To be considered for the position of AIC Third Vice President, candidates must be an elected city official from an AIC member city. Eligible candidates should also be from AIC Districts 1 and 2, which includes cities in Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone, Benewah, Latah, Nez Perce, Clearwater, Lewis, and Idaho Counties. 

To be considered for the Third Vice President position, you must declare yourself a candidate by emailing Kelley Packer, AIC Executive Director at kpacker@idahocities.org by Friday, June 17 at 5pm, MST.  Kelley will then notify the Chair of the AIC Nominating Committee of your interest and assist in scheduling an interview at the appropriate time.

Nominating Process

The Nominating Committee will interview candidates for Third Vice President at 4:15 p.m. in Room 110A at the Boise Centre the afternoon of Wednesday, June 22. The Nominating Committee will announce their nomination for AIC Board Officers during the Breakfast General Session on Thursday, June 23 and the list will be posted at the registration desk.  The election of AIC Board Officers will then take place during the AIC Awards Banquet held the evening of Thursday, June 23. At that time, the AIC President will call for any nominations from the floor of candidates who declared their interest in the Third Vice President position in writing to the Executive Director by the deadline, but were not selected by the Nominating Committee. After nominations are made, the AIC President will then preside over the election of 2022 AIC Board Officers.

Nominating Committee Chair: Council President Elaine Clegg, Boise

Nominating Committee Members:

Mayor Brian Blad, Pocatello

Mayor John Evans, Garden City

The Nominating Committee is chaired by the Immediate Past President and includes the two most recent Past Presidents currently serving as voting members on the AIC Board of Directors.  If a Quorum of three Past Presidents cannot be achieved, then the President appoints one or more District Directors to serve with the available Past Presidents on the Nominating Committee.

Nominating Officers: The Nominating Committee must endeavor to select candidates according to a geographic rotation to ensure each of Idaho’s major geographic regions are represented. The AIC Bylaws have established the geographic regions to be:

North: AIC Districts 1 and 2

South: AIC Districts 3 and 4

East: AIC Districts 5 and 6

West: AIC District 3A

About the AIC Board of Directors

The association is governed by a Board of Directors elected annually by the membership. The Board is charged with conducting the affairs of the association on behalf of member cities. Specifically, the Board is responsible for:

·       Advancing the public interest of cities,

·       Building democracy and community within cities, and

·       Strengthening the capacity of municipal government by providing research, education, and training to city elected officials and staff.

The Bylaws establish three types of Board membership: Officers, District Directors, and Past Presidents.

Officers: The Officers of the association consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Third Vice President.

District Directors: Two District Directors are elected from each of the seven AIC districts at regional spring district workshops. Each District Director serves for staggered two-year terms.

Past Presidents: Past Presidents of the Association who have served continuously in city elective office may continue serving as voting members of the Board. The four most recent past presidents also serve on the AIC Board Executive Committee.

The AIC City Budgeting Manual for FY 2023 is completed and available to download on the AIC members only website.  AIC will no longer be mailing each city a paper copy of the manual, because that lengthens the time it takes to get the manual to cities, and we know everyone needs it immediately. https://idahocities.org/page/BudgetingTraining

With cities focused on the upcoming ARPA reporting deadline, it’s critical not to forget the looming deadline tomorrow (Friday, April 29) to get the city’s notice of the date, time, and location of the city budget hearing to the county clerk in writing. 

We appreciate your patience!  The manual was a big project this year with many policy changes on property taxes, including the new law allowing (but not requiring) cities to develop their own circuit breaker property tax relief program, and changes to the new construction roll. 

The District Caucuses for selecting the District Directors will be held at 12:45 p.m. during the lunch break.

In 2016, the AIC Bylaws were amended to provide that nomination and election of AIC Board District Directors take place at the Spring District Workshops.  The primary reason for the Bylaw change was to allow more AIC member cities to participate in the nomination and election of AIC Board District Directors.

The AIC Board includes two city elected officials from each district, with District Directors serving alternating two-year terms.  Normally, one District Director is elected each year, unless the other District Director position is vacant, in which case board members to fill both positions would be selected at the caucus.  The District Director whose term is not expiring serves as the Presiding District Director at the caucus.  If both director positions are vacant, then an Acting Presider is selected to fill that role.

The process of selecting District Directors begins with the Presiding District Director calling for nominations of city elected officials from cities that are AIC members.  People not present, but eligible, may be nominated.  Self-nominations are also allowed.  After nominations have been made, each nominee may choose to say a few words.

Voting may be either by voice vote or written ballots.  Each elected official present at the caucus is allowed one vote.  For example, if the mayor and four councilors from one city are present, they each may cast one vote for a total of five votes from that city.  Only elected officials are allowed to vote.  The candidate receiving the most votes is elected.  If there is a tie, the Presiding District Director shall break the tie.

The Spring District Workshops will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the following locations:

District 6:            Idaho Falls Hilton Garden Inn— Tuesday, April 12        

District 5:            Chubbuck City Hall—Wednesday, April 13       

District 4:            Burley Best Western Burley Inn—Thursday, April 14

District 1:            Coeur d’Alene Best Western Plus CDA Inn—Monday, April 18

District 2:            Moscow Best Western University Inn—Tuesday, April 19          

Districts 3 & 3A:  Nampa Civic Center—Monday, April 25

The elections for Districts 3 and 3A will both happen at the Nampa Spring District Workshop on Monday, April 25.

2022 Positions Up for Election

District 1:            Shelby Rognstad—Mayor, Sandpoint

District 2:            Open Position formerly held by Bill Lambert—Mayor, Moscow

District 3:            Kenny Everhart—Councilor, Idaho City

District 3A:         Holli Woodings—Councilor, Boise

District 4:            Open Position formerly held by Bruce Hossfeld—Mayor, Paul

District 5:            Rick Cheatum—Councilor, Pocatello

District 6:            Sean Coletti—Mayor, Ammon

2022 Presiding District Directors

District 1:            Steven Adams—Councilor, Rathdrum

District 2:            Art Bettge—Mayor, Moscow

District 3:            Gordon Petrie—Mayor, Emmett

District 3A:         Luke Cavener—Councilor, Meridian

District 4:            Casey Andersen—Councilor, Burley

District 5:            Terry Larson—Councilor, Preston

District 6:            Robert “BJ” Berlin—Mayor, Roberts

For more information, please contact AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer at kpacker@idahocities.org or AIC Policy Analyst Justin Ruen at jruen@idahocities.org

This information is also accessible on our website training pages under Elections.

The notice of candidate filing deadline must be published by the city clerk between Friday, August 20, 2021, and Friday, August 27, 2021, once as a legal notice in the official city newspaper.  The notice must include the name of the city, the date of the election, the offices up for election, that candidate filing forms are available at the city clerk's office and the candidate filing deadline.  Here is an example notice of candidate filing deadline that can serve as an example in preparing your own. 

Please note that city clerks have the responsibility of receiving Declarations of Candidacy from candidates for mayor and council and verifying candidates' eligibility to run. The candidate filing packet, is all available on the Secretary of State’s website and no other forms should be used. Rather than each city developing their own candidate filing forms and other documents, this year we will be using the Secretary of State’s forms for greater consistency around the state.  Two new forms of importance are the city clerk candidate certification and write-in certification forms that must be filled out by the city clerk for every candidate that files to run for office.

For the 2021 general city election, candidates are required to submit their Declarations of Candidacy between Monday, August 23 at 8:00 a.m. and Friday, September 3 at 5:00 p.m. Clerks must verify the candidate’s qualifications before accepting the Declaration of Candidacy.

It is imperative to get these documents to the county clerk’s office as soon as possible by fax or email after they are filed.  The city clerk should contact the county election staff in advance and ask for the preferred method of transmitting these documents.  The city clerk should also call and confirm that the documents were received.     

Creativity, innovation, and solutions-oriented leadership define Idaho city officials. The City Achievement Awards recognize the work of cities around Idaho that have implemented pioneering approaches to improve quality of life, address community challenges, and enhance service delivery in cost-effective ways. This year, awards were given in six categories: Community Engagement, Economic & Community Development, Parks & Recreation, Public Safety, Public Works & Transportation, and Youth & Youth Council.

The City of Boise was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Community Engagement Category for its project So We Did: Celebrating Women’s Suffrage at 100.  The program was a year-long series of programs and events celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s suffrage.

The City of Ammon was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Public Works & Transportation Category for its Pressurized Irrigation Plan Project.  The city has adopted a policy requiring all new developments to construct pressurized irrigation systems that rely on surface water instead of the city’s increasingly limited groundwater rights.  This will ensure that the city’s existing groundwater rights will be sufficient for the city’s needs until 2037.

The City of Caldwell was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Community Engagement Category for its project Caldwell Public Library: Virtual Programming with Take-home Kits.  To keep patrons engaged while libraries were closed due to COVID, library staff assembled a variety of kits for STEM activities and artwork, with entertaining instructional videos showing how to complete the activity from start to finish.

The City of Coeur d’Alene was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Parks & Recreation Category for its Atlas Waterfront Park project.  The project was a joint undertaking involving the City of Coeur d’Alene and Ignite CDA, the local urban renewal agency, to bring improvements to Atlas Waterfront Park. The project included an ADA accessible swim area and accessible kayak launch, a water access dog park, and accessible parking at this park on the banks of the Spokane River on the site of the redeveloped Atlas Mill.

The City of Coeur d’Alene was also recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Public Works & Transportation Category for its Stormwater Outfall Volume Reduction Program.  The city embarked on the first large-scale effort to reduce the volume of stormwater flowing directly into Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River with this two-acre area off U.S. Route 95 that features a tiered infiltration bed system using infiltration trenches and drywells that will treat about 90% of the runoff from the watershed.

The City of Malad was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Parks & Recreation Category for its City Park Improvements project.  The project included the construction or expansion of park features such as baseball diamonds, a basketball/pickleball court, a lighted walking path, a disc golf course, and an amphitheater for outdoor concerts for the Welsh Festival and other community events. 

The City of Garden City was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Parks & Recreation Category for its Garden SITy Art Bench Project.  The Garden City Arts Commission selected 8 benches designed and fabricated by Idaho artists that were placed along the greenbelt and in city parks, creating beautiful and functional public art.

The first was in the Community Engagement Category for its Tutor Mobile project.  This project was a cooperative undertaking with local public and private partners that provided in-person tutors sent to neighborhoods to help students with homework, practice reading and math skills, and doing hands-on experiments to help working parents who faced challenges navigating the hybrid learning model.

The second was in Economic & Community Development for its Local Housing Incentives project. McCall adopted monetary and regulatory incentives to encourage the private sector to build deed restricted housing units that will remain affordable for residents in the decades to come by tying the rent or purchase price to increases in the Consumer Price Index.

The City of Meridian was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Public Safety Category for its automated external defibrillator (AED) access program Heart Safe Meridian.  The city has located automated external defibrillators in city parks for public use using custom designed heated storage cabinets built by city employees.

The City of Mountain Home was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Public Safety Category for its Tower 1 project.  The Mountain Home Fire Department was able to purchase a used, late model, mid-mount 100-foot platform ladder tower that was purchased jointly with the Rural Fire Protection District. Working together, the entities stretched taxpayer dollars, while still getting the truck that will offer the best in safety and operability for the community and its firefighters.

The City of Nampa was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Public Works & Transportation Category for its GIS & Data-Driven Decisions project.  The Nampa GIS Team handles everything from managing data for new sewer and waterlines, creating maps to help communicate project impacts, to designing dashboards that help track operations.  GIS has proven essential in helping policymakers to make better informed and data-driven decisions.

The City of Nampa was also recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Youth & Youth Council Category for its Youth Mental Health Awareness Week project.  The Nampa Mayor’s Teen Council worked hard to raise awareness about youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, including creating a YouTube video sharing options for youth to find help and developing a proclamation that was read at a city council meeting.

The City of Pocatello was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Public Safety Category for its campaign Stay Smart. Stay Safe. Stay Open. The City of Pocatello partnered with Southeastern Idaho Public Health, Idaho State University, the Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations to develop a media and social media campaign to remind residents of strategies for protecting against COVID-19 that were necessary to keep the economy open and the community safe.

The City of Pocatello was also recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Youth Council Category for its Pocatello Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council Essential Needs Drive project. The Pocatello Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council held an essential needs drive to receive donations of food and other essential items, as well as cash donations that were distributed to local charities to help residents in need.

The City of Chubbuck was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Economic & Community Development Category for its Downtown Chubbuck project.  The city planned for over four years for a walkable and bikeable downtown for Chubbuck residents, which is now coming to fruition with construction of the new city hall and Idaho Central Credit Union headquarters.

The City of Lewiston was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Economic & Community Development Category for its Lewiston Education & Community Park Campus project.  The project includes a campus merging the technical education programs of Lewiston High School and Lewis-Clark State College, with the support of City of Lewiston utilities and park amenities. Centralization of the educational, infrastructure and park functionalities provided shared amenities to the surrounding area, contributing to an ambience conducive to learning, sporting and recreational activities.

The City of Tetonia was recognized with a City Achievement Award in the Community Engagement Category for its Tetonia Ice Rink project. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of indoor winter activities was greatly diminished. In response, the city created a 60-foot by 80-foot outdoor ice skating rink in city park over the softball infield using flushed water from city hydrants. The result was a COVID-safe activity that added months of free outdoor fun for adults, kids, and families throughout the winter.

The John Evans Award is given annually to a city official who demonstrates exemplary performance in city government and who has contributed to the accomplishments of the Association of Idaho Cities. The award is named for John Evans, Mayor of Garden City, AIC Past President and Legislative Chair.

The recipient of the 2021 John Evans Award was Mayor Steve Odenborg from Genesee and AIC District 2 Director who was tragically killed in a vehicle crash last spring. 

Odenborg was raised in Genesee in a family of six boys and graduated from Genesee High School.  He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1978 and received an honorable discharge in 1980.  He worked at the Genesee Union Warehouse Hardware Store and the University of Idaho until his retirement in 2020.

Odenborg served as an EMT, firefighter, on the Genesee City Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council, and was Mayor for three terms.  He was a dedicated member of the AIC Board of Directors. His legacy of civic involvement to his community and dedicated service to AIC make him a most worthy recipient of the 2021 John Evans Award.

The Ken Harward Award was established by AIC to recognize exceptional contributions benefiting the State of Idaho and its communities. Harward was City Administrator and Finance Director for the City of Nampa, Idaho, for 24 years and his visionary planning was integral to the development of the Nampa Recreation Center, the Centennial-Ridgecrest golf complex, the Nampa Civic Center and the Idaho Center. Harward was also AIC’s longest serving Executive Director and worked tirelessly to build the credibility and effectiveness of AIC.

Sen. Steve Bair is currently serving his eighth term in the Legislature and represents District 31, which includes Bingham County.  He co-owned and operated a 3,000-acre family farm and works for Agri-Service selling tractors and machinery. 

He has chaired the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee, the Senate Resources & Environment Committee, and currently co-chairs the Joint Finance & Appropriations Committee that sets the state budget.

Bair was named the Legislator of the Year by the Idaho Soil and Water Districts Association.

Bair is a thoughtful policymaker, who has worked hard to set conservative state budgets while protecting school funding and has been a strong advocate for recharging the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer and for Idaho agriculture.  His outstanding legacy of public service to Idaho makes him a most deserving recipient of the Ken Harward Award.

Also elected at the association’s annual conference in Boise were the following officers and District Directors representing the geographic areas of the state:

Officers

President Kevin England—Mayor, Chubbuck

First Vice President Joe Stear—Mayor, Kuna

Second Vice President Debbie Kling—Mayor, Nampa

Third Vice President Rebecca Casper – Mayor, Idaho Falls

District Directors

District 1 Directors:         Steven Adams, Councilor, Rathdrum

                                            Shelby Rognstad, Mayor, Sandpoint

District 2 Directors:         Art Bettge, Council President, Moscow

                                            Bill Lambert, Mayor, Moscow

District 3 Directors:         Gordon Petrie, Mayor, Emmett

                   Kenny Everhart, Councilor, Idaho City

District 3A Directors:       Luke Cavener, Councilor, Meridian

                                            Holli Woodings, Councilor, Boise

District 4 Directors:         Casey Andersen, Councilor, Burley

                                            Bruce Hossfeld, Mayor, Paul

District 5 Directors:         Terry Larson, Councilor, Preston

                                            Rick Cheatum, Councilor, Pocatello

District 6 Directors:         Robert "BJ" Berlin, Mayor, Roberts

AIC is only printing paper copies of the manual upon request.  If you would like a printed hard copy, please contact Dawn Hall at 208-246-8198 or email her at dhall@idahocities.org by Friday, July 2 at close of business.

The manual includes the elections calendar as well as election forms. The manual also goes through laws affecting elections with information on how the code applies to cities. Finally, the manual includes FAQs that may be helpful throughout the 2021 election cycle.

