HomeMy Public PortalAboutMinutes_City Council Work Meeting_01212020CITY COUNCIL WORK MEETING
IONA CITY BUILDING
JANUARY 21, 2020 6:00 P.M.
PRESENT: Mayor Dan Gubler, Council President Rob Geray, Council Member Michael
Thompson, Council Member Peter Wadsworth, Council Member Kathy McNamara, City
Attorney Andrew Rawlings, Treasurer Amy Sullivan and City Clerk Keri West.
ABSENT: Public Works Director Zech Prouse.
VISITORS: Don Trauntvein, John Pymm, Kevin Casper and Josh Fielding.
ITEMS OF BUSINESS:
Motion to add to Work Meeting Agenda: Approval to Pursue Funding from Army Corp of
Engineers — Mayor Gubler stated they needed to add this item to the agenda due to late notice
and an approaching deadline.
Mayor Gubler entertained a motion. Council President Geray made a motion to add to the agenda
Approval to Pursue Funding from the Army Corp of Engineers due to late notification and the
need to expedite the funding request. Council Member Thompson seconded the motion. All in
favor. Motion carried.
Approval to Pursue Funding from Army Corp of Engineers — Mayor Gubler stated the
Council needs to review and approve the letter drafted to the Army Corp of Engineers requesting
additional funding for the City to move forward with the grant process. Council President Geray
stated he has reviewed it and has no reservations about moving forward.
Mayor Gubler entertained a motion. Council President Geray made a motion to approve the letter
as presented and authorize Mayor Gubler to sign it. Council Member Wadsworth seconded the
motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
Discussion of Iona Elementary Water Rate- John Pymm, District 93 — John Pymm with
Bonneville Joint School District #93 distributed information comparing the water bills for Iona
Elementary and other District #93 schools. He expressed his concern regarding the increase in
the water rate that took place last year that caused an increase in the water bill for Iona
Elementary of over $10,000. He also stated it is the highest water bill the district has for any
elementary school. Council Member Wadsworth stated the City had to adopt a methodology on
how to equally charge residents and businesses in the City to cover all the costs to run the system
efficiently. Ted Hendricks with East-Central Idaho Planning & Development Association
(ECIPDA) stated if a City does not have meters, it is impossible to charge based on flow. Mayor
Gubler explained the City has adopted an Equivalent Domestic Unit (EDU) chart to bill all water
connections for culinary water. Mayor Gubler continued and stated the school's water bill is
established by a formula that consists of the number of students & faculty members and
multiplied by the appropriate EDU, according to the chart. Mayor Gubler also stated the rate per
EDU was increased last year from $30 to $49, due to the bond that was passed in 2017 to build
the new water tank and make necessary updates to the existing system. Mr. Pymm asked whether
the irrigation was increasing the amount of the bill. Mayor Gubler stated it does not and
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explained this bill is not based on usage. Mayor Gubler stated the City cannot give the school a
"pass" when they are being charged according to the same chart that was developed by the
federal government. Mr. Hendricks stated that usually 50% of the students at most elementary
schools are residents of the county, rather than the city. If the city were to subsidize the water
bill, those residents would be subsidizing for residents outside of their jurisdiction. Mr.
Hendricks also stated the rate for the school is based on the equivalency of a house in Iona to the
number of students and faculty at the school.
Council President Geray asked whether the school and fields are metered at Iona Elementary
School. Mayor Gubler stated he was told by Public Works Director Prouse that the only meter at
the school is for fire flow and does not show gross usage. Don Trauntvein with District #93
stated he believes the school has a meter to measure usage- but will need to verify that. Mr.
Pymm stated they do have access to surface water to use for the lawn at the school instead of
using the City's water, but they currently have no incentive to use it. The only way they would
be incentivized to pump water from the ditch would be to pay for their actual usage of City
water. Mr. Pymm questioned whether the City would be willing to charge them based on usage,
if the school district paid to have a meter installed at the school. Mayor Gubler stated if they did
that, the rate would need to be commensurate with the current EDU rate being charged to the
residents and other businesses in the City. Council President Geray stated the City already has a
metered rate section in the Iona City Code that could be used to establish a reasonable and
appropriate usage rate for instances such as this, if the school paid to install a meter for culinary
use. Mayor Gubler agreed. All City Council members agreed to allow the school district to
research the costs associated with installing a water meter. In return, the City will work with the
City Engineer to establish a reasonable usage rate equivalent to the current rate per EDU.
Discussion of Lateral Extension Payment for Jerry Hansen — Mayor Gubler explained the
history for Mr. Hansen's properties including the annexation of his property on 55th East and his
previous development on Hansen Avenue. Mayor Gubler stated Mr. Hansen has complained
about the cost of the engineering fees and other fees to run the water line to his development on
55th East. Mayor Gubler continued and informed the Council of a verbal agreement he made with
Mr. Hansen last summer to have the City install a lateral extension to his property to allow for
future development, but Mr. Hansen would be responsible for $3,400 for materials and
installation. Mayor Gubler stated Treasurer Sullivan had just informed him this bill has still not
been paid by Mr. Hansen. Mayor Gubler said he talked to Mr. Hansen today and informed him
that the City has incurred this cost and he is responsible for paying the City the $3,400 as agreed.
Attorney Rawlings offered to draft a demand letter to Mr. Hansen informing him of his
obligations and penalties that could occur if it is not paid. Mayor Gubler agreed to have Attorney
Rawlings send a demand letter to Mr. Hansen.
Discussion of Eastern Idaho Water Right Coalition (EIWRC) — Mayor Gubler stated the City
is currently a member of this coalition and has been for years. He requested this discussion to
receive feedback from the City Council whether they wanted to continue this agreement. Council
President Geray asked if Director Prouse sees the benefit in continuing this agreement. Mayor
Gubler stated he has not discussed it with Director Prouse. Council President Geray suggested
communicating with him and defer to his expertise. Mayor Gubler agreed to discuss it with
Director Prouse and follow his recommendation.
General Water System Discussion — Mayor Gubler stated there is nothing further to report
beyond the earlier discussion to pursue the grant from the Army Corp of Engineers.
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Meeting Adjourned: 6:54 p.m.
COUNCIL APPROVED: February 18, 2020
Dan Gubler, May s r
ATTEST:
Keri West, City Clerk
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