STILL PURSUE THIS CASE FOR THE PEOPLE OF CHUBBUCK AND ALSO ALL WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF POCATELLO. WITHOUT CHANGE LIFE WOULD STAND STILL. CHANGE IS THE MOST CONSTANT THING OR EVENT IN LIFE. AND ALL CHANGE IS NOT FOR GOOD. OFTEN IT COSTS SO MUCH MONEY. TODAY THE TOUGHEST CHANGE WE FACE IS FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATED PROGRAMS. THESE MANDATES COME TO US WITHOUT THE FUNDS TO MEET THE COST. THE COST FALLS BACK ON YOU AND I THE CITIZEN. WE AS CITIZENS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE INCREASE IN TAXES, PROPERTY TAX MAINLY. AND YET THIS IS THE ONLY AVENUE OPEN TO GOVERNMENT TO FUND THE MANDATED PROGRAMS. YOU, THE CITIZEN, NEED TO KEEP YOURSELVES INFORMED AND BE AWARE OF WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THE NATION. REMEMBER THIS, IT IS NOT THE COUNTY COMMISSION, THE CITY COUNCIL OR OFTEN THE STATE THAT IS THE CAUSE OF OUR TAX INCREASE. IT COMES FROM THE FEDERAL CONGRESS. NEW JAIL FACILITIES, THE LANDFILL ARE TOTALLY OUT OF LOCAL JURISDICTION AS TO HOW THEY ARE BUILT.THE ONLY RESULT TO YOU AND I AS TAXPAYERS IS WE PAY FOR THEM. WE SEE A CONTINUING INCREASE IN JUVENILE CRIME AND CRIME IN GENERAL IN OUR COMMUNITY. JUVENILE CRIME IS BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH SEVERAL PROGRAMS. ONE un er IS ENFORCEMENT OF THE CURFEW ORDINANCE, WHICH IS 10:30PM FOR /16 YEARS AND 12 MIDNITE FOR 16 AND 17 YEAR OLD. OUR POLICE, ALONG WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AREA, ARE RE- EMPHASIZING PROGRAMS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WILL INVOLVE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION. THE INCREASED WORKLOAD AT POLICE LEVEL HAS NECESSITATED THAT POLICE EVALUATE AND PRIORITIZE CALLS THAT REQUIRE POLICE RESPONS©. AS CITIZENS WE ASK THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMS OFFERED. TO DO SO WILL ASSIST GREATLY IN BETTER PROTECTION TO YOUR PROPERTY. WE HAVE RECENTLY ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL HOLD PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF THEIR CHILDREN WHO BREAK THE CURFEW. PARENTS IT IS YOUR RESPON- SIBILITY TO KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE. I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT CHANGE IS AN ONGOING EVENT. AND HERE IN OUR CITY WE ARE CHANGING. WE ARE TRYING DIFFERENT METHODS TO STREAMLINE AND CUT OUR COSTS. WE POSSIBLY WILL HAVE FEWER FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND WILL RELY ON PART TIME EMPLOYEES TO ASSIST IN OUR MAINTENANCE AREAS AS WE DID IN YEARS PAST. WE PERHAPS WILL LOOK TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION WHILE WE WITH CITY EMPLOYEES CONCENTRATE ON MAINTENANCE WORK. WE MUST CONTINUALLY STRIVE TO CONTROL COST AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. OUR PLACE IN BUSINESS IS TO PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICES AT THE MOST ECONOMICAL COST. WE MUST NEVER FORGET WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF CHUBBUCK. OUR RESPONSE TO THE SNOW EMERGENCY HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING AND I MIGHT SAY THAT OUR RESPONSE TO ANY SITUATION HAS BEEN THE SAME. THOSE CITIZENS WHO HAVE COM- PLAINED EITHER DID NOT UNDERSTAND OUR PROCEDURE OR IN A COUPLE OF INSTANCES DID OFFER CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. WE ARE ALWAYS LISTENING FOR SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE OUR PROCEDURE IN ANY MATTER. WE ARE CONTINUALLY LEARNING AND WE FIND THERE ARE AT TIMES BETTER WAYS. OUR LARGEST FINANCIAL CONCERN AT THE CITY IS ONE THAT HAS CONTINUALLY PLAGUED US FOR THE PAST 8 -10 YEARS. AND THAT IS MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR EMPLOYEES AND DEPENDENTS. THESE COSTS HAVE RISEN OVER 100% IN THE PAST 6 YEARS. IT IS A COST THE CITY CAN NO LONGER SUSTAIN. WE HAVE TRIED SEVERAL APPROACHES AND IDEAS TO ALLEVIATE THE COST INCREASE BUT IT CONTINUES TO BACK BREAKING. PERHAPS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL COME WITH AN IDEA BUT I AM SURE THAT WHATEVER THAT IDEA IS IT IS GOING TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FUND THE PROGRAM. OUR POLICE WORK LOAD CONTINUES TO INCREASE. WE WILL NOT BE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN THIS OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. HOWEVER INCREASED CALLS HAVE NECESSITATED THAT THE POLICE PRIORITIZE CALLS THAT REQUIRE POLICE RESPONSE. OUR POLICE ARE INITIATING PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH CITIZENS. AS CITIZENS WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS. BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THIS POLICE EFFORT. WE BELIEVE ALL WILL GREATLY BENEFIT IN BETTER PROTECTION TO YOUR PROPERTY. OUR FIRE PERSONEL CONTINUE TO DO AN OUTSTANDING SERVICE. WE HAVE PERHAPS THE MOST EFFICIENT FIRE FIGHTING UNIT IN THE STATE OF IDAHO. WE ARE SECOND TO NONE. I APPRECIATE ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS DO. IN THE FUTURE WE WILL CONTINUE OUR POLICY OF DISCUSSING ANY TAX OR UTILITY INCREASE WITH THE PUBLIC. WE NEED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND SUGGESTIONS WHEN WE FACE THESE DECISIONS. THIS YEAR I FINISH MY 6TH TERM OF OFFICE. I HAVE MADE NO DECISION ABOUT THE FUTURE. THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. PERHAPS I CAN STILL BE OF VALUE TO THE CITY. THIS MAY BE A DECISION THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE. I MAKE THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENTS FOR CITY SERVICES: ROY QUICK - - - -- POLICE COMMISSIONER POLICE CHIEF - - - -- -JERRY ROWLAND STEVE ENGLAND - VARIOUS ASSIGNMENTS FIRE CHIEF -------- CARY CAMPBELL DEAN WOOD - - -- -PARKS & RECREATION MAINTENANCE - - - - -- -LARRY KOHNTOPP DAVID LANDON- -FIRE DEPARTMENT PARKS------ - - - - -- -LARRY MILLER SHOP-------- - - - - -- DENNIS STONE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR - - -- -STEVE SMART MAYOR COTANT