This election cycle there are a few major things to keep in mind.

The city clerk is no longer responsible for overseeing campaign finance reporting and candidates who raise or spend at least $500 this election will use the portal on the Secretary of State's website to report.  The county clerk is responsible for overseeing campaign finance reporting for all local candidates who raise or spend over $500.  And the 5,000 population threshold for campaign finance reporting in cities has been eliminated and candidates from cities of any population size are required to report their campaign finances if they raise or spend over $500 in that election.  The candidate filing forms have a new declaration by the candidate affirming that they will file with the Secretary of State’s portal if they raise or spend over $500 this election.

The candidate filing packet, write-in declaration of intent, withdrawal forms, candidate and write-in certification forms, oath of office, notice of candidate filing deadline, and elected officials’ compensation ordinance forms are all available on the Secretary of State’s website.  Rather than each city developing their own candidate filing forms and other documents, this year we will be using the forms developed by the Secretary of State’s office in consultation with AIC and city clerks so there is greater consistency around the state.  Two new forms of importance are the city clerk candidate certification and write-in certification forms that must be filled out by the city clerk for every candidate that files to run for office.

A bill sponsored in the 2020 legislative session by the Idaho Association of Counties (Senate Bill 1306) allows the election for mayor or councilor to be canceled if only one nominated or declared write-in candidate files for the office. The city clerk declares the person elected and the office is not included on the ballot.  This works similarly to the current process for school district and other special district elections.

Because of legislation passed this year (Senate Bill 1067), the city clerk is no longer responsible for administering city recall elections and those responsibilities have been transferred to the county clerk.  This change was supported by AIC because city clerks are appointed officers, not independently elected, and recall elections become so controversial that merely fulfilling the city clerk’s responsibilities under the law put them in a very tough political position where their job could potentially be in jeopardy.

Cities that have general obligation bond or levy elections are required to draft disclosure statements for the ballot and notice of election required by Idaho Code 34-913 and 34-914.  In the event that a local government fails to provide that required disclosure, the validity of the bond or levy, if approved by the voters, can be challenged in court and in the event of a successful challenge, the local government is required to pay court costs and fees to the challenger (House Bill 66 as amended).   

(Sign in and visit our Manuals page to view the 2021 Election Manual)

Nomination Process

The nomination process begins with the establishment of the AIC Nominating Committee, the structure of which is set forth in the AIC Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will interview candidates for Third Vice President at 4:30 p.m. in Room 100E at the Boise Centre the afternoon of Wednesday, June 16. The Nominating Committee will announce their nomination for AIC Board Officers during the Breakfast General Session on Thursday, June 17 and the list will be posted at the registration desk.  The election of AIC Board Officers will then take place during the AIC Awards Banquet held the evening of Thursday, June 17. At that time, the AIC President will call for any further nominations from the floor. After nominations are made, the AIC President will then preside over the election of 2021 AIC Board Officers.

Nominating Committee Chair: Suzanne Hawkins, Mayor, Twin Falls & AIC Immediate Past President.

Nominating Committee Members:

Mayor Suzanne Hawkins, Twin Falls

Council President Elaine Clegg, Boise

Councilor Jeri DeLange, Hayden      

Mayor Brian Blad, Pocatello

Councilor Greg Lanting, Twin Falls

Mayor John Evans, Garden City

Mayor Mac Pooler, Kellogg

Council President Mitch Hart, Soda Springs

Mayor Garret Nancolas, Caldwell

To achieve a quorum, the Nominating Committee must have at least three AIC Past Presidents in attendance.  If a Quorum cannot be established the President will appoint three sitting AIC District Directors to serve with the available Past Presidents on the Nominating Committee.

Nomination of Officers: The Nominating Committee is required to select candidates according to a geographic rotation to ensure each of Idaho’s major geographic regions are represented. The AIC Bylaws have established the geographic regions to be:

North: AIC Districts 1 and 2

South: AIC Districts 3 and 4

East: AIC Districts 5 and 6

West: AIC District 3A

Those interested in being considered for the position of AIC Third Vice President should contact AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer at kpacker@idahocities.org  Kelley will then notify the Chair of the AIC Nominating Committee of your interest and assist in scheduling an interview at the appropriate time.

About the AIC Board of Directors

The association is governed by a Board of Directors elected annually by the membership. The Board is charged with conducting the affairs of the association on behalf of member cities. Specifically, the Board is responsible for:

·       Advancing the public interest of cities,

·       Building democracy and community within cities, and

·       Strengthening the capacity of municipal government by providing research, education, and training to city elected officials and staff.

The Bylaws establish three types of Board membership: Officers, District Directors, and Past Presidents.

Officers: The Officers of the association consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Third Vice President. Officers are nominated by the Nominating Committee (chaired by the Immediate Past President and consisting of all Past Presidents serving on the Board) and elected by the full membership at the Annual Conference. Officers are nominated to maintain balance between Idaho’s four geographic regions. The Officers of the association also serve as members of the Board Executive Committee.

District Directors: Two District Directors are elected from each of the seven AIC districts at regional spring district workshops. Each District Director serves for staggered two-year terms.

Past Presidents: Past Presidents of the Association who have served continuously in city elective office may continue serving as voting members of the Board. The four most recent past presidents also serve on the AIC Board Executive Committee.

Executive Committee: The Executive Committee has general supervision over the affairs of the Association between Board meetings. The Executive Committee is also responsible for overseeing and evaluating the performance of the Executive Director.

We appreciate your patience as this year’s record setting long legislative session prevented us from being able to complete the manual as quickly as we hoped.

With any major policy change—and the property tax omnibus bill House Bill 389 certainly qualifies—there are often things to be ironed out in implementation.  We have given our understanding of how the law works and if that changes, we will send out additional information in the future.

New Laws on Budgeting & City Revenues for FY 2022

Major Property Tax Reform Bill House Bill 389 Signed into Law: House Bill 389 contains a mix of private sector property tax breaks, as well as additional help for homeowners and a revised budget cap.   The budget cap and forgone provisions take effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature.

The bill does provide a 25% increase in the Homeowner’s Exemption, from $100,000 to $125,000 that is not indexed.  Taxing districts have the option of deducting the additional $25,000 from the new construction roll, which would reduce their budget capacity by that amount, but that is at the taxing district’s discretion, it is not mandated.

It also increases the maximum relief under the Circuit Breaker from $1,320 to $1,500 and raises the maximum income level from $28,000 to $31,900 per household or 185% of federal poverty guidelines, whichever is greater. 

Because of legislators’ concerns about asset rich people taking advantage of the Circuit Breaker, in future years applicants with homes exceeding 125% of the county median assessed value for owner occupied residences will be prohibited from using the Circuit Breaker and would only be able to use the property tax deferral program.

House Bill 389 provides that properties with changing land use are added to the new construction roll when improvements to the land are made and not before. 

The bill also extends the current exemption of site improvements from taxation that is in place until buildings are constructed and extends that to when the buildings or structures are completed, or the land is transferred to a new owner.    

The business personal property tax exemption will increase from $100,000 per taxpayer, per county to $250,000 per taxpayer, per county.  Replacement revenues will be provided from state sales tax revenues that are fixed amounts and the total replacement revenue is about $8 million.  The exemption takes effect January 1, 2022.

The bill also fully exempts equipment or machinery used for construction, logging, or mining (transient personal property) from property taxes on January 1, 2022.  No replacement money is provided. 

A revised budget cap calculated as follows:

The highest dollar levy for any one of the three preceding tax years increased by 3%.  The calculation uses a preliminary levy rate including the most current taxable market value, except for centrally assessed operating property, which uses the prior year’s values; 

Levies for new construction and annexation are restricted to 90% of the taxable market value of each;

The maximum increase, including new construction and annexation levies, cannot exceed 8%, except for termination of revenue allocation areas for urban renewal districts and forgone levies, which are both outside the 8% Cap;

Sunsetting urban renewal revenue allocation areas will be added to the new construction roll at 80% of actual value; and

Cities may make forgone levies in addition to the 8% Cap, but they are limited to 1% of the taxing district’s property tax budget for maintenance and operations that goes into the base for future levying, and 3% of the taxing district’s budget for capital projects that does not accrue to the base for future levying and expires after the project is completed. 

There is an exception to the 1% forgone cap allowing taxing districts to levy more forgone for maintenance and operations that would go into their base for future levies, but the taxing district cannot in that same year make a 3% increase or take any new construction or annexation increases, or reserve any of that for use as forgone in future years.

The bill will most acutely impact small to medium size cities that are growing rapidly, like Ammon, Chubbuck, Hayden, Eagle, Kuna, Middleton, Post Falls, Rathdrum, Rexburg and Star. 

Because locally assessed values are not finalized until July, the change in the timing of calculating new construction will force taxing districts to hold off on setting budgets until August. House Bill 389 will result in a process that is backloaded to a much greater degree than taxing districts are accustomed to now.  Setting budgets will have to wait until August, which leaves no extra time for circumstances outside of the city’s control like the newspaper failing to publish the budget hearing notice. 

House Bill 73 on Local Government Financial Uniformity & Transparency Signed into Law: House Bill 73 establishes a new law on local government accounting, budgeting, and financial uniformity and transparency.  The effort will be managed by a committee of seven, including three members of the State Senate, three members of the State House of Representatives, and the State Controller or their designee. 

The committee is responsible for developing, implementing, monitoring, and updating a uniform accounting, budgeting and financial reporting system and manual for local governments.  The committee may direct the Legislative Services Office to perform an audit on a local government or require a local government to submit financial information to assist the Controller in implementing the effort. 

The State Controller is responsible for creating and maintaining a uniform accounting manual for local governments, that must be used for local government accounting, financial reporting, and budgeting. 

The State Controller will provide a public website to make local government accounting, budgeting and financial information available to the public and policy makers and implementation may be staggered by phases, but the website must be fully functional by January 1, 2025. 

The bill transitions the existing financial and other reporting requirements for the portal currently operated by the Legislative Audits Division to the State Controller by January 1, 2022. 

Failing to submit information by the deadlines results in a late fee of up to $500 per day, the entity is prohibited from increasing its property tax budget in the next year and the entity’s sales tax revenue sharing funds may be withheld.  Urban renewal agencies are also required to comply with the new law.  The State Controller will become the official repository of state and local government audit reports.

Senate Bill 1105 on Bond & Levy Disclosure Signed into Law: Senate Bill 1105 requires taxing districts, when making their property tax levy on the L-2 form, to include a list of bonds and levies with the expiration date for each to be used by county treasurers for a website with information on bonds and levies for citizens to access.

House Bill 348 Ending Filing of City Appropriation Ordinances with Secretary of State’s Office Signed into Law: House Bill 348 strikes language currently in law requiring cities to file their appropriations ordinances with the Idaho Secretary of State’s office since that information will be filed in the future using the State Controller’s portal with the passage this session of House Bill 73.

Senate Bill 1096 on Public Safety Catastrophic Benefit Signed into Law: Senate Bill 1096, which was signed into law and takes effect July 1, 2021, will increase the employee contribution rate for police officers and firefighters from 8.81% to 9.13% because of the catastrophic line of duty benefit.  The bill does not change the employer contribution rate.

Cities Receive One-Time Funds from State General Fund Surplus for Transportation Needs: Considerable progress is made on transportation funding this session.  House Bill 308 to implement Governor Little’s Building Idaho’s Future Plan has sent $47.2 million from the state General Fund in a one-time payment to local highway jurisdictions for road and bridge maintenance and construction.  Like any large one-time infusion of money, cities should be careful to spend it on construction, equipment purchases or other nonrecurring expenses and not in the city's operating budget, which would leave a hole to fill in future years.

Major Transportation Funding Bill Signed into Law: House Bill 362 was also signed into law by the Governor and increases the percentage of state sales tax revenues dedicated for transportation from 1% to 4.5%, and these revenues come out after revenue sharing, so they do not reduce the pool of revenue sharing dollars.  ITD will be guaranteed $80 million annually for projects on the state highway system and local highway jurisdictions will receive the revenue in excess of $80 million annually that will be distributed once per year at the end of the state Fiscal Year in June through the Highway Distribution Account.  The new local revenue is estimated at $4 million in state FY 2022 and will increase in future years.  AIC is including a third column in our Highway Distribution Account projections for this revenue.

(Sign in and visit our Manuals page to view the 2022 Budget Manual)

There are no restrictions on the use of the revenues other than being dedicated for local road and bridge purposes.

Governor Little's Building Idaho's Future Plan involves tax relief and strategic investments in transportation, water and agriculture, broadband and economic development, education, public safety, and state facilities.

Idaho's projected current Fiscal Year budget surplus is about $500 million, not counting roughly $300 million already set aside for the Building Idaho's Future investments.

"That surplus is made up of revenues stronger than we had expected, spending reductions, and then general fund that had been freed up based on how we used the federal dollars," said Alex Adams, Administrator of the State Division of Financial Management in a recent Idaho Press article.  "All of that just adds to the surplus."

"We believed many of those dollars were one-time in nature, so we made one-time investments that will have long-lasting value for Idaho's future," Adams said.

Like any large one-time infusion of money, cities should be careful to spend it on construction, equipment purchases or other nonrecurring expenses and not in the city's operating budget, which would leave a hole to fill in future years.

The District Caucuses for selecting the District Directors will be held at 12:45 p.m. during the lunch break.

In 2016, the AIC Bylaws were amended to provide that nomination and election of AIC Board District Directors take place at the Spring District Workshops.  The primary reason for the Bylaw change was to allow more AIC member cities to participate in the nomination and election of AIC Board District Directors.

The AIC Board includes two city elected officials from each district, with District Directors serving alternating two-year terms.  Normally, one District Director is elected each year, unless the other District Director position is vacant, in which case board members to fill both positions would be selected at the caucus.  The District Director whose term is not expiring serves as the Presiding District Director at the caucus.  If both director positions are vacant, then an Acting Presider is selected to fill that role.

The process of selecting District Directors begins with the Presiding District Director calling for nominations of city elected officials from cities that are AIC members.  People not present, but eligible, may be nominated.  Self-nominations are also allowed.  After nominations have been made, each nominee may choose to say a few words.

Voting may be either by voice vote or written ballots.  Each elected official present at the caucus is allowed one vote.  For example, if the mayor and four councilors from one city are present, they each may cast one vote for a total of five votes from that city.  Only elected officials are allowed to vote.  The candidate receiving the most votes is elected.  If there is a tie, the Presiding District Director shall break the tie.

The elections for Districts 3 and 3A will both happen at the Nampa Spring District Workshop on Monday, April 26.

The Spring District Workshops will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the following locations:

District 2: Moscow Best Western University Inn—Monday, April 19

District 1: Coeur d’Alene Best Western Plus CDA Inn—Tuesday, April 20

Districts 3 & 3A:  Nampa Civic Center—Monday, April 26

District 4: Burley Best Western Burley Inn—Tuesday, April 27

District 6: Idaho Falls Hilton Garden Inn—Wednesday, April 28

District 5: Pocatello Red Lion Hotel—Thursday, April 29

2021 Presiding District Directors

District 1:             Shelby Rognstad—Mayor, Sandpoint

District 2:             Bill Lambert—Mayor, Moscow

District 3:             Kenny Everhart—Councilor, Idaho City

District 3A:          Holli Woodings—Councilor, Boise

District 4:             Bruce Hossfeld—Mayor, Paul

District 5:             Rick Cheatum—Councilor, Pocatello

District 6:             Rebecca Casper—Mayor, Idaho Falls

2021 Positions Up for Election

District 1:            Ashley Gauthier—Council President, Plummer

District 2:            Vacant Position formerly held by Steve Odenborg, Mayor of Genesee

District 3:            Gordon Petrie—Mayor, Emmett

District 3A:         Luke Cavener—Councilor, Meridian

District 4:            Casey Andersen—Councilor, Burley

District 5:            Terry Larson—Councilor, Preston

District 6:            Robert “BJ” Berlin—Mayor, Roberts

For more information, please contact AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer at kpacker@idahocities.org or AIC Policy Analyst Justin Ruen at jruen@idahocities.org

AIC is working hard on the FY 2022 City Budgeting Manual, but we have to wait for the Legislature to adjourn before we can finalize our revenue spreadsheets and sections on property tax and highway revenues. 

The first calendar deadline is coming up on Friday, April 30, the deadline to notify the county clerk in writing of the date, time and location of the city’s budget hearing which is usually in July or August. 

We expect to have budgeting training at the Spring District Workshops, so we hope you can join us in a few weeks!

(Sign in and visit our Manuals page to view the Preliminary City Budget Calendar for FY 2022)

Last year the American Water Works Association (AWWA) published a guide to help water utilities initiate or expand their stewardship role in local communities.

AIC commends our members as they work to better understand and address these challenges, and is pleased to share resources from the EPA Smart Growth program HERE.

• Drought conditions down to the city and county level where you can see current conditions, key indicators of drought, outlooks and forecasts, and historical drought conditions. 

