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Home My WebLink About2002 State of the City Address1� STATE OF THE CITY FEBRUARY 12, 2002 THE YEAR, 2001, HAS BEEN A BUSY YEAR IN OUR CITY. WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AS WELL�'AS PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL AREAS FOR OUR CITIZENS. MARY'S PARK, A LONG AWAITED ACCOMPLISHMENT, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED. A WALK PATH SURROUNDS THIS PARK AND MARY'S ALSO BOASTS OF A TENNIS COURT. RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA ARE EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH THIS PARK. A WALK,, BIKE, SKATE, ETC., PATH NEEDS BE CONSTRUCTED FROM MOUNTAIN PARK DRIVE TO MARY'S PARK. THIS WOULD CONNECT INTO THE WALK PATH AT MARY'S PARK AND PROVIDE MORE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS. IN THE FUTURE MARY"S PARK WILL BE ENLARGED TO THE EAST AS A NEW SUB -DIVISION IS DEVELOPED. WE HAVE THE ADDITION TO BISTLINE PARK UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE SPRING. THIS ADDITION WILL ALLOW ACCESSTO THE PARK FROM MOUNTAIN PARK DRIVE. WE HAVE THE PARK ON GARDEN DRIVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND ALSO THE STREET THAT FRONTS THIS PARK. THESE WILL BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR. A LONG NEEDED PARK IN THIS AREA. WE NEED TO RE-EVALUATE THE LOCATION OF THE PARK IN THE FIRST ADDITION OF KASISKA SUBDIVISION. I SUGGEST THAT WE MOVE THE PARK AS PRESENTLY LOCATED, ALLOW THE DEVELOPER TO MOVE THE STREET TO THE SOUTH BOUNDARY PARALELLING THE INTERSTATE. THIS WILL ELIMINATE BACK OUT FROM HOMES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET,, ALLOW SEVERAL NEW LOTS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STREET AND ELIMINATE A SAFETY PROBLEM OF CHILDREN CROSSING A BUSY STREET TO ACCESS THE PARK. THIS PARK SHOULD BE RELOCATED TO THE TWO LOTS THAT JOIN CHASE PARK. THIS WAS A MARVIN GUNTER SUGGESTION SEVERAL MONTHS BACK. THIS PARK COULD THEN BE CONNECTED TO CHASE PARK AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO COTANT PARK AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THAT PARK. I THE LARGE FLAG FLYING AT THE FIRE STATION PROPERTY IS A COMPLIMENT TO OUR CITY. WE HAVE HAD MANY COMPLIMENTS ON THIS. THIS SUMMER WE WILL CONSTRUCT A WATER BOOSTER STATION ON EAST CHUBBUCK ROAD. THIS WILL BE SITED ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE HART FAMILY. WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS C014PLETED AND THIS BOOSTER COMES ON LINE WE WILL HAVE SATISFACTORY WATER PRESSURE ON THE EAST BENCH. THESE HOMES HAVE NEVER HAD,ADEQUATE WATER PRESSURE�THIS WILL CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. 2 0 W -A WE WILL BE CONSTRUCTING A WATER LINE ON EAST CHUBBUCK ALONG WITH REBUILDING THIS STREET FROM HILINE TO EAST CITY BOUNDARY. THIS PROJECT WILL GO TO BID BY THE 15th OF APRIL WITH CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN NOT LATER THAN THE FIRST OF JUNE. COMPLETION MUST BE BY SEPTEMBER FIRST. SCHOOL TRAFFIC WILL BE MINIMAL DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AND ALLOW CONSTRUCTION TO PROCEED QUITE RAPIDLY. I FURTHER SUGGEST WE FOLLOW ANOTHER OF MARV GUNTERS SUGGESTIONS TO GO TO A BOND VOTE TO CONSTRUCT SEVERAL PROJECTS THE CITY NEEDS AT PRESENT AND FINANCE THESE WITH