December 2024 Council Minutes
January 8th, 2025December 3, 2024
Those Present: Trenton Morrell, Greg Kunz, Tee Steadman, Hadley Wright, Steve Waechtler, Addison Ochsenbein from Sunrise Engineering, Marty Nate
Meeting Called to Order: 7:00 pm Invocation: Steve Waechtler
The Council entertained a motion from Councilmember Tee Steadman to approve the published agenda. Councilmember Greg Kunz seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Minutes were read from the November 7, 2024 council meeting by Mayor Steve Waechtler. A correction was made to the minutes. Minutes should read “water from the splash pad is repurposed not recycled”. Councilmember Greg Kunz made motion to accept the minutes with the noted correction. Councilmember Tee Steadman seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
The Mayor thanked Sunrise Engineering for their Hickory Farms Christmas gift. He, also, informed the council the Senior Center brought cookies out expressing their gratitude for the donation the City made to the center.
Addison from Sunrise Engineering presented a copy of the transportation plan and asked the council to review the plan and if everything is in perspective, he will need to have it approved. Mayor asked when he needed it and he told him probably May or June of 2025. Mayor will have Lynette make copies for all council members and it will be reviewed possibly at the next meeting. Greg asked if the sidewalks could be part of the plan. They are in need of repair and a hazard for several citizens who use a Jazzi to move around town. It would be safer for them to be able to use the sidewalks rather than the highway. Addison told the council he would check into it.
The council reviewed the Christmas Park lighting. The night was warm and people seemed to be enjoying the festivities. Chili was donated by the Sean Bartschi family; hot chocolate by the Drue Smith family and the City provided hot dogs, chips, cookies, marshmallows and Santa. Attendance seemed to be a little bit smaller this year. Shane and Hadley did an awesome job with the lighting. Councilmember Greg Kunz suggested in the future, Lynette should try to get permission from the council to buy new Christmas lights before purchasing them.
The Mayor asked if the council wanted to continue doing the Christmas Lighting Contest that has been done in previous years. The council discussed the issue. Council member Greg Kunz made motion the council approve the Christmas Lighting Contest. First place winner will be awarded a $100.00 gift certificate, second place winner will receive a $50.00 gift certificate, and third place winner will receive a $25.00 gift certificate. Winner will be announced on the 20th of December. Flyers will be posted at the post office, City Hall, and the website.
Lynette contacted several accounting agencies to provide audit services for the City accounts. Gary Teuscher suggested Matthew Regen located in Logan, Utah. He sent a formal letter stating his services and the fee involved with them. His fee is $7900.00 for a year end audit. Gary’s fee for last year was $9600.00, but that included both portions of the audit. State law prohibits him from doing both sides of the audit. Mayor would like to know what the city paid Gary for his portion of the audit process for FY24. The council discussed the issue and the Mayor entertained a motion from Councilmember Tee Steadman the council approve engaging Matthew Regan, CPA to audit the financial statements of the City and issue a report to the City on his findings and recommendations. Councilmember Greg Kunz seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
The council discussed employee year end bonuses for the year. Councilmember Trenton Morrell made motion the council approve a $500.00 bonus each for Shane, Hadley, and Lynette with a $200.00 for Doug. Councilmember Tee Steadman seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Councilmember Marty Nate discussed the suggestion of adding some historical signage at the corner of the church on Stringtown. The area mentioned, houses a fire hydrant and some water lines. She wondered if that would be a problem to add signage there with the existing water lines and hydrant. The council discussed the issue and it was suggested to make the signage removable during the winter months and when necessary to get to the hydrant and water lines. She will continue to research it. She asked the councilmembers if they would like Adam Johnson from the Paris City Council to be in attendance at one of the council meetings to discuss and answer questions about the splash park. Everyone agreed it would be a good thing to have him here.
Tee Steadman told the council he had been in contact with Simplot and discussed the problem with the parking. They had not been aware of the issue but when contacted by the City expressing our concerns, they are working on a solution for the problem. At one time the county was looking into making another parking lot up the Main Canyon, but the county commissioner working on it had lost his seat. Greg will check with Commissioner Wynn Olsen and see if the county will pick it back up again. Tee feels the City needs to look for another snowplow. The City of Bloomington obtained one from an auction site for $11,000.00. Shane said they would start looking and wondered if there were other auction sites the City could check out.
Police Report: none
Maintenance Report: Shane told the council he and Hadley had worked on putting a drain line on Hayes Lane. That hydrant has to run all year or else in the wintertime the lines will freeze up. They trenched the line down to Whitaker’s field, installed piping and created an area where the water can accumulate. They dug a grave at the cemetery, took the monthly samples, got the plow trucks ready for winter, filled the diesel tank with #1 fuel and worked on getting the lights up in the park for the park lighting. Alice finished up her electrical project and the new lines are sweet.
Office business: There are 20 delinquent water and sewer accounts.
The chair entertained a motion from Tee Steadman the council approve and signs checks for the month of November 2024. Councilmember Trenton Morrell seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
As the evening came to halt, the boys sang “Happy Birthday” to Marty. She soaked up their stupendous voices.
At 8:00 pm, the chair entertained a motion from Councilmember Tee Steadman the council adjourn from the December 3, 2024, council meeting. Council member Trenton Morrell seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Respectfully submitted,
Councilor Marty Nate