• Historical data and maps, including U.S. Drought Monitor data going back 20 years, standardized precipitation index (SPI) data going back 125 years, and paleoclimate data (e.g., from tree-ring analysis) going back 2,000 years.

• By Sector section, which shows drought impacts on different economic sectors, such as agriculture, energy, water utilities, and tourism and recreation.

• Research and Learn section where you can “go back to the basics” on drought with definitions, overviews of different types of drought such as flash drought and snow drought, learn about initiatives like the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network, and more.

The position will assist our Legislative Chair, Mayor John Evans of Garden City, in advocating on cities’ behalf at the capitol and working with the AIC Board of Directors, which also serves as the association’s Legislative Committee. 

Candidates must be a currently serving city elected official who have the ability to spend some time at the capitol and to respond quickly if needed. 

This is a great opportunity to learn more about the public policy process and advocate on cities’ behalf. 

The 2021 Idaho Legislature will be considering legislation on a number of critical policy areas, including property taxes, transportation funding, impact fees for school construction, and liquor licensing among others.

It was not an easy decision.  Everyone enjoys this important gathering of city officials and legislators, but there is so much uncertainty about what stage the state will be in next month and whether the Legislature will convene at its customary time and be in session, which makes coordinating the event extremely difficult.

Rather than do a virtual event that would largely till the same ground covered by our Legislative Summit a couple weeks ago, we decided to simply cancel the event. We look forward to future years when we can gather together in person. We will still be holding the Water Summit on Wednesday, 1/20/2021, and hope you’ll attend. We will also deliver a boxed lunch and gift to our legislators to let them know that our local officials are still thinking about them at this time.

It is very important for city officials to reach out to your legislators and build relationships before the session starts.  A phone call or text to touch base is a great idea.  We know that property tax policy will be one of the major issues this session, but it is not clear how much traction other issues will receive.   

The Harold Hurst Award, given annually to a city official who demonstrates exemplary performance in city government and who has contributed to the accomplishments of AIC, will be renamed the John Evans Award in recognition of the tremendous service of AIC Past President and Legislative Chair Mayor John Evans of Garden City. 

John Evans’ service to the City of Garden City started on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for three years, then ten years on the city council and finally serving as mayor since January 2006.  He served as AIC President in 2012-13 and has been the association’s Legislative Chair since 2015.  He also serves on the boards of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) and Valley Regional Transit.

John is a Vietnam veteran who moved with his family to Idaho in 1975 and to Garden City in 1988.  He has long been involved in construction, primarily residential real estate development. 

Mayor Evans has been a strong and articulate advocate for cities in the Idaho Legislature, and he is respected for his deep knowledge of the workings of city government.  AIC is fortunate to have a Legislative Chair that has credibility and respect among policymakers and is such an outstanding voice for Idaho’s cities.

The award to recognize city achievement winners will now be known as the Garret Nancolas City Achievement Award to recognize Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas for his exceptional contributions to AIC.

Garret has lived in Caldwell for most of the last 58 years.  He has been active in owning and managing private businesses and began his public service career with two years on the Caldwell Planning & Zoning Commission.  He was elected to the Caldwell City Council in 1989, where he served as Council President, prior to his election as Mayor in 1997.  He has served as Caldwell’s Mayor for 24 years.

Garret is a Past President of AIC in 2003-04 and has chaired the AIC Youth & Families Task Force, as well as serving on and chairing the National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education and Families.  He also chairs the Idaho Public Safety Communications Commission and is on the ICRMP Board of Trustees.

Mayor Nancolas is a nationally recognized expert on youth engagement, including forming the Caldwell Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council and providing training across the country on how local governments can leverage the talent of young people in their communities. 

Overseeing the revitalization of Indian Creek and development of Indian Creek Plaza, which have transformed downtown Caldwell into a regional destination, is one of Mayor Nancolas’ greatest achievements.  

Garret has a record of exceptional service to his community, to AIC and to the State of Idaho and he is an unequaled advocate for youth and families.

When we talk about adoption, we are generally referring to “e-adoption” or electronic billing and payment adoption. Essentially, this is the process of transitioning paper bills and payments to your electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) system.

While this might sound simple and straightforward, it’s anything but. Many online payment platforms offer clunky or difficult to use customer interfaces that deter customers from paying their bills online. This often creates added work and headaches for the staff members responsible for customer service.

E-adoption isn’t limited to online or mobile payments, either. Adoption can also refer to any kind of customer self-service – such as enrolling in services like automatic payments (AutoPay), e-reminders, electronic copies of reports (ex. annual water quality reports), or paperless billing. Ultimately, the key to driving higher adoption rates is improving customer engagement and the overall customer experience.

Why Focus on Driving Electronic Payment Adoption?

So, why is increasing online payment adoption worth your team’s focus? Here are a few reasons why driving adoption is so beneficial for organizations like yours:

1. Increased Customer Satisfaction

When an EBPP platform makes it simple for customers to adopt electronic payments and enroll in services like AutoPay or paperless billing, it removes many friction points for your customer. This increased ability for customers to self-serve – or pay quickly on a well-designed online payment portal –greatly improves the customer experience.

2. Accelerated Collections

When customers use e-payment channels to pay their bills, the amount of time your staff needs to spend manually collecting and processing payments is significantly reduced. And when customers enroll in services like AutoPay, your organization is guaranteed that payments will show up on time, every billing cycle.

3. Reduced Costs

Increased enrollment in services like paperless billing translates to real cost savings in the form of decreased print and mailing costs. In addition, if you contract with a company that provides check remittance processing (ex. lockbox services), you may save money when people pay online (with a service fee) by eliminating the lockbox expense for those customers.

4. Decreased Manual Labor and Staff Workloads

The more customers who use your EBPP platform to pay their bills, sign up for paperless billing, or enroll in AutoPay, the less time your staff needs to spend stuffing and mailing bills, fielding customer service calls, and processing payments manually. This allows for more time spent on higher value projects and opportunities.

The Town of Simsbury, Connecticut, is a perfect example of the benefits that come from a concentrated effort to drive online payment adoption. After working with Invoice Cloud, the town saw a 656% increase in adoption overall – and saved their staff valuable time in the process.

"The town has seen a dramatic decrease in people making payments in our offices,” said Collen O’Connor, a tax collector for the Town of Simsbury. “Since selecting Invoice Cloud ten years ago, our staff has gained a considerable amount of time back to focus on other areas of need in our busy town office."

To see the full results of the Town of Simsbury and Invoice Cloud’s partnership, get the free case study here.

Imagine Idaho is a campaign to increase awareness of the importance of broadband throughout Idaho and promote policies and secure state and federal funding opportunities that will allow communities to develop broadband infrastructure that can be used by the private sector to provide service.

The campaign is being managed by Christina Erland Culver and Wendolyn Holland and already has an impressive coalition of supporters, including AIC, the Idaho Hospital Association, Idaho Regional Optical Network, Port of Lewiston, Idaho Association of Counties and Idaho Independent Intergovernmental Authority (III-A).

The effort will include a broadband awareness media campaign, as well as state and federal advocacy. 

COVID-19 has exposed the gaps in the state’s broadband network as high-speed Internet access becomes vital for kids going to school remotely, telemedicine, working from home, and other needs. 

Cities and other civic organizations are asked to support the effort by listing their name on the coalition and make a financial contribution in an amount that fits their budget to cover the costs of the advocacy work.  The campaign will be appropriately resourced with each city making a contribution of $2,000.

For more information, you can contact Christina Erland Culver at christina@ednexusadvisors.com and Wendolyn Holland at wendolyn.holland@gmail.com

You can find the PowerPoint presentation from the recent meeting, and other information about the Imagine Idaho campaign in the links below.

IDEQ Letter of Interest for water and wastewater grants and loans are DUE by January 8th, 2021.

More information on the Letter of Interest can be found HERE.

The following resources are now available:

Presentation Videos posted on the IDEQ YouTube Channel can be found HERE.  Note: When you open each day the timestamps for each agenda topic will be listed below the video. This should help you find certain topics you want to go back to, etc.

Copies of the Handouts from the training can be found HERE. Note: This page will be available for at least a few more weeks, so please download/save the PDFs if you need them.

Feel free to pass this information on to people/organizations, who may find the information helpful.

If you have any questions, please contact LaDonn Kaylor, Grants & Loans Analyst at (208) 373-0556 or LaDonn.Kaylor@deq.idaho.gov.

What to ask them

Communities should compile information about these businesses including at minimum – owner’s name, contact information, type of service or product (food/beverage, textile, electronic, wood, metal…), and type of sale (retail or wholesale, B2B or B2C).

The community should focus on additional information that will help to understand the economic impact and economic potential in this sector over the long-term. Through interviews and online surveys, communities should also collect information such as - year established, number of employees (full time and part time), square footage of lease (or home-based), primary products, plans to scale, capital expansion/financing needs, range of annual revenues or sales. The information should be consistent with local economic development surveys of larger businesses.

Who to ask

Each community needs to decide if this outreach is all inclusive – full and part time production businesses located anywhere in the community, or if the outreach should be focused on a sub-group - only full time businesses, only businesses with two or more employees, only businesses with one to ten employees, only businesses located in a target neighborhood or region, or only businesses leasing space and not home-based.

Most communities will benefit from starting with a broad goal to identify all full-time time businesses with 30 or fewer employees, including sole proprietorships, and looking across materials including textiles (fashion), hardware prototyping, wood, metal, and food production. This search should also include service providers, gig economy self-employed businesses, and during this crisis, the part-time businesses as well.

For great examples of how to get this done (and fund it) check out SFMade which receives city funding to identify and organize local small-scale manufacturing businesses, MadeinDC which receives a grant from DC’s Department of Small and Local Business Development, MadeBy in Memphis which is supported by the city and local philanthropy, and MakeKnox which launched out of the Knoxville Maker City Summit.

We are in this together. And we need to find all of the small and micro-businesses in our community ASAP to help them.

Check out details about how we can help you make this happen.

ILANA PREUSS
Founder & CEO
Recast City
www.RecastCity.com

Questions?  Call Sheila Christensen at 208-344-7024 or email: schristensen@idahocities.org

Idaho Rural Partnership (IRP) and partner agencies and organizations recently completed a survey of rural Idaho leaders about the impact of and response to the Covid-19 pandemic in rural communities.  The survey results are being provided to federal, state, and local leaders and survey respondents who requested a copy.  You can download the report by clicking the link at the bottom of this blog post.

An invitation to complete the survey was distributed on July 22, 2020 to IRP’s 1,200-person mailing list and to the contact lists maintained by partner organizations and agencies.  Survey responses were accepted through August 7, 2020.  The partner agencies and organizations included:

The 333 people who completed the survey live throughout the state, although response was greater in the southwest, north central, and north Idaho compared to southern and southeast Idaho.

Most survey respondents (69%) identified themselves as either a:  (1) city or county elected official, (2) city, county, or tribal employee, (3) leader of a community organization, or (4) resident.  Other survey respondents included economic development professionals, business owners, and community volunteers.

“We wanted to conduct this survey to understand broader COVID-19 community impacts and responses as a supplement to previous surveys that rightfully placed greater emphasis on business owners”, said IRP Executive Director Jon Barrett.  “The results point to substantial concerns about the ongoing impact of COVID-19, but also to creative and compassionate community responses that should make Idahoans proud.”

The State of Idaho has taken that approach with their health plan provider. It’s recommended that you put together a chart from your provider, similar to the one below, and then send in a reimbursement request to the State Controller’s office, through your assigned contact, for the total amount. 

This option seems to have real merit, as controlling health insurance premium increases is a high priority for most cities.  We appreciate the heads up from Governor Brad Little and the Division of Financial Management about the potential for cities to use this approach. 

The Idaho City Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers Association was formed to increase the professionalism of its members; improve city administration; advance the fullest measure of responsibility in local government; and to cooperate with federal, state and local agencies, the Association of Idaho Cities, Idaho universities, and other organizations to upgrade the efficiency of city government.

Also elected at the ICCTFOA Institute were the following officers and district directors representing the geographic areas of the state:

Executive Officers

President                                                    Tami Testa, City Clerk-Treasurer, Council

1st Vice President                                   Laurie Hopkins, City Clerk, Moscow

2nd Vice President                                 Konni Kendell, Deputy City Clerk, Pocatello

Immediate Past Pres.                             Jennifer Belfield, Finance Director, Ammon

Secretary                                                  Melissa Taylor, Finance Director, Rathdrum

District Directors

District 1                                                   Jenna Arthun, Deputy Clerk, Osburn (1)

                                                                   Jessica Hutson, City Clerk-Treasurer, Harrison (2)

District 2                                                   Donna Wilson, City Treasurer, Orofino (1)

                                                                   Janell Arnzen, City Treasurer, Grangeville (2)

District 3                                                   Joy Hall, Clerks Specialist, Nampa (1)

                                                                   Loretta Vollmer, City Clerk, Notus (2)

District 4                                                   Hollye Lierman, City Clerk, Gooding (1)

                                                                   Vera Pedrow, Deputy City Clerk, Filer (2)

District 5                                                   Debbie Swensen, City Clerk-Treasurer, Bancroft (1)  

District 6                                                   Keri West, City Clerk, Iona (1)

                                                                   Jacque Beard, City Clerk-Treasurer, Tetonia (2)

The Dr. James B. Weatherby Award is given annually by the ICCTFOA to individuals who have served the city clerks, treasurers and finance officers in their pursuit of excellence, effectiveness and efficiency in municipal government.  The award is named after Dr. James B. Weatherby, former Director of the Public Policy Center at Boise State University and a past executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities.

Lynn Hagman has served as City Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Hayden Lake since 2000.  She also served as ICCTFOA President in 2016, on the ICCTFOA Communications Committee, and has been actively engaged with District 1. 

Lynn has been dedicated to serving her community and ICCTFOA, and is a most deserving recipient of the Weatherby Award.  

DATE: Wednesday, Oct 21

TIME: 1:00 pm PT / 2:00 pm MT

Like so many other events in 2020, how cities accommodate and host elections is different this year. The conversation will focus on strategies for hosting elections safely to ensure full participation by all residents.

Hear from NLC’s experts and also learn about NLC’s 2020 Cities Agenda, highlighting a nonpartisan list of four priorities for the next administration to address during its first 100 days.

The agenda was developed by a Taskforce of NLC members, chaired by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.

You can register for the webinar here!

Fifty-nine cities received too little money and payments to make up the difference should be made shortly.  For the 141 cities that were overpaid, they will have the excess withheld from their distribution for the quarter ending September 30, 2020.  That would mean that some cities would receive little or no revenue in that quarterly distribution payment. 

We appreciate the help from the Idaho Tax Commission and Governor’s office in getting the situation resolved.

Below are links to the letter from the Tax Commission summarizing the situation and an Excel spreadsheet showing the impact to each city.

Idaho’s economy continues to perform relatively well compared to other states.  Our unemployment rate fell to 5% in July, significantly lower than the national rate of 10%.  In-migration into the state is continuing in the teeth of a global pandemic, a serious recession and high unemployment nationally.

Revenue sharing continues to exhibit real strength as sales tax revenues are outperforming expectations.  Revenues to cities and counties increased 11% in July and August 2020 over the same months of the previous year. 

There are good reasons to be optimistic about revenue sharing in the near future, including continued strength in new construction and development that is reflected in sales of high dollar building materials and home furnishings. 

There are reasons to be cautious, too, as federal stimulus and financial support (payments to individuals and increased payments for those collecting unemployment) appears to be ending or reducing significantly, which may mean consumers have fewer dollars to spend in the near term. 

But, at this point, it appears that AIC’s original forecast of a 3% decline in state FY 2021 (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021) in total revenue sharing dollars to cities is likely too pessimistic.  The good news is that this will ease the transition to the new distribution formula based on city population.    

The team at Belden Nu'uvali has seen the way that associations like AIC and our members have been impacted by COVID-19.  In response, Belden Nu'uvali is committing to help by offering us a unique partnership that includes a 10% profit share of "personal protective equipment" (PPE) sales with AIC, including Penetrexx applications.

This means that your city's purchase will not only help keep you, your staff, and stakeholders safer - but will also help keep our Association thriving for the benefit to all of us!

AIC recently hosted a webinar for our members to introduce Penetrexx, and the Belden Nu'uvali team has graciously developed a unique landing page for our members HERE.

Find out more about electrostatic spaying and how Penetrexx works HERE.

NOTE: To reduce overall project costs, please consider reaching out to your neighbor cities/communities and other entities to explore cost-share opportunities within your region.

This post is to serve as a resource for those interested in submitting legislative proposals to AIC for possible inclusion in the AIC priority legislative package. Please feel free to contact AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer (kpacker@idahocities.org) or AIC Policy Analyst Justin Ruen (jruen@idahocities.org) with any questions.

The process for submitting member initiated legislative proposals, as well as basic FAQs are outlined below. 

