Caribou County Commission 10/28
Kevin McClain--Road and Bridge
McClain raised the issue of the culverts throughout the county.
Some of the culverts have been filled or ended up having material placed into the drainage, which obstructs the flow of water.
Road Grader No. 62 has been bid at $18,376.99 for a mid-life repair/review. The D8 was a used machine when it was purchased, and the idlers and rollers might need to be replaced. The cost was cited at above $40K. Commissioner Somsen suggested looking around for the best price. The midlife repair for no. 62 was approved.
Gentile Valley Road will have a culvert removed, as it is starting to collapse on the east side of the road. It has not had water in it for many years.
Commissioner Somsen mentioned that the county has the opportunity to seek assistance with two bridges for needed work. McClain and Somsen discussed the many bridges in the county to determine which they felt were the best use of those resources from the 5 county transportation board. The bridges need to be on the state list of bridges not up to specifications to qualify.
The state will pay for a transportation plan as a part of a no match grant, upon approval.
Two new employees—one in Grace and one in Bancroft—will be starting within the week. A third employee, shared with the Weed Control department, is in the process of being hired.
The issue of snow removal on private roads was discussed, including on Village Road.
Sheriff's Office
Deputy Russ Roper spoke to the commission on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
Roper volunteered to conduct the jail inspection for the county, as Sheriff Mabey was out sick.
Information about a recent shooting of livestock animals was questioned, but there was no new information.
There will be extra sheriff’s deputies in place for the election.
Access to the courthouse on the 4th and the 5th for both elections and court dates were expressed as a concern. The construction has caused some issues with ADA compliance, which can result in tort claims against the county.
Dwight Lloyd--Weed Control
Dwight Lloyd spoke to the commission on behalf of the weed control district.
He noted that it “is never too late to spray.” The cost of spraying depends on the types of weeds and chemicals involved.
Rates for spraying will require a public hearing if the policy or fees are changed.
Attorney Doug Wood asked whether Dwight knew if the county had a weed ordinance. He suggested that a penalty associated with no abating weeds would be a good idea, and that the county should spray the weeds that are not dealt with and charge the landowner afterward, as well as implement the fine. Attorney Wood suggested that it would be possible to structure the ordinance so that every day would be a new, separate fine.
Lloyd suggested that there were a number of properties that were not in compliance with the weed abatement plan in the county. The issue is that weeds that are not controlled in one area easily spread to others.
Attorney Wood reiterated that the deterrent effect of fines have shown to be effective in the past.
22-2407, and 22-2409 in the Idaho Code states that the cost of controlling noxious weeds are the responsibility of the landowner. The landowners can be quarantined for failure to comply. Misdemeanors are the maximum results noted in the state code.
The Railroad and IDT right of ways were noted as a source of problems with regard to control/eradication of weeds as well. $3,000 fines or 12 months in prison are the maximum penalties listed, as well as a $10K civil penalty for each offense.
Lloyd also suggested that access to the roadside ditches/canals would help.
Chairman Mathews suggested that the “teeth are already in the law” and that the county just needed to start enforcing it. A minimum fee structure for the county to apply weed spray on properties out of compliance is the likely first step, and suggested at $150 per spray tank and mileage, as well as a base fee.
Turkish thistle, goat shrew, henbane, hounds tongue, and several other weeds have recently been added to the list, which includes a large number of weeds.
“I’m just trying to keep Caribou County looking halfway decent,” Lloyd said. “We could use some improvement on canal ways, even just for safety.”
“Weeds don’t go away, unless you spray them,” Commissioner McCullough said. “That or out compete them with grass. It’s just a fight all the time.”
“It’s like your house, you can’t neglect it,” Lloyd said.
A fee structure will be sent out with compliance letters. A hearing on a new fee structure will need to be scheduled. The commissioners want to discuss policies with other counties to see how they handle the situation.
BPS—Dean Stutzman
A representative from BPS spoke to the commissioners to present a phone system at a lower cost than the current one. 59 new phones, text capability, recording, voicemail to email, and other features would be included and a savings of between two and three hundred dollars a month. A one time install cost of $2500 would be up front.
Go To is the contractor that would be handling the phone contract. The system is that same that is in place at Point S and Broulims, among other local locations.
An example of the new phone was displayed for the commissioners. The phones have a color screen, and use a phone app or computer for text functions.
Helen Barker--Planning and Zoning
Helen Barker spoke to the commission on behalf of the Planning and Zoning Board.
