HomeMy Public PortalAbout1-CM Department Report - May 2019Monthly Department Report – City Manager
Memo
To: City Council
From: Anette Spickard, City Manager
Date: May 2, 2019
Re: Monthly Department Report – May 2019
1. FY 20 Budget Preparation Process Underway:
Linda Stokes, Treasurer, and I are working through the budget preparation process and have conducted
our first round of departmental budget reviews using the parameters given to us by Council at your May
24 budget workshop. Next steps are for us to finalize revenue forecasts and resources available for
operations and determine resources available for the Capital Improvement Plan. The Council’s next
budget workshop is scheduled for July 26th.
2. Employee Recognition:
I am pleased to announce that the Chamber of Commerce awarded the Larraine Gardner Hawes
Distinguished Service Award to Kurt Wolf at their spring membership breakfast. This award recognizes
a community member who goes above and beyond to serve the community through partnership and
collaboration. Chamber President Gary Thompson spoke of Kurt as an example of servant-leadership
during his remarks and I couldn’t agree more.
3. Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee of Idaho Legislature Visit:
On May 17, the full membership of the state’s Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee visited
McCall. The legislators toured several sites representing new investment in the McCall area such as the
expansion of the Salmon River Brewery, the hospital expansion, and the downtown core reconstruction
project. I was able to give them a brief presentation on the effectiveness of the tools provided to us by the
legislature such as the Local Option Tax authority and Urban Renewal. The Chamber of Commerce and
the West Central Mountains Economic Development Council presented the results they can achieve with
funds they received from the Department of Commerce. By all accounts the Committee members enjoyed
the visit and learned a lot from seeing the projects in person.
4. High Speed Internet Conference:
On May 17, I attended this panel discussion moderated by Next Century Cities, a non-profit technical
assistance organization based in Washington, DC that promotes and supports the extension of high speed
internet in rural areas. Attendees from a broad range of backgrounds, both public and private sector,
Monthly Department Report – City Manager
attended. Topics included the Ammon, Idaho model of providing an open internet platform as well as the
challenges we face to address the “middle mile” connection of our area to internet hubs in Boise. It was a
great discussion that has generated momentum for the municipal fiber project here in McCall.
5. Governor’s Office Meeting Regarding State and City Priorities:
The Governor has established an office for intergovernmental relations to build working partnerships with
cities and other jurisdictions throughout the state. The Mayor and I met with his representative to discuss
our City’s goals and priority areas. Topics discussed included our interest in Highway 55 improvements
and a plan to eventually “trade” for Deinhard/Boydstun, our interest in the public transit system and the
need for state support for transit, our interest in the health of Big Payette Lake and state boat inspections
for invasive species, and our efforts to improve coordination with the Department of State Lands, our
partnership with the Forest Service smoke jumper base and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
award of $11 Million towards our taxiway relocation project, to name a few.
6. Big Payette Lake Water Quality Council Meeting:
I attended a meeting of their newly formed board at their invitation. Their discussion focused primarily
on their interest in preserving and protecting the health and water quality of Big Payette Lake. At this
meeting, I learned there are two projects proposed to be conducted on the lake this summer by graduate
students from different universities. One student will attempt to measure the rate of erosion of the
shoreline at Payette Lake and Cascade Lake. Another student will attempt to measure wave energy from
different types of boats. The State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is aware of the two
projects and is assisting the students with data and other research support but the DEQ is not officially
sponsoring these projects and did not develop their methodologies.
7. Human Resources Update:
The application period for the Airport Manager position has closed. Applications are being screened and
a first round of telephone/skype interviews will happen by mid-June. Finalists will be invited to in-person
interviews at the end of the month.