Who can propose AIC sponsored priority legislation?

Proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation may be brought forward by any of the following association members and groups:

·       AIC Board of Directors,

·       AIC Legislative Committee,

·       AIC Committees, or

·       Elected Officials from One or More Member City.

The Bylaws also allow AIC staff to bring legislative proposals to the Board of Directors at any time. 

When is the deadline to submit a proposal for AIC sponsored priority legislation for consideration?

All policy proposals must be submitted to AIC staff by the close of business on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, in order to be considered as part of the AIC Priority Legislative Package. Please submit all legislative proposals via email to Kelley Packer (kpacker@idahocities.org) or Justin Ruen (jruen@idahocities.org).  

What information must be included with member submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

Legislative proposals submitted to AIC for consideration by an approved sponsor must include the following information:

·       The sponsor (either the name, title, and city of the sponsor or the name of the AIC committee)

·       A brief summary of the proposed legislation in sufficient detail to evaluate the proposal

·       A simple statement of the fiscal impact of the proposed legislation on the state and local governments

·       Draft legislative language

Will AIC staff review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Bylaws require association staff to prepare a staff report to assist the Board of Directors in reviewing priority legislation. The staff report will include the following items:

·       A list of Idaho statutes affected by the proposed legislation,

·       A list of city departments and city officials affected by the proposed legislation,

·       A list of legislative stakeholders both likely to support and likely to oppose the proposed legislation,

·       A statement of the reasons to support the proposed legislation,

·       A statement of the reasons not to support the legislation, including unintended consequences,

·       A brief fiscal analysis of the proposed legislation, and

·       An analysis of the political feasibility of the proposed legislation (likelihood of passage).

Who will review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Board of Directors is authorized by the Bylaws to review and evaluate all legislative proposals submitted by the membership for consideration.

When will the Board of Directors meet to review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Board of Directors will meet no later than November to consider member submitted legislative proposals.

How will the Board of Directors review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Bylaws require the Board of Directors to take the following information into consideration when reviewing legislative proposals:

·       The proposed legislation should affect more than one member city,

·       The proposed legislation should benefit more than one member city,

·       The proposed legislation should be within the general realm and scope of city government, and

·       The proposed legislation should be politically feasible.

What is the voting threshold for the Board of Directors to adopt membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Bylaws require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors in order to support member initiated legislative proposals.

Why is the approval threshold so high?

Having a two-thirds threshold ensures that only near consensus legislation is advanced, thus preventing major divisions within the membership.

For how long is legislation adopted by the Board of Directors the policy position of the association?

Member initiated priority legislation adopted by the Board of Directors will remain the policy position of the association for one year; however, nothing will preclude unsuccessful legislation from being reconsidered in subsequent years.

When will the membership have the opportunity to review AIC sponsored priority legislation adopted by the Board of Directors?

Association membership will have an opportunity to review and comment on AIC sponsored priority legislation at the fall Legislative Committee meeting. Members will also have the opportunity to review AIC sponsored priority legislation during the AIC Legislative Committee meeting held in conjunction with the AIC City Officials Day at the Capitol in late January.

The Institute will be held September 23-25, 2020 and will feature outstanding training and knowledgeable presenters.  The registration cost is $125.

There are two AIC Online University courses being offering in conjunction with the Institute through Boise State University, covering navigating ethical changes and how the legislative process works.  You can choose the course(s) on the conference online registration form and you will be sent a link to register and pay for the course(s) through BSU.

If you made hotel room reservations at the Shoshone Bannock Hotel & Event Center YOU MUST call 208-238-4800 using the pin # 8198 when asked, TO CANCEL, OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE RESERVATION.

We look forward to an outstanding 2020 ICCTFOA Institute and we hope you can join us!

The manner in which the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) assesses the quality of Idaho's streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs is one of a number of important programs implemented to comply with the federal Clean Water Act.  When surface waters of Idaho are found to be out of compliance with the water quality criteria necessary to support the designated uses, these water bodies must be reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency; followed by the development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL; i.e., pollutant budget) and implementation plan in order to bring the water quality back into compliance.

The draft 2018/2020 Integrated Report has been developed in order to meet these environmental and public health needs. Public comments on the draft 2018/2020 Integrated Report are being invited by the IDEQ by August 22, 2020. 

The 2018/2020 Integrated Report provides background information on the state's water resources, including DEQ’s water pollution control program and special concerns affecting water quality; an overview of DEQ’s surface water monitoring and assessment program, including attainment status results for all state surface waters and a discussion about public health issues; an overview of Idaho’s ground water monitoring and assessment efforts; and a summary of public participation in the development of the Integrated Report.

The following highlights are discussed in more detail in the draft Report:

• Since the 2016 Integrated Report, the extent of stream and river miles fully supporting beneficial uses has increased from 31,398 miles to 31,923 miles, and the extent of stream and river miles not supporting beneficial uses has decreased from 34,404 miles to 33,021 miles.

• DEQ de-listed (removed) 146 assessment unit-cause combinations from Categories 4 or 5 (impaired waters).

• The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlighted a Non-point Source Management Program success story for Lost Creek and Falls Creek in northern Idaho.

• Restoration efforts resulted in sediment reductions and improved aquatic habitat conditions in both water bodies. As a result, DEQ removed Lost Creek and Falls Creek from the state’s 2016 list of impaired waters for sediment.

Sufficient water quality data and supporting analysis, coupled with public confidence that the pollutant targets will eventually be achieved, helps provide important justifications for revised management practices and the significant water infrastructure investments expected of municipal and industrial wastewater facilities.

The draft report provides background information on the state's water resources, including DEQ’s water pollution control program and special concerns affecting water quality; an overview of DEQ’s surface water monitoring and assessment program, including assessment results for all state surface waters and a discussion on public health issues; an overview of Idaho’s ground water monitoring and assessment efforts; and a summary of how the public can participate in the development of the Integrated Report. The draft report was developed using DEQ data and other readily available data collected within the last five years (2014–2018).

The following materials are available for review:

• Draft 2018/2020 Integrated Report (PDF)
• Draft 2018/2020 Integrated Report Appendix A: Clean Water Act Section 305(b) List and 303(d) List (PDF)
• Draft 2018/2020 Integrated Report map of water bodies in the state (32 inches x 42 inches) (PDF)
• Draft 2018/2020 Integrated Report Interactive Mapper (Online)

Written comments will be accepted through August 22 at 5 p.m. MDT.

Submit comments electronically on DEQ’s website or by mail or email to:

Robert Esquivel
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Division
1410 N. Hilton
Boise, ID 83706
Email: robert.esquivel@deq.idaho.gov

DEQ is interested in projects from local governments and nonprofits across Idaho that implement, enhance, or support innovative recycling programs, develop markets for recyclables, or reduce food waste.

Applicants can apply for up to $30,000 for sustainable materials management projects. The full application package, including eligibility and ranking criteria, is available on DEQ’s website. Applications are due August 28, 2020, at 5 p.m. MDT.

For more information or questions about the application package, contact Ben Jarvis at (208) 373-0146 or ben.jarvis@deq.idaho.gov.

Resources:

LEED for Cities and Communities

How This Town Produces No Trash

You Can Live Without Producing Trash

"Getting to Zero Waste: Cities, Communities & the Circular Economy, April 2020" webinar & slides 

 

The Highway Distribution Account revenue is allocated based on city population, so cities that are not growing will experience more of a decline relative to growing cities.

The severe projections were the result of traffic counts that dropped dramatically during the Stay-Home Order, and while there was a decline in gas tax revenue, there was still decent revenue generated from diesel and other non-fuel tax components of the Highway Distribution Account (vehicle registrations, etc.). 

What does this mean for Highway Distribution Account revenues for the state 2021 Fiscal Year, which started July 1, 2020?  That is still largely up in the air, but it seems likely that there will be an ongoing decrease in gas tax revenue from people continuing to work from home and reduced travel and vacations. 

Based on what we saw last quarter, AIC’s original projection of a 15% decrease for the state FY 2021 is likely too pessimistic.  A reduction in the range of 5 to 10% from the city’s state FY 2020 numbers (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) is probably more realistic.  But, the situation continues to evolve and we will provide updates as new information becomes available. 

This post is to serve as a resource for those interested in submitting legislative proposals to AIC for possible inclusion in the AIC priority legislative package. Please feel free to contact AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer (kpacker@idahocities.org) or AIC Policy Analyst Justin Ruen (jruen@idahocities.org) with any questions.

The process for submitting member initiated legislative proposals, as well as basic FAQs are outlined below. 

Who can propose AIC sponsored priority legislation?

Proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation may be brought forward by any of the following association members and groups:

·       AIC Board of Directors,

·       AIC Legislative Committee,

·       AIC Committees, or

·       Elected Officials from One or More Member City.

The Bylaws also allow AIC staff to bring legislative proposals to the Board of Directors at any time. 

When is the deadline to submit a proposal for AIC sponsored priority legislation for consideration?

All policy proposals must be submitted to AIC staff by the close of business on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, in order to be considered as part of the AIC Priority Legislative Package. Please submit all legislative proposals via email to Kelley Packer (kpacker@idahocities.org) or Justin Ruen (jruen@idahocities.org).  

What information must be included with member submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

Legislative proposals submitted to AIC for consideration by an approved sponsor must include the following information:

·       The sponsor (either the name, title, and city of the sponsor or the name of the AIC committee)

·       A brief summary of the proposed legislation in sufficient detail to evaluate the proposal

·       A simple statement of the fiscal impact of the proposed legislation on the state and local governments

·       Draft legislative language

Will AIC staff review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Bylaws require association staff to prepare a staff report to assist the Board of Directors in reviewing priority legislation. The staff report will include the following items:

·       A list of Idaho statutes affected by the proposed legislation,

·       A list of city departments and city officials affected by the proposed legislation,

·       A list of legislative stakeholders both likely to support and likely to oppose the proposed legislation,

·       A statement of the reasons to support the proposed legislation,

·       A statement of the reasons not to support the legislation, including unintended consequences,

·       A brief fiscal analysis of the proposed legislation, and

·       An analysis of the political feasibility of the proposed legislation (likelihood of passage).

Who will review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Board of Directors is authorized by the Bylaws to review and evaluate all legislative proposals submitted by the membership for consideration.

When will the Board of Directors meet to review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Board of Directors will meet no later than November to consider member submitted legislative proposals.

How will the Board of Directors review membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Bylaws require the Board of Directors to take the following information into consideration when reviewing legislative proposals:

·       The proposed legislation should affect more than one member city,

·       The proposed legislation should benefit more than one member city,

·       The proposed legislation should be within the general realm and scope of city government, and

·       The proposed legislation should be politically feasible.

What is the voting threshold for the Board of Directors to adopt membership submitted proposals for AIC sponsored priority legislation?

The Bylaws require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors in order to support member initiated legislative proposals.

Why is the approval threshold so high?

Having a two-thirds threshold ensures that only near consensus legislation is advanced, thus preventing major divisions within the membership.

For how long is legislation adopted by the Board of Directors the policy position of the association?

Member initiated priority legislation adopted by the Board of Directors will remain the policy position of the association for one year; however, nothing will preclude unsuccessful legislation from being reconsidered in subsequent years.

When will the membership have the opportunity to review AIC sponsored priority legislation adopted by the Board of Directors?

Association membership will have an opportunity to review and comment on AIC sponsored priority legislation at the fall Legislative Committee meeting. Members will also have the opportunity to review AIC sponsored priority legislation during the AIC Legislative Committee meeting held in conjunction with the AIC City Officials Day at the Capitol in late January.

Table for Percentage Computation Method of Withholding

Table for Wage Bracket Method of Withholding

Thanks to AIC Financial Coordinator Dara Von Lossberg and AIC Counsel Jerry Mason for their great work on this project!

AIC has developed a model forgone accrual resolution that you can find as a link at the bottom of this post.  We extend our appreciation to the City of Twin Falls for sharing their resolution with us. 

House Bill 354 requires cities to pass a resolution every year to accrue forgone property tax levying authority to be used in a future year.  If the city fails to pass the resolution, that year’s forgone amount would be forfeited permanently, but the city would still retain previous forgone levying authority already accrued. 

House Bill 354 would eliminate the current process for disclaiming forgone, so cities would not need to pass a resolution to disclaim forgone in the future, it would just be done by not passing a resolution to accrue forgone.

The process to pass the forgone accrual resolution includes notice published in the official newspaper twice, at least seven days apart and there must be a public hearing.  The process for the forgone resolution is the same as, and can be done together with, the city’s budget notice and hearing. 

Once passed by the city council, the resolution must be filed with the county with the L-2 property tax levy form.  The forgone reserved can only be for the year that the city is filing the L-2 levy form, and you can’t accrue multiple years of forgone in one resolution.  The resolution must specify the exact dollar amount of forgone being reserved. 

Grants up to $10,000 are available to implement projects to protect sources of public drinking water including:

•         Contaminant source identification (research)

•         Contaminant pathway removal (closure of abandoned or unused wells)

•         Contaminant removal (hazardous waste collection, pollution prevention, and waste reduction)

•         Contaminant management (implementation of best management practices (BMPs) and implementation of a source water protection plan)

•         Education and information sharing (brochures, workshops, media campaigns)

Additional information and grant applications are available at www.deq.idaho.gov/swpGrant/. 

 Please note that the application deadline is August 7, 2020.

Staff Contact: Rachael Smith, REHS, Source Water Coordinator

The Ken Harward Award was established by AIC to recognize exceptional contributions benefiting the State of Idaho and its communities. Harward was City Administrator and Finance Director for the City of Nampa, Idaho, for 24 years and his visionary planning was integral to the development of the Nampa Recreation Center, the Centennial-Ridgecrest golf complex, the Nampa Civic Center and the Idaho Center. Harward was also AIC’s longest serving Executive Director and worked tirelessly to build the credibility and effectiveness of AIC.

Maryanne Jordan served on the Boise City Council from 2003 to 2017 and served as Council President from 2005-06 and 2010-2015.  She co-sponsored Boise’s non-discrimination ordinance and was active in the Boise Foothills Open Space campaign.  She was also actively engaged on the AIC Legislative Committee and as a district director on the AIC Board.

Maryanne was appointed by Governor Otter to fill a State Senate seat vacated when Boise Sen. Elliot Werk was appointed to the State Tax Commission. 

Maryanne is a former President of the West Valley Neighborhood Association and spent five years on Boise’s Planning and Zoning Commission. 

“As a policymaker at the state and local level, Maryanne has distinguished herself by having a phenomenal grasp of complex issues, a willingness to work with others of differing philosophical perspectives, and for treating everyone with respect,” said AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer.  “Congratulations to Maryanne on this very well-deserved recognition!”

Jerry Mason serves as AIC’s Legal Counsel and as Board Counsel for ICRMP.  His work with AIC involves training, technical assistance and advocacy in the subject areas of planning and zoning, annexation, procurement, open meetings, public records, ethics, personnel, and liability.  

With his longtime law partner Nancy Stricklin, the Mason & Stricklin firm provided legal counsel to cities in North Idaho.

One of Jerry’s greatest highlights in advocating for cities was the Plummer v. Fruitland case, which was reheard before the Idaho Supreme Court and Jerry’s argument and amicus brief were instrumental in convincing the court to unanimously overturn their earlier decision and rule in favor of the city’s power to have an exclusive solid waste collection franchise.  It was an impressive and well-deserved result of Jerry’s hard work.

He has been an articulate and persuasive advocate for fair procedures to govern decisionmaking and his vision for procedural fairness is enshrined in state laws governing local government procurement, land use, and annexation.   

“Jerry’s 45 years of experience in local government provides him with a valuable and unequalled perspective,” said Kelley Packer.  “The AIC Board and staff have the greatest appreciation for Jerry’s dedicated service.”

The Harold Hurst Award is given annually to a city official who demonstrates exemplary performance in city government and who has contributed to the accomplishments of the Association of Idaho Cities. The award is named for Harold Hurst, the mayor of Heyburn for 24 years and a Past President of AIC.

Suzanne has served on the Twin Falls City Council since May 2012 and was elected Mayor in January of this year.  She has been actively engaged in AIC, serving on the Legislative Committee and currently as President.

In addition to her service to the City of Twin Falls, Suzanne has co-owned Computer Connection with her husband and currently works for Edward Jones.  Suzanne was recognized as one of Idaho Business Review’s Women of the Year in 2019.

"Suzanne has led AIC through what was likely the most difficult year in the Association's history,” said AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer.  “She dealt with extremely sensitive issues with compassion, resolve and strength.” 

Suzanne has been a champion for youth engagement and the Twin Falls Youth Council, and has played a vital role in mentoring these future leaders.   

For her exceptional service to the association, we are proud to recognize Suzanne with the Harold Hurst Award.

