Power County public meetings in 2024

County Commissioners

The Power County Board of Commissioners approved paying a $680,975.80 judgment to Idaho Power for tax equalization, with a special meeting on January 6, 2025, to seek reimbursement from taxing districts. The board also approved a $173,004.76 claims report, accepted the highest bid for an airport land lease, and approved several other financial and personnel actions. All votes were unanimous.

• Approved $680,975.80 payment to Idaho Power for tax judgment (unanimous)
• Approved $173,004.76 in claims (unanimous)
• Approved 5-year airport land lease to Isaac Farm & Harvesting LLC at $275/acre (unanimous)
• Approved $3,552.18 in tax cancellations (unanimous)
• Approved $6,000 purchase of surplus mower from Highway District (unanimous)
• Approved $692.00 ambulance write-off for case #133006361 (unanimous)
• Approved personnel updates including two new PRN EMT hires at $14.75/hr (unanimous)
• Approved 2025 commissioner calendar with January 27 correction (unanimous)

County Commissioners

The Power County Commissioners met with Idaho Transportation Department (IDT), the American Falls City Council, and others to discuss the proposed Green T design for the Pocatello Ave./Highway 39 intersection. The Commissioners and city officials raised safety and cost concerns, and IDT agreed to work on adding a traffic signal, with a follow-up meeting set for January 27, 2025. The board also approved the meeting agenda and voted to give $25 gift cards to volunteer board and committee members.

• Approved meeting agenda (unanimous)
• Approved $25 gift cards for volunteer boards and committee members (unanimous)
• Discussed Green T intersection design; IDT agreed to consider adding a traffic signal (no formal vote)

County Commissioners

The Power County Commissioners approved a consent agenda including $193,562.53 in claims and several personnel hires, and authorized signing the Idaho Gem Grant Agreement with conditions. They also approved a subdivision amendment, tax cancellations totaling $130,859.78, a water lease, and a pathology agreement. A lease for a museum building was initially approved but then retracted after the owner withdrew the offer.

• Approved consent agenda with $193,562.53 in claims (unanimous)
• Authorized signing Idaho Gem Grant Agreement (unanimous)
• Approved North Haven Subdivision amendment (unanimous)
• Approved tax cancellations totaling $130,859.78 (unanimous)
• Approved personnel hires and step increase (unanimous)
• Approved lease with American Falls/Aberdeen Groundwater District (unanimous)
• Authorized signing 24-25 Ada County Pathology agreement (unanimous)
• Approved holiday closures and employee bonuses (unanimous)

Planning & Zoning

The Power County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing to discuss a building variance. The body will also review meeting minutes and a finding of fact for GBH Properties.

• Variance request from Ryan Erickson to build closer to Michaud Creek Rd
• Signing of approval and finding of fact and conclusion of law for GBH Properties

The Power County Planning & Zoning Board approved the Area of Impact ordinance and associated Memorandum of Understanding with the City, pending the City's review and signature. The board also approved a rezone and lot split for approximately 25 acres of agricultural land to Highway Commercial, and approved amended meeting minutes and a new co-chair.

• Approved Area of Impact ordinance and MOU with City (all in favor)
• Approved rezone of ~25 acres from ag to Highway Commercial and lot split (all in favor)
• Approved amended November 6, 2024 meeting minutes (all in favor)
• Elected Kyle Matthews as Co-Chair (all in favor)

Planning & Zoning

The Power County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on November 6, 2024, to act on several items, including a lot split and rezone for Zimmerman, amendments to the North Haven subdivision, an impact area ordinance, and approval letters for solar and rezoning projects. They will also approve the September 3 meeting minutes. Public comment on non-agenda matters is allowed.

• North Haven amendment to existing Subdivision
• Zimmerman lot split and re-zone to commercial
• JAG Farms Solar approval letter
• Rowland Rezone approval letter
• Rio Properties approval letter

County Commissioners

The Power County Commissioners certified taxing district levies, appointed Cindy Haney as interim Adult Probation Officer, and approved multiple IT contracts and purchases, including a $5,000 Security Onion Solutions agreement and a $5,587.29 NAS storage server. They also approved FY2025 salary changes and signed the All Hazards Mitigation Plan. The IdeaCom annual agreement and FY2024 IT purchases passed by majority vote, with one commissioner dissenting each.