The ordinance for the Alexander townsite was ready to be signed. A motion to approve the vacation of a road in the county was discussed after a public hearing. 2024-05 is the ordinance in question.
Barker reported on a recent Area of Impact meeting that was held with the city. The county has been using the city’s code for AOI issues, but the county has some differences in zoning that need to be reconciled.
The north and east sides of the county were noted as not being as easy or likely for city growth in the future. Infrastructure for the city of Soda Springs is the main factor in growth, so the issue of financial support from the county was discussed. The area of impact is between one and one and half miles outside city limits.
The county PZ is trying to reduce the number of septic systems and wells in the area of impact, in order to make future growth more streamlined. The Area of Impact refers to the mutually agreed to area outside the city limits where growth is anticipated. Property within the area can be annexed into the city, provided it doesn’t “leapfrog.”
Recreational subdivision signs were discussed. The signs would explain that there was no winter maintenance, code violation was a misdemeanor, no structures over a certain height would be permitted, etc. Commissioner Somsen asked whether it would be a good idea to say that no building permits were allowed. It was determined that it might be worth clarifying the issue, including things like an occupancy limit, or restriction on occupancy permits. The language for the signage needs to be simple, but clear.
The Parks and Rec department does not have an itemized section for travel. Barker asked what she needs to do in order to account for that. Commissioner Somsen suggested that the use of a county vehicle would be a good place to start. A fuel line in the budget should be added to the budget for the department.
The Oregon Trail Marina Sucker Trap bathrooms were reported to be not up to the condition that the Parks and Rec department think they should be. Pictures were presented of the condition of the bathrooms, which included overfull garbage containers, poorly maintained toilets and sinks, roof issues, and a number of other problems. The lines need to be blown out, and winterized. Holes in the roof present an additional problem in that the pump is in the building. The solid waste in the facility has not been emptied, as the contractor did not have the equipment. The contractor for the maintenance provider was planned to be discontinued. Issues with Chesterfield’s restroom facilities were also discussed as possibly in need of examination.
The possibility of arranging for seasonal help under the supervision of the Parks and Rec department were discussed as a way to keep better control over the park facilities.
The current contract requires a thirty day notice, which will be developed.
Bids for repairing the roof and performing other remedial maintenance will be sought.
The Sucker Trap facilities were constructed under a grant that requires them to be “maintained in perpetuity.”
Barker asked the commissioners what their thinking was on the Ag Protection rule. Barker developed an application for those who wish to pursue the designation.
Clerk Stoor noted that it would not be a good idea to put out an application without a board in place. In an earlier meeting, the commission had determined to wait until the status was requested before moving forward. It was suggested to file the created application until such time as it was needed.
Barker and Rowdy Larkins have been discussing a replacement program for iWorq. A potentially better service called Cloudpermit has been demonstrated by the company who runs it. The service was said to have more and better features, and provide more content to those who need it. Initially, the cost was $12,000 a year for the first setup, which would be less than what is currently being paid for iWorq. Cloudpermit may possibly be able to pay some of the remaining balance of the iWorq account were the county to switch.
Barry Myers/BLM
Myers spoke as a representative of the BLM. An overview of the Cobble Canyon project was presented. The BLM has coordinated with the Sho-Ban tribes. A draft review of the EIS will be ready for public release soon. August is the timeframe for the EIS to be completed and a decision to be made on the mine in question, proposed by P4. Two pits have been proposed, with a haul road to the east, and a load out area.
The project had previously been overturned by the court in the past. Alternatives to the proposed project were also presented. Variations in the route of the haul road were the primary differences, and the options involved different ways to mitigate the impact of wildlife and the environment.
Eric Hobson--EMS
Hobson presented information on additional radio purchases for EMS. Hobson discussed his experiences with some of the various radio companies that he has had experience with. The Fire Department will receive 5 radios for $23,742.40 and 10 radios will be purchased for EMS for $26,864.80.
The fire season is more or less over. Hobson noted that this year the number of fires that were human caused was higher than the number of naturally occurring fires, which is the reverse of usual.
Hobson is on the Health Care Coalition, which will be hosting a convention in Orlando. The cost is paid for by the coalition.
A grant for cybersecurity will likely be received for around $1,000-$2,500. The final figure has not been announced yet.
A grant for the Oregon Trail Marina campground was discussed.
The burn ban for the county is over, although residents need to call in and get a burn permit, which is free.
Clerk's Office
A number of issues related to the construction were raised. The Main Street construction project is likely to continue for several more weeks, which has caused some concern about scheduling court days in order to ensure ADA accessibility.