In the Community Engagement Category:

Adopt a Tree Program – City of Cascade: As part of the city’s downtown revitalization, Cascade successfully invited individuals, families, businesses and groups to adopt from among the 75 tree boxes and 16 barrels along Main Street.    

New Year’s Eve Beet Drop – City of Rupert: The City’s now iconic 25-foot tall, 12-foot wide sugar beet weighing 1,500 pounds was dropped in a family friendly New Year’s Eve celebration downtown that generated media buzz across the country. 

Community Outreach & Engagement – City of Sandpoint: The Engage Sandpoint App was developed to provide citizens an easy way to stay informed and share feedback on city programs and projects, report non-emergencies, manage utility bills, apply for permits and registration, and stay connected with the city. 

In the Economic & Community Development Category:

Experience Idaho Falls Liiingo App - City of Idaho Falls: The app is an innovative and multilingual tool to give visitors information about places to visit, activities, restaurants, and lodging options in English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. 

Sprague Walkway & McGhee Cement Treated Base Projects - City of Kootenai: These grant funded projects involve child safety pedestrian improvements around Kootenai Elementary School and repair of a major collector between Highway 200 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. 

Northgate Interchange Public Private Partnership – City of Pocatello: Leveraging funding from the cities of Pocatello and Chubbuck, Bannock County, ITD, Pocatello Development Authority and Millennial Development, the Public-Private Partnership project for the interchange accessing over 2,000 acres of north Pocatello was finished 15 years ahead of the projected timeline.

Project Trio – City of Burley: Three closely interrelated projects brought to Burley resulting in capital investment of $300 million and 290 jobs: McCain Foods’ potato processing plant expansion, NEWCOLD’s new 25 million cubic foot sub-zero warehouse, and WATCO’s new “Perishable Express” high efficiency shipping.

In the Parks & Recreation Category:

Gravel Grinder Map - City of Hailey: A map of the best local routes for cyclists looking for opportunities to ride on gravel roads in Blaine County.

Transforming North Park - City of Jerome: A cooperative project between the city and Jerome Recreation District, with funding from Idaho Central Credit Union and other local contributions, that established a new and dramatically improved North Park with an amphitheater, splash pad, play area, sidewalk and extension to the skate park. 

Kuna Splash Pad – City of Kuna: A 3,100 square foot splash pad located on the Kuna greenbelt with a system for recycling water and reusing it for irrigation, this has proven to be a very popular summer amenity for this community.  

2020 Arbor Day & Earth Day Celebration and Community Health & Wellness Programs - City of Mountain Home: The city continued with its Arbor Day celebration despite the pandemic, allowing citizens to request delivery of a tree seedling that was dropped off at their home or property.  The city also developed a partnership with St. Luke’s Elmore Medical Center to offer free fitness classes for citizens.

In the Public Safety Category:

Biosolids Dryer - City of Burley: The city purchased a used biosolids dryer from a community in Florida that was hauled to Idaho on four semi loads for its Industrial Treatment Facility to produce safe biosolids that will be used as fertilizer for alfalfa and feed corn. 

School Emergency Notification App - City of Malad: A cooperative project with the Oneida School District, the App for phones and tablets developed by Jesse Wakley provides connectivity to parents, school administrators, resource officers, city dispatch, and first responders in the event of an emergency.

Idaho Standard Command Responses for Schools – City of Meridian: The document standardizes communication and procedures for school personnel and students during emergency response situations and is being used by over 60% of the student population in Idaho.

Police Department Building (Scott Benton) – City of Salmon: Salmon retiree Scott Benton volunteered to make major technological upgrades to allow the city to use a recently vacated facility for its Police Department, rewiring the facility for phones, data and networking capability.

In the Public Works & Transportation Category:

Water Metering Project - City of Ammon: The mayor and council made the policy decision to install water meters to ensure efficient and sustainable use of this scarce resource, resulting in a savings of 370 million gallons during the summer of 2019.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Green Technology: Linear Mixer and Digester – City of Caldwell: The Caldwell wastewater treatment plant has been updated and upgraded with the goal of making it able to operate using biotechnology instead of chemicals, making the plant more efficient and self-sustaining. 

Re-Use Project (Nate Runyan) – City of Nampa: The city is receiving a first of its kind in the State of Idaho reuse permit to allow highly treated Class A water to be used in the community for fire protection, commercial and residential landscaping, and irrigation needs.  Nate Runyan, the Deputy Public Works Director, led a public outreach and education effort that built public support for the upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.

The nominee for Third Vice President must be a city elected official from an AIC member city and eligible candidates should be from AIC District 3 or 4.  District 3 includes cities in Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley and Washington Counties.  District 4 includes cities in Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln, Jerome, Minidoka, Twin Falls and Cassia Counties.

Nominating Process

The nominating process begins with the establishment of the AIC Nominating Committee, the structure of which is set forth in the AIC Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will interview candidates for Third Vice President by videoconference on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27. The Nominating Committee will announce their nomination for AIC Board Officers on Thursday, May 28 and the list will be posted on the AIC website. 

Normally, there would be an opportunity at the conference for nominations from the floor immediately prior to the election, but this year due to the unique situation of holding a virtual conference there will be a deadline for nominations from the floor that must be received by AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer at kpacker@idahocities.org by close of business on Friday, May 29.  If there are nominees from the floor, these will be posted with the candidate list on the AIC website. 

In the event that a position has multiple candidates, AIC will allow each to submit a video up to five minutes long OR a written statement up to 300 words outlining their biography, qualifications and goals for serving on the board and an email address for city officials to ask each candidate questions.  Candidates must submit their video/written statement and email address to Payton Grover at pgrover@idahocities.org by close of business on Monday, June 1.  If you need help with the video process, you can reach Payton Grover on her cell phone at 208-908-1341.

Voting for AIC officers will be by each city’s designated voting delegate, which must be designated by Wednesday, May 27 to Payton Grover at pgrover@idahocities.org  AIC will soon be sending out a notice asking cities to designate their voting delegate, which must be a city elected official who is registered to attend the 2020 AIC Annual Conference.  In the event that AIC doesn’t hear back from a city, the voting delegate will be identified under the following order of priority for city officials registered for the Annual Conference: (1) the mayor, (2) the council president, (3) any councilor.     

The voting delegates have until Monday, June 8 at close of business to submit their votes on the board election to Payton Grover at pgrover@idahocities.org

Nominating Committee Chair: Immediate Past President Elaine Clegg—Council President, Boise

Nominating Committee Members:

Jeri DeLange, Councilor, Hayden     

Mayor Brian Blad, Pocatello

Councilor Greg Lanting, Twin Falls

Mayor John Evans, Garden City

Mayor Mac Pooler, Kellogg

Council President Mitch Hart, Soda Springs

Mayor Garret Nancolas, Caldwell

To achieve a quorum, the Nominating Committee must have at least three AIC Past Presidents in attendance.  If a Quorum cannot be established the President will appoint three sitting AIC District Directors to serve with the available Past Presidents on the Nominating Committee.

Nomination of Officers: The Nominating Committee is required to select candidates according to a geographic rotation to ensure each of Idaho’s major geographic regions are represented. The AIC Bylaws have established the geographic regions to be:

North: AIC Districts 1 and 2
South: AIC Districts 3 and 4
East: AIC Districts 5 and 6
West: AIC District 3A

About the AIC Board of Directors

The association is governed by a Board of Directors elected annually by the membership. The Board is charged with conducting the affairs of the association on behalf of member cities. Specifically, the Board is responsible for:

·         Advancing the public interest of cities,

·         Building democracy and community within cities, and

·         Strengthening the capacity of municipal government by providing research, education, and training to city elected officials and staff.

The Bylaws establish three types of Board membership: Officers, District Directors, and Past Presidents.

Officers: The Officers of the association consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Third Vice President. Officers are nominated by the Nominating Committee (chaired by the Immediate Past President and consisting of all Past Presidents serving on the Board) and elected by the full membership at the Annual Conference. Officers are nominated to maintain balance between Idaho’s four geographic regions. The Officers of the association also serve as members of the Board Executive Committee.

District Directors: Two District Directors are elected from each of the seven AIC districts at regional spring district workshops. Each District Director serves for staggered two-year terms.

Past Presidents: Past Presidents of the Association who have served continuously in city elective office may continue serving as voting members of the Board. The four most recent past presidents also serve on the AIC Board Executive Committee.

Executive Committee: The Executive Committee has general supervision over the affairs of the Association between Board meetings. The Executive Committee is also responsible for overseeing and evaluating the performance of the Executive Director.

The source of cities’ revenue sharing funds are from state sales tax revenues, which do fluctuate with economic growth and decline, and veteran city officials remember the Great Recession when there was rapid growth in sales tax revenue during the housing boom of 2004 to 2008 that led to unprecedented and unsustainable growth in sales tax revenue from sale of building materials, home furnishings and appliances.  When the Great Recession hit, sales tax revenue declined about 17% from the pre-recession high causing serious revenue losses for both the state and local governments.

There is reason to be cautious about revenue sharing and for that reason, AIC has made fairly conservative projections with a 6.35% decline in the April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020 quarter from the same quarter of the previous Fiscal Year, a 4% increase for state FY 2020 (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) and a 3% decline for state FY 2021 (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021).  

The state Division of Financial Management has projected a 5.9% increase for state FY 2020 and a 1.9% increase for state FY 2021. 

Below are the annual increases in revenue sharing over the past several years.

FY 2013:               8.21% 

FY 2014:               4.94% 

FY 2015:               6.41%

FY 2016:               7.10%

FY 2017:               5.98%   

FY 2018:               8.72%  

FY 2019:               6.58%

However, there is reason to believe that the pace of development activity today appears to be on a more sustainable trend line, which would make a decline in revenue sharing of the magnitude experienced in the Great Recession unlikely at this point.  But that largely depends on continued development activity and if that comes to a halt in a similar fashion to the Great Recession, city officials will have to reexamine the situation and lower their projections.   

It is important for city officials to carefully think through their projections for revenue sharing.  AIC will continue to provide updated information and projections as developments unfold.

We appreciate your patience as the demands of COVID-19 technical assistance and need for guidance on the state of the economy delayed the manual’s publication this year. 

We will be planning a budget online training as well as a session on budgeting basics at next month’s virtual AIC Annual Conference.  

Yesterday, staff representing AIC, the Idaho Association of Counties and the Idaho Association of Highway Districts had a conference call with representatives of the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD).  ITD shared some recent modeling to attempt to derive the impacts to the Highway Distribution Account resulting from dramatically lower traffic volumes as a result of the Stay-Home Order and the loss of gas tax revenue. 

ITD’s model predicts that for the quarter from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020, cities will see a loss of 11% from the same quarter of the previous Fiscal Year.  AIC is developing revised Highway Distribution Account projections based on a loss of 13% for that quarter. 

But there remains a vast range of potential outcomes when talking about Highway Distribution Account projections for the next state Fiscal Year (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021).  Cities may want to prepare different scenarios based on a 10% decline, 15% decline and 20% decline.  AIC is currently projecting a 15% decline, but that is subject to change as further information becomes available.

If the measures to open up the economy are successful and unemployment begins to drop immediately, then a 10% decline might be more feasible.  But if a second wave of Coronavirus hits, forcing additional stay-home orders, then a decline in the range of 20% might be experienced.

Cities should start discussions among the elected officials about ways to prepare for a large decrease in revenue.  Less disruptive ways of dealing with revenue shortfalls including holding back spending on equipment purchases that are in the budget that could be delayed a year or two, or leaving open positions vacant.  Given we still have a decent amount of our Fiscal Year left, that provides cities more flexibility to make these decisions. 

However, economic downturns are also good opportunities to get street and bridge maintenance and construction projects done because of a more favorable bidding environment and keeping people employed will help our state through the downturn. 

The votes have been emailed in for the selection of the District Directors for the AIC Board.  These District Directors are listed below.  The District Directors will be formally elected at the AIC Virtual Annual Conference next month.

District 1:             Shelby Rognstad—Mayor, Sandpoint

District 2:             Bill Lambert—Mayor, Moscow

District 3:             Kenny Everhart—Councilor, Idaho City

District 3A:          Holli Woodings—Councilor, Boise

District 4:             Bruce Hossfeld—Mayor, Paul

District 5:             Rick Cheatum—Councilor, Pocatello

District 6:             Rebecca Casper—Mayor, Idaho Falls

Congratulations to our newly selected District Directors!  We greatly appreciate your service to AIC!

The nominee for Third Vice President must be a city elected official from an AIC member city and eligible candidates should be from AIC District 3 or 4.  District 3 includes cities in Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley and Washington Counties.  District 4 includes cities in Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln, Jerome, Minidoka, Twin Falls and Cassia Counties.

Nominating Process

The nominating process begins with the establishment of the AIC Nominating Committee, the structure of which is set forth in the AIC Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will interview candidates for Third Vice President by videoconference on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27. The Nominating Committee will announce their nomination for AIC Board Officers on Thursday, May 28 and the list will be posted on the AIC website. 

Normally, there would be an opportunity at the conference for nominations from the floor immediately prior to the election, but this year due to the unique situation of holding a virtual conference there will be a deadline for nominations from the floor that must be received by AIC Executive Director Kelley Packer at kpacker@idahocities.org by close of business on Friday, May 29.  If there are nominees from the floor, these will be posted with the candidate list on the AIC website. 

In the event that a position has multiple candidates, AIC will allow each to submit a video up to five minutes long OR a written statement up to 300 words outlining their biography, qualifications and goals for serving on the board and an email address for city officials to ask each candidate questions.  Candidates must submit their video/written statement and email address to Payton Grover at pgrover@idahocities.org by close of business on Monday, June 1.  If you need help with the video process, you can reach Payton Grover on her cell phone at 208-908-1341.

Voting for AIC officers will be by each city’s designated voting delegate, which must be designated by Wednesday, May 27 to Payton Grover at pgrover@idahocities.org  AIC will soon be sending out a notice asking cities to designate their voting delegate, which must be a city elected official who is registered to attend the 2020 AIC Annual Conference.  In the event that AIC doesn’t hear back from a city, the voting delegate will be identified under the following order of priority for city officials registered for the Annual Conference: (1) the mayor, (2) the council president, (3) any councilor.     

The voting delegates have until Monday, June 8 at close of business to submit their votes on the board election to Payton Grover at pgrover@idahocities.org

Nominating Committee Chair: Immediate Past President Elaine Clegg—Council President, Boise

Nominating Committee Members:

Jeri DeLange, Councilor, Hayden     

Mayor Brian Blad, Pocatello

Councilor Greg Lanting, Twin Falls

Mayor John Evans, Garden City

Mayor Mac Pooler, Kellogg

Council President Mitch Hart, Soda Springs

Mayor Garret Nancolas, Caldwell

To achieve a quorum, the Nominating Committee must have at least three AIC Past Presidents in attendance.  If a Quorum cannot be established the President will appoint three sitting AIC District Directors to serve with the available Past Presidents on the Nominating Committee.

Nomination of Officers: The Nominating Committee is required to select candidates according to a geographic rotation to ensure each of Idaho’s major geographic regions are represented. The AIC Bylaws have established the geographic regions to be:

North: AIC Districts 1 and 2

South: AIC Districts 3 and 4

East: AIC Districts 5 and 6

West: AIC District 3A

About the AIC Board of Directors

The association is governed by a Board of Directors elected annually by the membership. The Board is charged with conducting the affairs of the association on behalf of member cities. Specifically, the Board is responsible for:

·         Advancing the public interest of cities,

·         Building democracy and community within cities, and

·         Strengthening the capacity of municipal government by providing research, education, and training to city elected officials and staff.

The Bylaws establish three types of Board membership: Officers, District Directors, and Past Presidents.

Officers: The Officers of the association consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Third Vice President. Officers are nominated by the Nominating Committee (chaired by the Immediate Past President and consisting of all Past Presidents serving on the Board) and elected by the full membership at the Annual Conference. Officers are nominated to maintain balance between Idaho’s four geographic regions. The Officers of the association also serve as members of the Board Executive Committee.

District Directors: Two District Directors are elected from each of the seven AIC districts at regional spring district workshops. Each District Director serves for staggered two-year terms.

Past Presidents: Past Presidents of the Association who have served continuously in city elective office may continue serving as voting members of the Board. The four most recent past presidents also serve on the AIC Board Executive Committee.

Executive Committee: The Executive Committee has general supervision over the affairs of the Association between Board meetings. The Executive Committee is also responsible for overseeing and evaluating the performance of the Executive Director.

“Idaho will be better positioned for a strong economic rebound because of the difficult changes we are making in the short-term,” Governor Little said. “Like everyone, I want our economy back up and running as soon as possible, but we simply cannot open everything all at once and reverse the good work we have done collectively over the past month to slow the spread of coronavirus. We have a plan to reopen our economy in stages, consistent with direction from the President.”

The Governor’s Office created Rebound.Idaho.Gov a new online resource for Idahoans to track the state’s progress in reopening the state’s economy in stages to ensure a strong economic comeback.