• Certified taxing district levies as reported (unanimous)
• Appointed Cindy Haney as interim Adult Probation Officer (unanimous)
• Approved FY2025 Computer Arts annual contract (unanimous)
• Approved IdeaCom annual partner agreement (2-1, Lasley dissenting)
• Approved Security Onion Solutions agreement for $5,000 (unanimous)
• Approved purchase of 15 additional ESET licenses for $433.50 (unanimous)
• Approved purchase of 50 hours of IdeaCom IT services at $95/hour (unanimous)
• Approved FY2024 IT purchases (2-1, Funk dissenting)

County Commissioners

The Power County Board of Commissioners approved a public hearing to change the landfill ordinance from one free load per day to one per week for residential properties, addressing contractor abuse. They also approved multiple personnel actions, including hiring two ambulance staff, a raise for the acting chief, and promoting Kami Chandler to Chief Deputy. Contracts were awarded for a furnace installation and a software agreement for the Prosecutor's Office, and claims totaling $104,168.47 were approved.

• Set public hearing to change landfill free load from daily to weekly (unanimous)
• Approved ambulance hires: Jeff Lewis ($20/hr PRN Paramedic), Joseph Kaiser ($14.75/hr PRN EMT-B) (unanimous)
• Approved $2/hr raise for Darren Dancliff as acting Ambulance Chief (unanimous)
• Approved transfer of airport hangar RRT597 to Gary Lee, Dave Savage, Nora Savage (unanimous)
• Approved $5,270 furnace installation bid from Sierra Heating & Cooling (unanimous)
• Approved claims totaling $104,168.47 (unanimous)
• Appointed Patricia Hernandez to Guardianship Board (unanimous)
• Authorized Karpel Software agreement for Prosecutor's Office (unanimous)

County Commissioners

The Power County Board of Commissioners held a special session on September 5, 2024, approving the agenda and entering executive session for personnel matters. They convened as the Ambulance District Board and unanimously approved payouts for accrued comp time to two ambulance personnel. The board then reconvened as commissioners and adjourned.

• Approved agenda for September 5, 2024 special session (unanimous)
• Convened as Ambulance District Board (unanimous)
• Approved comp time payouts: Macie Evans $721.20 (48.08 hrs), Darren Dancliff $292.60 (17.21 hrs) (unanimous)
• Reconvened as Board of County Commissioners (unanimous)
• Entered executive session for personnel (Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b)) (unanimous)
• Adjourned at 1:45 pm (unanimous)

Planning & Zoning

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a meeting to act on several land use requests. The body will consider a solar operation and a re-zone request, alongside several variance approvals.

• Gehring Solar operation action item
• Rowland Inc re-zone request
• Rio Properties, LLC Variance (tabled item)
• Sunroc (Merrill & Merrill) Conditional Use Extension approval letter
• Koompin Rock Creek Sub Variance and Kress Variance approval letters

County Commissioners

The Power County Board of Commissioners held a special session on September 3, 2024. They approved the agenda, discussed the Public Defender's office transition to the state, and unanimously voted to release a county cellphone to Public Defender Michael Morrissey. They also unanimously accepted the resignation of Ambulance Chief Cynthia Malone, effective September 13. The board entered two executive sessions for personnel evaluations and adjourned.

• Approved agenda for September 3, 2024 (unanimous)
• Released county cellphone to Public Defender Michael Morrissey (unanimous)
• Accepted resignation of Ambulance Chief Cynthia Malone effective September 13 (unanimous)
• Entered executive session for personnel evaluation (unanimous, 3-0)
• Entered second executive session for personnel evaluation (unanimous, 3-0)

Planning & Zoning

The Power County Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on June 4, 2024, to review multiple property requests. The agenda includes decisions on various variances and a conditional use extension. The commission will also approve the meeting minutes from May 7, 2024.

• Sunroc (Merrill & Merrill) Conditional Use Extension
• Koompin Rock Creek Sub Variance
• Rio Properties, LLC Variance
• Kress Variance
• Approval of May 7, 2024 meeting minutes