INCREMENTAL FUNDS. THIS WLLL NOT BE ANY TAX INCREASE TO PROPERTY OWNERS. THESE PROJECTS NEED TO BE REVIEWED BY ALL CONCERNED, AN OPEN HOUSE FOR CITIZEN INPUT AND A DECISION MADE. WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WE VISION FOR CAPELL PARK. WE HAVE PREPARED APPLICATION AND ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING GRANTS TO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THIS PARK. �11 HILINE ROAD IS A STATE -FEDERAL -CITY PROJECT AND WILL PROBABLY GO TO CONSTRUCTION WITHING 5 YEARS. THIS SHOULD BE A FOUR LANE STREET AND ALSO INCLUDE, IF POSSIBLE, THE PIPING OF THE CANAL. THIS WOULD BE A SAFETY MEASURE AS 14ELL AS OPENING UP THE CORNER AT CHUBBUCK FOR DEVELOPMENT. HAWTHORNE ROAD, NORTH OF CHUBBUCK, NEEDS BE REBUILT. PERHAPS IN THE SAME MANNER WE CONSTRUCTED WEST CHUBBUCK ROAD WEST OF HAWTHORNE. FINANCING THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM. WE MUST FIND A WAY AS THIS IS A HEAVY TRAFFICED STREET. WE NEED TO REQUIRE THE PROPOSED STREET THAT CONNECTS MOUNTAIN PARK DRIVE TO HILINE ROAD AT CHICKADEE STREET INTERSECTION. MEDICAL INSURANCE IS UNDER REVIEW. WE NEED A NEW COMPANY TO COVER THE CITY. WE ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING THIS AND WILL KEEP THE COUNCIL AND EMPLOYEES APPRAISED OF THE NEW COVERAGE. WE ALSO HAVE LOST FUNDS THAT NORMALLY COME FROM THE STATE AND 14UST FIND A WAY TO COVER THIS SHORTFALL. I HAVE WRITTEN TO ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT THEIR PRESENT BUDGETS ARE TO BE REDUCED 10%. RON WILL BE PROVIDING NEW BUDGET FIGURES FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS. WE CAN DO IT AND WE MUST. WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH WATER LEAKING INTO THE CITY CLERK OFFICE. WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH PETE ANDERSON, OF MEYERS AND ANDERSON ARCHITECTURAL FIRM. AND MR. I 3 N%001 \-.01 ANDERSON WILL BE PRESENTING THE CITY WITH VARIOUS OPTIONS TO CORRECT OUR PROBLEM. THE POSTAL FACILITY AT PINE RIDGE HAS BEEN CLOSED. NO ONE KNOWS WHY AS THIS WAS ONE LOCATION TURNING A PROFIT FOR THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT. WE STILL HAVE "THE HOLE IN THE WALL" NEAR IDAHO CENTRAL CREDIT UNION. THE MAYOR HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR A POSTAL FACILITY THAT STAND ALONE AND HAS PARKING FOR POSTAL PATRONS ONLY. I AM SURE THIS WILL FALL ON DEAF EARS AND CHUBBUCK WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE ONLY CITY IN THE STATE WITH 10,000 -PLUS POPULATION WITHOUT A POST OFFICE THAT IS APPROPRIATE. WE NEED TO HAVE ATTORNEY HOLMES PREPARE AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING ALL FUTURE SUB- DIVISIONS TO CONSTRUCT SECONDARY WATER SYSTEMS. THIS WOULD APPLY TO DEVELOPMENT BELOW HILINE ROAD. WE ARE FACED WITH THE LOSS OF WATER DUE TO THE SNAKE RIVER WATER ADJUDICATION AGREEMENTS THAT TAKE WATER TO THE NORTH SIDE PROJECT AT RUPERT. STEVE WILL KEEP US INFORMED IN THIS MATTER. I AM ENCLOSING A COPY OF THE AWARD GIVEN TO CHARLIE PEQUET AS THE OUTSTANDING WATER OPERATOR IN THE STATE OF IDAHO. THIS IS GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR CHARLIE AND WE THANK HIM FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS AS AN EMPLOYEE- AND THE AWARD HE HAS RECEIVED. THE CITY HAS ALSO BEEN RECOGNIZED IN A NATIONAL WATER WORKS MAGAZINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE IN OUR DISPOSAL SYSTEM AND THE PLANNING WE HAVE GOING IN THIS AREA AT PRESENT. I AM REQUESTING THAT STEVE PREPARE FOR THE COUNCIL FOR PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL MEMBERS EACH FRIDAY PRIOR TO COUNCIL MEETING A SUMMARY OF CITY ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE COME ACROSS HIS DESK. COMPUTERS MAKE THIS AN EASY ASSIGNMENT. THIS HAND OUT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BY RON CONLIN ON THE FRIDAY PRIOR TO COUNCIL MEETING. OUR EMPLOYEES, THE VOLUNTEERS AND THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES MAKE OUR CITY A GOOD COMMUNITY. ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WELL TRAINED AND SEVERAL HAVE RECEIVED CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THEIR LINE OF WORK. THE VOLUNTEER FIRE PEOPLE ARE WELL TRAINED AND THE DEPARTMENT IS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY. OUR PARKS ARE THE ENVY OF ALL WHO COME TO OUR CITY AND PARTICIPATE IN BASEBALL OR SOCCER. LARRY MILLER AND STAFF DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. THE BASEBALL PROGRAM THIS YEAR IS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF SCOTT FERRO AND SEVERAL CHANGES HAVE BEEN ADOPTED TO IMPROVE THE PROGRAM. 4 4 1� AT LAST REPORT POLICE CHIEF JERRY ROWLAND IS DOING QUITE WELL. JERRY IS ALWAYS IN A POSITIVE FEELING ABOUT HIS MEDICAL PROGRESS. LARRY MILLER HAS RAD SUCCESSFUL BY- PASS SURGERY AND RECOVERING VERY WELL AT PRESENT. I WANT EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD TO LIST ALL OF THE PROJECTS OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT THEY HAVE INVOLVED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THIS COULD BE EQUIPMENT PURCHASE, PARKS DEVELOPED, 14ALK PATHS, ETC., AND AN ARTICLE WRITTEN ABOUT THESE ITEMS. WE HAVE THE ASSOCIATION OF IDAHO CITIES PAPER THAT COMES OUT EACH MONTH. IN THIS PAPER ARE ARTICLES PERTAINING TO DIFFERENT CITIES AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WE WOULD BE "TOPS" IN THIS IF WE WOULD JUST TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE THE ARTICLES.WE ARE A GREAT I COMMUNITY. WE HAVE EXCELLENT EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE THE "BEST" CITY ATTORNEY IN THE STATE OR COUN TRY. YES, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW TO RUN THE CITY THAN WE, M I OST OF THESE HAVE NEVER ATTENDED A CITY MEETING AND STILL HAVE ALL -THE ANSWERS. REMEMBER, - THOSE LEADERS WHO ARE NEVER CRITICIZED ARE THOSE WHO DO NOTHING. IT IS FAR GREATER TO HAVE TRIED TO ACHIEVE AND FAILED THAN TO HAVE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO DO ANYTHING. ASSIGNMENTS: JERRY ROWLAND RICHARD WEBB ERIC KING CHARLIE DICKMAN MERLIN MILLER STEVE SMART RONALD CONLIN COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS: POLICE CHIEF ASST. CHIEF OF POLICE FIRE CHIEF ASST FIRE CHIEF ASST FIRE CHIEF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CITY CLERK AND FINANCE OFFICER ROY QUICK POLICE STEVE ENGLAND NORTH BANNOCK PLANNING AND OTHER AS NEED MARVIN GUNTER FIRE DEPARTMENT KENT KEARNS SOUTHEAST IDAHO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER AS NEEDED MAYOR PARKS AND GENERAL SUPERVISION OF CITY HAVE A GREAT 2002 --- GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MAYOR JOHN 0. COTANT