The plan will occur over four stages and sets forth specific criteria for Idaho to meet before moving into each of the four stages, as well as business protocols that must be followed for certain business to open up in the various stages.

The Governor also announced the creation of his Economic Rebound Advisory Committee, made up of business leaders across the state. The group will provide recommendations that work to rebuild employee and consumer confidence, provide for business stability and growth, and eventually business promotion and attraction.

“The Governor’s Economic Rebound Advisory Committee will provide recommendations for actions that support and drive the success of the safe reopening of our economy and related interests within the state,” said Darrel Anderson, Idaho Power CEO and Economic Rebound Advisory Committee leading member.

Idaho is still under a statewide stay-home order until April 30. Governor Little will make an announcement next week about whether Idaho has met the criteria to enter into the next stage of reopening.

“Idaho will be better positioned for a strong economic comeback because we are making difficult changes in how we live and work in the short-term,” Governor Little said. “The statewide stay-home order is working to flatten the curve and slow the spread of coronavirus in Idaho, but the science tells us if you don’t time these measures right then we could worsen the outcome for citizens’ health and the economy weeks or months down the road.”  

Idahoans should continue to practice all the behaviors they have been doing since March 25, when Governor Little issued the 21-day order.  

However, formerly “non-essential” facilities and services under the order may offer curbside and delivery services between now and April 30.

In addition, Governor Little’s amended order issued today requires out-of-state travelers to self-quarantine in Idaho for 14 days after entering. Those performing essential services or those who live in one state and work or gain essential services in another state are excluded.

Governor Little also said “non-essential” businesses should prepare to reopen after April 30 as long as they prepare operational plans over the next two weeks to maintain social distancing for staff and patrons; provide adequate sanitation and protective coverings for employees, vendors, and patrons; offer curbside and pickup delivery; limit number of people in business at a time; and direct flow of people in the operation.

This excludes some “non-essential” businesses where people simply cannot safely social distance, such as nightclubs, bars, and restaurants for dine-in; indoor gyms and recreational facilities; hair and nail salons; convention and entertainment centers; and public events and gatherings.

He noted that may not occur if there is an upward trend of severe COVID-19 cases in Idaho between now and April 30.

“Rebounding to an economic recovery will require consumer confidence. Without therapeutics to treat symptoms of coronavirus, without a vaccine, and without herd immunity, consumers want to know businesses will adhere to strict practices to assure their health and safety. We can expect to go through phases of loosening and tightening of these measures until we do. In the meantime, I will continue to push for expanded access to testing,” Governor Little added.

Governor Little will evaluate the order again closer to the end of the month.

“I want to thank the people of Idaho for doing an incredible job protecting their neighbors and themselves by following the statewide stay-home order. We are truly a state made up of people who care for each other,” Governor Little said.

The amended order and other updated informational materials will be available at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/ after 1:30 p.m. MST today.

Kelley is currently the Division Administrator for the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.  She has served in elected office at both the state and local levels, as a city councilor for the City of McCammon and for three terms in the Idaho House of Representatives.  She currently serves as a civil discourse facilitator for the National Institute for Civil Discourse.

Now more than ever, we are working hard to support all cities throughout the great state of Idaho.  Please help us in welcoming Kelley to AIC!

To help ensure drinking water safety, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has developed guidance for restarting building water systems after prolonged shutdowns.

Background
Stagnant, or standing water can cause conditions that increase the risk for growth and spread of Legionella and other biofilm-associated bacteria. When water is stagnant, hot water temperatures can decrease to the Legionella growth range (77–108°F, 25–42°C). Stagnant water can also lead to low or undetectable levels of disinfectant, such as chlorine. The CDC urges building operations staff to ensure water systems are safe to use after a prolonged shutdown to minimize the risk of Legionnaires’ disease and other diseases associated with water.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) is looking into additional guidance on this topic from other sources.  Look for more information in the future on the IDEQ COVID-19 website, under Drinking Water.

Staff Contact: Tyler Fortunati, MSIH, REHS; IDEQ Drinking Water Bureau Chief

tyler.fortunati@deq.idaho.gov

On February 24, 2020, Riverside Irrigation District (“Riverside”) submitted a Petition for Declaratory Ruling Regarding Need for a Water Right to Divert Water Under Reuse Permit No. M-255-01 (“Petition”) to the Idaho Department of Water Resources (“Department”).  Riverside petitions the Department for a declaratory ruling as to the applicability of Idaho Code § 42-201(2) to Reuse Permit No. M-255-01 (“Permit”).  Petition at 3.  The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued the Permit to the City of Nampa (“City”) on January 21, 2020.  The Petition alleges that under the Permit, the City intends to deliver reuse water to Pioneer Irrigation District (“Pioneer”) and that Pioneer intends to supply the reuse water to its patrons.  Id. at 2.  Riverside seeks a declaratory ruling that:

1)  Pioneer cannot divert or accept reuse water from the City or apply the City’s reuse water to land in the Pioneer boundaries under the reuse Permit without first obtaining a water right.

2)  Any attempt by Pioneer or the City to divert water under the Permit to Pioneer without first applying for a water right is in contravention to Idaho law.                              

Petition at 3.

            The Petition may be viewed at any IDWR office or online at: https://idwr.idaho.gov/legal-actions/administrative-actions/M-255-01-Nampa.html

The Department’s Rule of Procedure 400 states that any person may petition the Department “for a declaratory ruling on the applicability of a statute, rule or order administered by the agency.”  IDAPA 37.01.01.400.  The Department’s Rule of Procedure 401 requires the Department issue notice of the Petition “in a matter designed to call its attention to persons likely to be interested in the subject matter of the petition.”  IDAPA 37.01.01.401.  The Department is in the process of publishing notice in the Times News, Post Register, Lewiston Tribune, and the Idaho Press Tribune. 

The Director will address Riverside’s Petition through a formal contested case proceeding.  The deadline to file petitions to intervene is April 23, 2020. 

A copy of the notice can be found on the IDWR's website.

Please contact AIC staff Johanna Bell (jbell@idahocities.org) or attorney Jerry Mason (jerry@mslawid.com) with any questions.

Make sure to be aware of the first budgeting deadline that is coming up soon: Thursday, April 30, 2020, which is the deadline to notify the county clerk in writing of the date, time and location of the city’s budget hearing for the upcoming fiscal year.    

Like everybody else, AIC staff have been handling a lot of work on the Coronavirus that has been essential, but that means we have had less time to focus on the budget manual than we would in a normal year.    

Because of the downturn in the economy, it is critically important that we have as much information and analysis as possible when making our projections for revenue sharing and highway distribution account.  The Idaho Division of Financial Management will have a new economic forecast out at the end of April that will be an important resource.  We will also have the April sales tax numbers that will show more of the impacts.  Without these, our projections would be little more than blind guesses, so the release of the budget manual will likely be delayed until mid-May.  We appreciate your patience and understanding! 

We know that people have questions about what impacts the economic downturn may have on revenue sharing and what generally could happen so they can begin preparing.  In the Great Recession, total revenue in the State Distribution formula declined about 17% from the high in 2007 and total revenue in the County Distribution formula declined about 18%, as shown in the chart below. 

In addition, it’s very likely that cities will see meaningful declines of potentially 15% to 20% in their Highway Distribution Account revenue due to lower state fuel tax revenues as a result of decreased travel under the Stay-Home Order.

It may be necessary for cities to look at holding back spending in the remainder of the current Fiscal Year based on the potential impacts.  Each city needs to look at its fiscal condition and determine their ability to weather the economic downturn and have a robust conversation between the elected officials about the appropriate path forward. 

Less disruptive forms of holding back spending can take the form of leaving open positions vacant or holding off on budgeted capital purchases.  But, economic downturns often mean that public agencies have much greater purchasing power for construction projects if they have the revenues available and these projects can provide great benefits in local communities by keeping people employed. 

Thanks for all you do on behalf of Idaho cities.  If you have any questions about budgeting issues, don’t hesitate to email Justin Ruen at jruen@idahocities.org

In light of Governor Little’s proclamation authorizing city councils and other local governing boards to hold public meetings via teleconferencing or web conferencing, AIC has developed tips for cities to assist in conducting virtual public meetings. Please consult with your city’s IT professionals in identifying a solution that meets your needs as well as your city attorney to ensure compliance with Governor Little’s proclamation and the Idaho Open Meeting Law.

Public Trust

Government transparency, especially open meetings, is a fundamental principle of American democracy. Idahoans expect government business to be conducted in an open and transparent manner. This is especially true in circumstances like we find ourselves in today. The Governor’s proclamation in no way relieves cities of their legal obligation to comply with the Idaho Open Meeting Law. Fortunately, we live at a time in which public meetings can be easily broadcast to the public using accessible web conferencing solutions and a laptop or cell phone.

Web and Teleconferencing Solutions

Where possible, use a web conferencing platform to live stream your city council meetings. Popular programs include Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, and Adobe Connect. Those of you that use Google’s G-Suite or Microsoft 365 may already have access to services like Google Hangouts Meet  or Microsoft Teams and may not need to purchase additional software. Many of these services offer a free trial period for you to test the software program before subscribing.

These web conferencing solutions offer the ability to include a video feed of the meeting, a call-in number for those that do not have access to the internet, the ability to publicly present information (documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.), and a “raise your hand” or “chat” feature allowing participants to request an opportunity to speak. A comprehensive software package offers the most features to provide general access for the public in a virtual setting. These services also allow governing board members to fully participate in the meeting from a remote setting. In order to use these web conferencing software solutions, you will need a webcam and a microphone. Most laptops, tablets, and smartphones have a built-in webcam and microphone.

Where web conferencing solutions are not available, make a conference call number available for the public to listen in to the meeting. Please make sure that the teleconferencing service you use has enough capacity to accommodate the public to participate. This is important because some teleconferencing packages limit the number of individuals that can call in to a meeting.

Public Notice

You should update your meeting notices to include a notice that public meetings will be conducted virtually using web conferencing and teleconferencing. The meeting notice should also include a link to the web conferencing website that the public will need to enter into their web browser to view the online meeting web stream as well as the conference call number and passcode for audio streaming. While web conferencing or live streaming is not required, teleconferencing is. If you use web conferencing, be sure to include basic instructions for participating in the public meeting via web conference.

Example of language to be included in meeting notices:

In accordance with Governor Little’s stay at home order and proclamation allowing public meetings to be conducted remotely, the meeting will be conducted entirely remotely and live streamed on the [INSERT NAME OF CITY] website using [INSERT NAME OF WEB CONFERENCING SOFTWARE]:

The live meeting can be viewed here [INSERT LINK TO WEB CONFERENCE ROOM]

To participate via web conferencing: [INSERT LINK TO WEB CONFERENCE ROOM]

To participate or listen via telephone dial 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX, then enter passcode XXX XXX XXX

Instructions for participation in the meeting can be found at [INSERT WEBSITE TO VIEW INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING]

Starting your meeting

1.      Ask users to mute from their end, if possible.

2.      Explain the agenda and chat/question options to attendees.

3.      Ask speakers to announce themselves before speaking. (You can ask this of members of the public who decide to speak during a public comment portion, just as you would in a regular meeting.)

Meeting Security

The default settings of some web conferencing solutions are set to allow any participant to share information, including their screen and audio. Please work with city IT staff to ensure that settings which allow any participant to share their screen, control the meeting, or otherwise speak and disrupt the flow of the meeting are turned off. Most web conferencing solutions have settings which prohibit participants from taking over a virtual meeting. Your IT professional should be able to help you access these settings and set up your virtual meeting room to allow for an appropriate and safe open meeting. For those of you that do not have professional IT staff, these settings can be accessed under the “settings” or “preferences” of your account. Once you access your account settings, look for settings related to video, screen sharing, and audio and disable any options that allow for participants to share their screen, control the meeting, or otherwise access the meeting in a way that would not be permitted in a physical meeting. Also look for settings that prevent participants from broadcasting their screen or video feed prior to the meeting beginning. Additional platform specific security guides can be accessed using the links below:

Zoom

WebEx

Microsoft Teams 

General Tips

 Don’t attempt to achieve total proficiency before using, try it and work out the bugs as you move along.

 Know that you’ll get better each time you use it. Test the web conferencing software program or conference call number before your meetings and become familiar with differences between programs.

 Do tests to ensure all can hear and it can be recorded by your clerk.

 Allow for a little extra time to conduct the meeting, you may or may not need.

 Accept that mistakes may happen with first time use but you can’t correct those mistakes if you don’t formally use it.

 Take 30 minutes before the meeting starts to practice video, audio, muting and unmuting, screen sharing, presenter sharing, chatting and questions.

 Use video, if possible, to keep people’s attention.

 Complete test runs with those presenting to make participants comfortable.

 Make sure security features are enabled to prevent participants from taking over the meeting.

 Have an agenda and script that include when presenters will need control and when to unmute attendees for questions and comments.

 Complete test runs to make participants comfortable.

 Do test runs with 2-3 people to make it manageable before conducting in larger group.

 Remind participants to mute unless speaking to eliminate background noise.

 Verbally identify yourself before speaking.

 Take a roll call vote for all motions/actions.

Please keep the video short and have a little fun with it.  Encourage other people to make and share their own videos. 

SCRIPT -

- "This is (NAME). Let's get Idaho back so we can get back to (YOUR CREATIVE ANSWER). Together we can Crush The Curve in Idaho."

- Example script tailored to Mayors would be - "Hello Everyone, This is Mayor Blad from Pocatello. Let's get Idaho back so we can get back to community events. Together we can Crush The Curve in Idaho. "

GUIDELINES -

- Film on your mobile phone - no more production is needed for these.

- Film using either front facing camera or camera on back. Vertical Video or Horizontally filmed will work great.

- There are no strict guidelines for the background, or what to wear - please just be mindful that this will be shared publicly. You could film in a home office or somewhere the audio would be good, but make sure not to show anything too personal.

EXAMPLES FROM UTAH CAMPAIGN-

https://twitter.com/LHM/status/1245848545304784897

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-f_HarAVSb/   

UPLOADING YOUR VIDEO-

- Please upload and deliver via Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.

- If you have issues with uploading - please do not hesitate to email or call Matthew Rabe directly (contact info at bottom).

SOCIAL MEDIA PUSH -

- This video you can also use to be shared on your individual, city page, or other social media accounts. This campaign is all about awareness, so as much exposure as we can get to drive people to the website and use the hashtag - the better.

- The #CrushTheCurveIdaho campaign will officially launch on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 and there will be a lot of content shared through social media. Content will be provided on all platforms and encouraged to be shared, etc.

If you have any questions, you can contact Matthew Rabe:

Email: matthew@thebrothersrabe.com

Phone: (480) 399-3553

House Bill 583 clarifies that employers may not take adverse action against an employee because the employee in good faith participates or communicates information in an investigation, hearing, court proceeding, legislative or other inquiry, or administrative review concerning the waste of public funds, property or manpower, or a violation or suspected violation of a state or local law, rule or regulation. 

The bill also limits total noneconomic damages to $370,000 (with an annual inflation factor) and provides that government entities are exempt from punitive damages.

House Bill 583 takes effect July 1, 2020.

House Bill 325 was amended in the Senate to split the $18 million in revenue 60% to the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation Program for state highways and 40% to a new local bridge replacement fund administered by the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council.

“Due to the uncertainty in the coming fiscal year and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, I am vetoing this legislation because it results in a fiscal impact to Idaho’s general fund,” said the Governor’s veto message.  “…I encourage the Idaho Legislature to pursue a comprehensive package when the state is facing a more positive economic outlook.”

The Idaho 2020 Census is a huge, and vitally important task for Idaho.  Why? Because the federal government uses the census information to determine how many seats in Congress each state should have, and how to divvy up federal support each year - support that helps states fund road construction, schools, hospitals, fire departments, and more.  More than 100 programs, include Head Start and food assistance for low-income community members also rely on the census to direct funds to where the need is greatest.

The 2020 Census asks who lives in each household, how they are related, their age, race, and other information.  It does not ask for citizenship information in order to ease concerns and to hopefully boost the response rate of immigrants for greater funding for Idaho's communities.  The Census Bureau is required by law to protect people’s privacy. No one will be identified by name when officials analyze the numbers the census collects.

Important Dates

Counting every person living in the United States is a massive undertaking, and efforts begin years in advance. Here's a look at some of the key dates along the way, as they are currently scheduled:

2020

• January 21: The Census Bureau started counting the population in remote Alaska. The count officially began in the rural Alaskan village of Toksook Bay.
• March 12 - March 20: Households received official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail.
• April 1: Census Day is observed nationwide. By this date, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When you respond to the census, you'll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.
• April 29 – May 1: The Census Bureau will count people who are experiencing homelessness over these three days. As part of this process, the Census Bureau counts people in shelters, at soup kitchens and mobile food vans, on the streets, and at nonsheltered, outdoor locations such as tent encampments.
• April 16 – June 19: Census takers will work with administrators at colleges, senior centers, prisons, and other facilities that house large groups of people to make sure everyone is counted.
• May 27 – August 14: Census takers will interview homes that haven't responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.
• December: The Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the President and Congress as required by law.

2021

• March 31: By this date, the Census Bureau will send redistricting counts to the states. This information is used to redraw legislative districts based on population changes.

Census Trivia

This year marks the 24th national people count, which the Constitution requires be held every 10 years. The first census, in 1790, was early in the presidency of George Washington. About 650 men set out on foot or horseback to count everyone living in their assigned areas.

The House’s perspective is that property tax relief needs to happen in the context of cutting, or cutting the future growth of, property tax budgets at the local level. 

The Senate views the situation very differently, preferring help for elderly and disabled homeowners through increased Circuit Breaker relief and increasing and/or indexing the Homeowner’s Exemption. 

The gulf between the two bodies meant that meaningful policy change on property taxes was not possible this session, but a robust discussion will occur through an interim committee that will look at the issues in depth.

AIC’s perspective is that fast-growing cities face real costs that are covered by the property tax levy for new construction.  The growth that is powering Idaho’s economy is largely focused in the Treasure Valley, Kootenai County, Madison County and a few other rapidly growing areas. 

The new construction levy ensures that the additional service load required by this growth—new police, firefighters, street maintenance are covered.  Impact fees help with capacity expansion for infrastructure and capital costs—i.e. new police and fire stations, additional street capacity, new parks. But impact fees don’t cover the costs of staffing these new police and fire stations, new street maintenance workers, etc.  Those costs are borne by the new construction levy and that is why it matters significantly to growing cities.

Recommended viewing for AIC Members, Affiliates, Sponsors, and Friends.

One bill on annexation that did pass with AIC’s neutral position on the bill was House Bill 451, which would require the landowner’s written consent to annex land of five acres or more that is actively devoted to forestry, even if the property is enclaved and surrounded on all sides by land within the city.  A similar bill was introduced last session (House Bill 92), and the provisions of that bill were included in House Bill 130, which passed the House last session, but was killed by the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee on the basis of other issues not connected with the forestry provision.  House Bill 451 has an emergency clause and took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature on March 24, 2020.

Each city must promptly post the order on its website and on the notice board at city hall (and your city social media page, if you have one), and provide it upon request by any citizen.  You can access the order through this link.

The term of the order is until 11:59 p.m. on April 15, 2020 or until it is extended, rescinded, superseded or amended in writing by the Director of the Department of Health and Welfare. 

The order requires people to self-isolate—to stay home—except for essential activities and for work at essential business and government services.  Gatherings of people outside the home are prohibited, except for certain essential activities, essential travel, or to work for essential businesses and government agencies. 

A large swath of community and civic gatherings are now prohibited from happening in person, including public meetings of government agencies (must happen by conference call or video conference), leisure, faith-based, sporting events, parades, concerts, festivals, conventions, fundraisers, and any other types of public or private gatherings.

All first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, and law enforcement personnel are categorically exempt from the order. 

The order also provides that those performing or accessing essential government functions can continue to provide that work for a local, state, federal or tribal government agency and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public.  Those falling under this category must comply with physical distancing requirements to the extent possible (see paragraph on Physical Distancing requirements below).

All travel is prohibited except for essential travel, essential activities, travel required by law enforcement or a court order, and essential government functions.  Travel must comply with physical distancing to the greatest extent possible.

Physical Distancing means staying at least six feet away from others, washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer, covering coughs or sneezes into the sleeve or elbow, regularly cleaning high touch surfaces and not shaking hands.

CITY EMPLOYEES CLASSIFIED AS PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES

PUBLIC SAFETY

·         Personnel in emergency management, law enforcement, Emergency Management Systems, fire, air medical, and corrections, including front line and management

·         Emergency Medical Service Technicians

·         911 call center employees

AIRPORTS

·         Air transportation employees, including air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel, ramp workers, aviation and aerospace safety, security, and operations personnel and accident investigations

·         Workers who support the maintenance and operation of cargo by air transportation, including maintenance, airport operations, and other on- and off- airport facilities workers

PUBLIC WORKS

·         Workers who support the operation, inspection, and maintenance of essential dams, locks and levees

·         Workers who support the operation, inspection, and maintenance of essential public works facilities and operations, including bridges, fleet maintenance personnel, construction of critical or strategic infrastructure, traffic signal maintenance, emergency location services for buried utilities, maintenance of digital systems infrastructure supporting public works operations, and other emergent issues

·         Support, such as road and line clearing, to ensure the availability of needed facilities, transportation, energy and communications

·         Support to ensure the effective removal, storage, and disposal of residential and commercial solid waste and hazardous waste

·         Workers who maintain, ensure, or restore, or are involved in the development, transportation, fuel procurement, expansion, or operation of the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power, including call centers, utility workers, reliability engineers and fleet maintenance technicians

·         Workers who maintain and inspect transportation infrastructure

·         Employees needed to operate and maintain drinking water and wastewater/drainage infrastructure, including:

Operational staff at water authorities

Operational staff for water and sewer main breaks repair

Operational staff at community water systems

Operational staff at wastewater treatment facilities

Workers repairing water and wastewater conveyances and performing required sampling or monitoring

Operational staff for water distribution and testing

Operational staff at wastewater collection facilities

Operational staff and technical support for SCADA Control systems

Chemical suppliers for wastewater and personnel protection

Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting water and wastewater operations

OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

·         Workers to ensure continuity of building functions

·         Workers who are needed to process and maintain systems for processing financial transactions and services

·         Employees who repair and maintain vehicles

·         Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures

·         Elections personnel

·         Federal, State, and Local, Tribal, and Territorial employees who support Mission Essential Functions and communications networks

·         Bus drivers and mass transit workers

·         Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting other critical government operations

·         Workers at operations centers necessary to maintain other essential functions

·         Workers supporting communications systems and information technology used by law enforcement, public safety, medical, energy and other critical industries

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

·         Workers who support hazardous materials response and cleanup

·         Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting hazardous materials management operations

What does that mean for Idaho cities?  We are on the front lines of this battle.  The services that cities provide (along with those provided by our counties) are among the most basic to protect public health and safety.  Most services provided by cities are considered essential at the local level.  Maintaining compliance with our laws, providing utilities, suppressing fires and delivering emergency medical services are part of our essential nature as a society. 

If cities have employees whose activities might be considered non-essential in the short run, consider the possibility of “repurposing” their efforts because the cost of their sustained employment will still be borne by the cities. National policy is to keep people employed, and the Families First Coronavirus Act imposes that requirement irrespective of the size or prior policy of an employer.  This may be the time when Idaho’s cities undertake whatever may be necessary to serve residents.  These are extraordinary times.

More details will be forthcoming in the next few days as more flesh is added to the bones by the Office of the Governor.  As those details become known, AIC will try to push current information to you as promptly as we can.

Stay safe and maintain our shared commitment to public service.

He also signed an extreme emergency declaration, which allows the state to more effectively increase health care capacity, take steps to reduce and slow coronavirus spread, and take rapid and decisive steps to improve the condition of Idahoans whose job and incomes are being harmed by the pandemic.

“From the get-go, our focus has been to slow the spread of coronavirus to protect our most vulnerable citizens and preserve capacity in our healthcare system,” Governor Little said. “And from the beginning, I stated my commitment to making decisions about our response to coronavirus based on science. With confirmed community transmission of coronavirus now occurring in Idaho’s most populated areas, we need to take strong measures to ensure our healthcare facilities are not overburdened. I am following the guidance of our public health experts and issuing a statewide stay-home order effective immediately.”

The stay-home order requires citizens to self-isolate at home if you can, not just if you are sick. This excludes healthcare, public safety and other essential workers as defined in the order. If you are high-risk, avoid leaving home. People can leave home to obtain or provide essential services as defined in the order. Employers that do not provide essential services as defined in order must take all steps necessary for employees to work remotely from home. Grocery stores, medical facilities, and other essential businesses as defined in the order will remain open. Restaurants across the state are being ordered to close dine-in but drive-thru, pick up, and delivery will still be available. Non-essential businesses and services will close their physical locations. This includes bars, nightclubs, gyms, recreational facilities, entertainment venues, convention centers, hair and nail salons, and others not included in the “essential” category as defined in the order. People must limit public transit unless to provide or obtain essential services. People must limit all discretionary travel. People must limit all non-essential gatherings of any number of individuals outside the household. When you go for a walk, run, bike ride, or other outdoor recreation near your home, stay 6-feet away from individuals who are not part of your household.

“Our healthcare and public safety workers are putting themselves in harm’s way to respond to the coronavirus emergency, and we owe it to them to do our part by following this statewide stay-home order,” Governor Little added.

The statewide stay-home order is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 21 days. Governor Little and public health officials will evaluate later whether to extend the order past 21 days.  

Governor Little made the announcement at Gowen Field, where he visited with the Idaho National Guard personnel he recently mobilized to support civil authorities and local jurisdictions during the coronavirus emergency. At the Governor’s request, the Guardsmen are prepared to stand up a joint task force to provide mobile testing support, transport commodities, provide facilities, tents or other equipment, and other perform other duties as needed in Idaho’s coronavirus response effort. The Idaho Office of Emergency Management, a part of the Idaho Military Division, is the key emergency response planner and coordinator for interagency preparedness in Idaho.

“We will get through this together as long as we all play an active part in fighting the spread of coronavirus. I am proud of Idaho and the way we support and love our neighbors. Let’s keep it up,” Governor Little said.

The statewide stay-home order is being finalized with public health, local officials, and business today and will be available later today at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/.

View Governor Little’s extreme emergency declaration here.

Emergency Paid Sick Leave

Employers with fewer than 500 employees and all government employers must provide full-time employees who are unable to work or telework with 80 hours of paid sick leave. This leave shall be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay, up to $511 per day, due to circumstances associated with COVID-19 including quarantine, treatment or diagnosis.  Part-time employees are eligible based on the normal number of hours worked in a two-week period. This paid sick leave must be made available to employees regardless of how long they have been employed. Employees are not required to use other accrued paid leave that is available to them before they use the Paid Sick Leave afforded to them by the Act.

Employees are also eligible for paid sick leave at 2/3 of their regular rate of pay (up to $200 per day) to take time off to care for an individual who is subject to quarantine, or to care for a minor child due to school or daycare closure.

Covered employers may elect to exclude healthcare providers and emergency responders from the paid sick leave requirements of the Act.

Public Health Emergency Leave

The Act also temporarily amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to provide full-time and part-time employees of employers with fewer than 500 employees and all government employers who have been on the job for at least 30 days up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave. To qualify for Public Health Emergency Leave, an employee must be unable to work or telework due to quarantine or a need to care for their minor child because of school or daycare closure, due to a public health emergency. The first two weeks of leave may be unpaid, or the employee may choose to substitute Emergency Sick Leave pay or accrued paid time off, but an employer cannot require an employee to do so. The following 10 weeks will be paid at 2/3 of the employee’s normal rate of pay (not to exceed $200 per day or $10,000 total). The Act does not expand the standard 12-week per 12-month FMLA entitlement. If an employee has used leave for other FMLA-qualifying reasons, they will not be able to go beyond a combined 12 weeks.

As with Emergency Paid Sick Leave, the Act provides that an employer may exclude employees who are health care providers or emergency responders from Public Health Emergency Leave coverage.

Please contact your city attorney for additional information about implementing this legislation.  Many of your personnel policies already provide many of the required benefits for affected employees.  If your city attorney is unable to respond AIC will do its best to provide answers.  Be safe.

The Department of Labor will observe a temporary non-enforcement period of thirty days after the Act takes effect so that employers will have time to comply with the law.  During this period, the DOL will not bring enforcement action against any employer for violations of the Act as long as the employer has “acted reasonably and in good faith” to comply.

Fact Sheet for Employers

Fact Sheet for Employees

FAQs

Senate Bill 1306 would allow these uncontested city elections to be canceled in the event only one  candidate, nominated or write-in, files to run for a position, in which case the city clerk declares that candidate elected and they are sworn in and seated at the first council meeting in January following a city general election.  The bill takes effect July 1, 2020.

House Bill 614 provides a number of exceptions for first responders and utility employees, emergency situations, using GPS, taking or receiving a call by one-touch access or voice command, voice-operated or hands-free mode, use by government or commercial users similar to a two-way radio communication device, and use by farmers or ranchers. 

The bill empowers law enforcement to pull over drivers for using electronic devices behind the wheel as a primary offense and also preempts any local ordinances on this policy area.

The bill takes effect July 1, 2020, but only warnings and no citations will be given until January 1, 2021.

This year’s legislative report will be a series of blog posts on major issues, rather than a single longer report, with the goal of making it quicker and easier to read in small chunks as everyone’s primary focus remains on Coronavirus prevention and response.

AIC is so grateful for the grassroots support from city elected officials and staff in weighing in on policy issues with your legislators.  Your help really does make a difference!  

AIC recommends that cities consult their legal counsel in interpreting the Governor’s proclamation and for guidance on how to approach specific meeting scenarios.

Because a growing number of cities are closing city halls and other facilities to public access to protect their staff and facilities from the Coronavirus, there was debate as to whether local governments still had to allow members of the public to attend meetings in person, although that would potentially defeat or compromise the purpose of the facility closure.  The Governor’s proclamation resolves that issue and provides clarity for city councils and other governing boards for the remainder of the Governor’s declared emergency. 

The intent of the proclamation appears to be that governing bodies can hold public meetings using technological means as opposed to at a specific physical location.  The meeting must be conducted using technology that allows all—the governing board and  the public—to hear and be heard as procedures allow.  When public hearings are required (e.g., planning and zoning, budget amendments, vacation of platted rights of way, etc.) opportunities for public participation must be accorded as required by law – just not necessarily at a definite physical location. 

Cities have flexibility to approach the public accessibility of meetings as is appropriate for their size and technological capability.  For example, small cities could use conference calling numbers for governing board members and the public to participate.  Larger cities may use more sophisticated platforms like Zoom.com or GoToMeeting.com 

It is imperative that cities provide clear instructions on meeting notices and agendas explaining how to access the meeting.  It is also important that audio be clear enough to allow the governing board members and members of the public to hear and be heard. 

If you have adopted a planning and zoning public hearing procedures resolution as required by Idaho Code §67-6534 you may want to see if changes are needed to allow such procedures to be followed. 

The Proclamation (see link below) includes some suggestions for practices that could improve the local hearing/meeting process.

1.       Increased liability protection for local government employees and contractors in responding to the crisis.

2.       Ability to purchase without the need to go through competitive purchasing to address the crisis.

3.       Ability to have eligible costs reimbursed at the rate of 75% federal money, 15% state and 10% city.

The first step that should be addressed is a declaration of emergency.  Governor Little has already declared a state of emergency at the state level.  The state of Idaho has established a web page concerning the coronavirus at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/  This site contains the latest information provided by the Governor’s office and the Department of Health and Welfare.

Provisions in Idaho’s Disaster Preparedness Act (Idaho Code chapter 10, title 46) govern the authority of public officials to declare emergencies and outline the consequences of such a declaration.  Idaho Code §46-1011(1) provides as follows:

1) A local disaster emergency may be declared only by a mayor or chairman of the county commissioners within their respective political subdivisions.  It shall not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven (7) days except by or with the consent of the governing board of the political subdivision.  Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing, or terminating a local disaster emergency shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the local county recorder.

So, an emergency has been declared – in what way does that matter?  Pursuant to provisions of Idaho law the consequences of an emergency declaration are as follows:

Idaho Code §46-1017.  Neither the state, nor the office, nor any political subdivision thereof nor other agencies, nor, except in cases of willful misconduct, the agents, employees or representatives of any of them engaged in any civil defense, disaster or emergency and the planning or preparation for the same, or disaster or emergency relief activities, acting under proper authority, nor, except in cases of willful misconduct or gross negligence, any person, firm, corporation or entity under contract with them to provide equipment or work to be used in civil defense, disaster or emergency planning, preparation or relief, while complying with or attempting to comply with this act or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to the provisions of the act, shall be liable for the death of or any injury to persons or damage to property as a result of such activity.  The provisions of this section shall not affect the right of any person to receive benefits to which he would otherwise be entitled under this act or under the worker's compensation law or under any pension law, nor the right of any such person to receive any benefits or compensation under any act of congress. 

Accordingly, the statute raises the applicable liability standard to willful misconduct or gross negligence when actions must be taken to address the Covid-19 virus.  The city council can also authorize extraordinary actions that can be taken to carry out the city’s response to the emergency.

Other steps can be taken to implement other measures to protect the public health.  Meetings of the city council can be conducted telephonically [Idaho Code §74-203(5)].  Different measures to collect utility charges remotely can be initiated and access to city facilities can be restricted to implement a social distancing strategy.  Cities should contact their City Attorney to determine how to implement the necessary steps to protect the public health in these circumstances.  Also, do not hesitate to contact your local health district for additional guidance.

Steps in Emergency Declaration Process:

•     Mayor executes initial Declaration of Emergency

•     Mayor and City Council develop special procedures and limitations to be established for duration of emergency

•     Within seven (7) days of mayoral declaration City Council passes resolution that includes steps to address emergency – drafted or reviewed by city attorney.

•     Duration should be until the “all clear” is sounded by the Centers for Disease Control or the Governor of Idaho.

The city council can act at a special meeting called for such purpose.  A full business day’s notice and an informative agenda are essential.  Include notice to the media and on any city web or social media presence.

One of the questions answered by the Governor involved potential orders to close restaurants and bars.  The Governor said that the State has not mandated closing these businesses and urged local elected officials to consult with health districts on the issue.  Governor Little noted that in a state as large and diverse as Idaho, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer and that individual communities will need to make that determination based on local needs.

Governor Little confirmed that federal funds will be available to reimburse cities or counties with declared disaster emergencies for expenses they incur with 75% of the funds coming from the federal government, 15% from the state, and 10% from the city or county (link to more information about Category B Emergency Protective Measures eligible for FEMA funding).

Governor Little noted that his staff and people in the Attorney General’s office are looking into how to handle public meetings in a way that prevents the spread of the virus and also meets the spirit of the Open Meeting Law and those recommendations should be available shortly and will be shared with city officials as soon as they are available. 

If you have other questions that you would like to ask Governor Little, please email them to Sheila Christensen at schristensen@idahocities.org and AIC staff will reach out to the Governor’s office and get back with the answer.

Coronavirus Resources

AIC’s Coronavirus Resources webpage has a bunch of information to help city officials with this topic, including:

Model Mayor Declaration for Disaster Emergency

Model Council Resolution Affirming Emergency Declaration

Process for Adopting a Local Disaster Emergency Declaration

Emergency Protective Measures (Category B) Eligible for FEMA Reimbursement

Help from Idaho Office of Emergency Management

National League of Cities Coronavirus Response Resources

The State of Idaho has produced a new Interim Guidance for Mass Gatherings and Public Events in Idaho (March 17, 2020 update). 

A lot of resources are also available on the State of Idaho Coronavirus website. 

The Coronavirus situation continues to evolve quickly and AIC is working to provide helpful information and resources to cities on this important topic. The AIC Coronavirus Resources webpage has example mayor and city council emergency declarations and emergency procedures guidance to help explain the process of declaring a city disaster emergency and the implications of such a declaration.

Governor Brad Little will have a conference call with city officials on Wednesday, March 18 at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time, 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time to share updated information with cities. The call-in number is 1-605-475-5619 and the passcode is 297986#

If you have questions you would like to ask Governor Little, please email them TODAY to AIC's Sheila Christensen at schristensen@idahocities.org so she can pass them along to the Governor's office as soon as possible.  

For city officials who would like to hear the daily conference call between the Idaho Office of Emergency Management and Health & Welfare to coordinate response activities, the call-in number is 1-720-279-0026 and the passcode is 237992#  This call is at Noon Mountain Time, 11:00 a.m. Pacific.

The past few days have seen an increasing number of cities and counties announce closing of public access to city halls, community centers, recreation facilities, libraries and other facilities for the next few weeks.

Recently updated guidance from the State of Idaho recommends canceling events or gatherings that would bring in people from other parts of the country or foreign countries, events with 50 or more people, or events where high-risk populations (adults over age 60, and people with chronic health conditions) will be in attendance. You can find updated information at the state Coronavirus website.

As a result of the updated guidance, AIC will be doing the Spring District Workshops by video for free in the coming weeks and our local in-person workshops will be canceled. Refunds will automatically be given for those who have already registered.

Please be patient with our website as it is receiving a heavy volume of users. If you have questions on any Coronavirus related issues, don’t hesitate to call the AIC office at 208-344-8594 or email any staff member.

AIC Coronavirus Information

You can find a variety of resources on coronavirus response at the AIC Coronavirus Resources website, including Governor Little’s Emergency Declaration, the State of Idaho’s official website, newly revised guidance on gatherings and public events, Idaho law on declaring local disaster emergencies, and much more. 

Property Tax Legislation

On Friday, the House amended Senate Bill 1277 to increase the cap on the homeowner’s exemption from the current $100,000 to $112,000 and to take the difference out of the new construction roll, meaning that it would force reductions in county, city and other taxing district budgets by an estimated $32 million annually. 

The House voted 49-21 in favor of the amended Senate Bill 1277, which now goes back to the Senate for concurrence on the House amendments.  We ask city officials to please contact their Senators and ask respectfully that they oppose Senate Bill 1277 as amended.

There are alternatives to help homeowners that don’t rely on forcing dramatic cuts to local government budgets at a time when police, firefighters and EMS personnel are stretched in responding to the coronavirus.    

Senate Bills 1416 and 1417 raise and index the homeowner’s exemption and significantly expand circuit breaker relief without hurting local government budgets. 

AIC-Opposed Urban Renewal Bill Up for Floor Vote in Senate

The Senate will soon be voting on an AIC-opposed bill that will restrict urban renewal agencies and limit their effectiveness in bringing economic development and jobs to Idaho communities.

We ask city officials to please contact their Senators and respectfully ask that they oppose House Bill 587. 

House Bill 587, sponsored by Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star and Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, would exempt highway district levies from revenue allocation areas formed or expanded to include property on or after July 1, 2020, and allow the highway district and urban renewal agency to negotiate an agreement concerning the terms of the allocation. 

The bill raises real questions about how the revenue allocation would work in cities where a highway district (aside from Ada County Highway District) overlaps a city’s boundaries and the city has a functioning street department.  It is not clear how House Bill 587 will affect those situations.

The new taxable value generated as a result of an urban renewal district benefits all the local taxing districts—cities, counties, highway districts, library districts, fire districts, etc.—and by diverting revenue that could be used to pay for projects or repay debt by the urban renewal agency, House Bill 587 will force all local governments to wait longer for this new revenue.

Urban renewal agencies already work cooperatively with highway districts and have the ability currently to identify projects that will benefit both agencies.

“With no confirmed cases in Idaho at this time, we are in the best position to be proactive and get ahead of the impact coronavirus could have here,” Governor Little said. “The concern, of course, is the wellbeing of our vulnerable population – the elderly with chronic underlying health conditions and others with compromised immune systems. But another big reason we are getting in front of it is to minimize the impact on our healthcare system. We need to slow down the spread of coronavirus so healthcare facilities are not overwhelmed with too many patients at once.”

The declaration activates the use of the Idaho Emergency Operations Plan and makes funds available for use in the Emergency Disaster Fund. It allows the Governor more flexibility to expedite contracts and purchasing of supplies, and it aids in the state’s ability to access critical supplies such as respirators from the national stockpile. In addition, the declaration includes provisions that allow the expedited renewal of licenses for nurses who have retired or left the profession.

There have been many questions around coronavirus testing. Key facts about coronavirus testing at this time include:

• If someone has a fever or cough, they should contact their medical provider to find out if they should be tested for coronavirus.

• People without symptoms will not be tested at this time.

• After ruling out the flu through a rapid flu test, a provider may take a sample from a patient and send it to a lab where the actual coronavirus testing occurs. Most providers can use a simple swab to collect a sample.

• Idaho is fortunate to have a state-run lab that can process coronavirus tests, and the lab is keeping up on testing needs at this time. Privately-run labs also have begun testing for coronavirus.

• Idaho is actively working to expand access to testing across the state.

Updates and information are available at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/.

The emergency declaration document is available here.

The press conference will be streamed on the Governor’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/governorbradlittle/

We ask that city officials reach out to the Senators who voted no to thank them for their vote in support of local governments.   

We are very grateful for the efforts of city officials around the state who reached out to their legislators on this bill.   

Senators Voting Yes on HB 409 as Amended: Sens. Agenbroad, Bayer, Cheatham, Crabtree, Den Hartog, Grow, Lakey, Lodge, Martin, Rice, and Souza.

Senators Voting No on HB 409 as Amended: Sens. Anthon, Bair, Brackett, Buckner-Webb, Burgoyne (Shank), Burtenshaw, Guthrie, Harris, Heider, Hill, Johnson, Jordan, Lee, Lent, Mortimer, Nelson, Nye, Patrick, Stennett, Thayn, Vick, Ward-Engelking, Winder and Woodward.

The amended bill would have imposed a 4% cap in place for three years, with provisions to facilitate sunsetting urban renewal districts and tax credits for capital investment reaching the end of their lifespan. 

The bill was carried on the floor by Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, who characterized it as, “in the nature of a time-out. It is so that we can do an in-depth look, do some real work, on the causes and nature of what’s driving people’s property tax up at rates that they cannot afford. … So that instead of being reactive we can actually be evaluative and do something that can benefit our citizens not just in the short term, but on an ongoing basis.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise said, “The three years, that becomes very punitive I think to areas like the Treasure Valley that are growing. … This really doesn’t grant property tax relief, it just limits the amount of spending. No one’s going to get a tax reduction by this occurring.”

Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-Inkom, said, “Does this really provide the avenue to get to our objective, which is to provide meaningful tax relief particularly for homeowners? I don’t think it does.”

Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, explained his "no" vote. "We are elected by the same people who elect city councils and county commissioners," he said. "Most of them ... are trying just as hard as we are."

It is not clear if legislation will advance this session on increasing and/or indexing the homeowner’s exemption and providing additional relief through the circuit breaker, but there will be an interim committee that will look at property taxes in great depth.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality will be hosting three (3) public workshops to introduce the 2020 Triennial Review and to seek comments and ideas. The dates are scheduled as follows: 

• May 13, 2020: A public meeting will be held from 6p.m. to 9p.m. at the Pocatello DEQ Office.
• May 15, 2020: A public meeting will be held from 6p.m. to 9p.m. at the State DEQ Office in Boise (Conference Rooms A/B).
  
• May 19, 2020: A public meeting will be held from 6p.m. to 9p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene DEQ Office.

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to modify and improve their water quality standards (WQS) at least once every three years. Under this triennial review process, states are to review, and modify and adopt as appropriate, applicable water quality standards, taking into consideration public concerns, state and federal guidance, and new scientific and technical information.

For the results of the 2017, along with AIC's input into this important process, please click HERE.

Mission: To foster whole community collaboration to proactively build resilience to hazards and the impacts of a changing climate.

Resilience refers to a community’s ability to prepare for, respond to, & recover from events such as natural (& man-made) hazards. Promoting community resilience requires collaboration across many levels of society and professional disciplines - this is what motivates the BSU Hazard and Climate Resilience Institute.

For more information, contact Brittany Brand at hcri@boisestate.edu.

Upcoming Events:

The Resilience Roundtable Discussion Series - Developing Collaborations With Cities in Ada County

Date & Time: Thursday, March 19th, 2020 from 12 to 1:30 PM

Location: Farnsworth Room, BSU Student Union Building

First Annual Resilience Conference

Date & Time: May 1, 2020 from 8 am to 5 pm (reception to follow)

Location: Double R Ranch Room, Stueckle Sky Center (in the Boise State University Football Stadium Complex)

Register HERE

Understanding and Managing Flood Risk: A Guide for Elected Officials

Flood management protects people and property. ASFPM’s three-part guide breaks down the key information you need to fulfill your responsibility as an elected official.

Wise flood management provides the means to address your flood problems before, during, and after an event, as well as create sustainable development for future generations.

Staff Contact:

Maureen O'Shea, Idaho State National Flood Insurance Program Coordinator

Idaho Dept. of Water Resources

322 E. Front Street, PO Box 83720,

Boise, ID  83720-0098

Office # 208-287-4928

Cell # 208-830-4174

Maureen.OShea@idwr.idaho.gov

https://www.idwr.idaho.gov/floods/

A newly published report, One Water Change Leadership for Utilities: Six Essential Capacities focuses on an often overlooked dimension: the essential leadership capacities that individuals at water utilities need to guide change toward One Water.  

The report explores questions such as: what are the capacities—the knowledge, skills, and attitudes—we need to cultivate in order to drive One Water change? How do utility managers successfully navigate through the cultural, political, economic, and human dimensions of One Water management, in addition to the technical components?

The US Water Alliance conducted in-depth interviews with 10 utility executives who are well-known in the water industry as transformative leaders—also called "changemakers." Their experiences and insights are synthesized into six leadership capacities that can inform existing water utility staff as well as future professional development efforts throughout all levels of the water sector.

Join the US Water Alliance for a free webinar on March 23rd, 2020 from 10 to 11 Mountain Time to hear about the key findings in the report. 

This webinar will highlight the six leadership capacities synthesized from these interviews and talk to two of the changemakers interviewed in the report to get their perspective on One Water change leadership for utilities. While these leadership capacities are drawn from and aimed at utilities, anybody looking to advance change in their work can learn from this!

Moderator:  Scott Berry, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, US Water Alliance

Speakers:
Katy Lackey, Senior Program Manager, US Water Alliance
Jim Lochhead, CEO/Manager, Denver Water
Kishia Powell, Commissioner, City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management
 
REGISTER HERE

The Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee voted to send the AIC-opposed property tax freeze bill—House Bill 409—to the Senate amending order for changes.  Although the bill would be open to any amendments proposed by Senators, the bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, indicated that he will sponsor amendments that would make the following changes:

1. The time period covered by the bill would be three years.

2. Property taxes would be allowed to increase up to 4% annually.

3. Sunsetting urban renewal agencies and property tax exemptions for capital investment would go on the tax rolls according to the normal process.

“This is intended to be a timeout for citizens while the state does a deeper dive into property tax policy through an interim committee,” Sen. Rice said in his testimony to the committee. 

AIC Legislative Chair Mayor John Evans of Garden City said in his remarks to the committee that, “Our fastest growing cities face a housing shortage.  House Bill 409 will force cities to curtail new residential development, which will exascerbate the housing shortage and further increase residential home values while doing nothing to address the ongoing shift of tax burden from commercial to residential.  We have thousands of folks who rely on the development and construction industries in these growing communities to make a living.  Their livelihoods will be threatened as cities will have no choice but to stop growth if House Bill 409 became law.”

City officials can continue to reach out to members of the Senate to weigh in with their thoughts on potential amendments to House Bill 409.

Revenue Sharing Bill Up for Floor Consideration in Senate Next Week

The Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee approved the revenue sharing bill, which will be up for floor consideration very soon in the Senate.  House Bill 408, sponsored by Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian, will likely be up for floor vote in the Senate on Monday, March 9.  AIC is neutral on the legislation and cities are free to contact members of the Senate to represent their city’s position for or against the bill. 

AIC-Supported Whistleblower Bill Clears House Judiciary Committee—Please Contact Legislators to Ask for their Support

The House Judiciary, Rules & Administration Committee voted to send to the floor an AIC-supported bill to make needed reforms to the state whistleblower law.  AIC asks city officials to contact their legislators and respectfully ask that they support House Bill 583.

House Bill 583 is sponsored by Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell.  The bill would make the following changes to the whistleblower law.

1. Clarify that employers may not take adverse action against an employee because the employee in good faith participates or communicates information in an investigation, hearing, court proceeding, legislative or other inquiry, or other form of administrative review concerning waste of public funds, property or manpower, or a violation or suspected violation of a state or local law, rule or regulation. 

2. The bill limits noneconomic damages to the amount set in Idaho Code 6-1603(1). 

3. The bill exempts government entities from punitive damages.  

House Bill 583 is an attempt to address the need for reasonable sideboards for the whistleblower law in the wake of the Idaho Supreme Court decision in Eller v. Idaho State Police that held that damage limits in the Idaho Tort Claims Act did not apply in whistleblower cases.  The result of the Eller decision is that whistleblower claims have exploded in a very short period of time.

As described by the bill’s sponsor, House Judiciary, Rules & Administration Committee Chair Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, the bill is an attempt to strike a balance between protecting the rights of whistleblowers to report legitimate claims of waste, fraud and abuse, and protecting Idaho taxpayers.

AIC-Opposed Bill on Urban Renewal Heads to Senate Local Government & Tax Committee—Please Contact Committee Members to Ask for their Opposition to House Bill 587

An AIC-opposed bill exempting highway districts from revenue allocation in urban renewal districts passed the House and was sent to the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee.  We ask city officials to contact committee members to respectfully ask that they oppose House Bill 587.  You can find the committee members at this link by clicking the link to “MEMBERS” toward the top of the page.

House Bill 587, sponsored by Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star and Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, would exempt highway district levies from revenue allocation areas formed or expanded to include property on or after July 1, 2020, and allow the highway district and urban renewal agency to negotiate an agreement concerning the terms of the allocation.  

The growth in tax base that happens within an urban renewal district ultimately benefits all the local governments in that area (cities, counties, highway districts, fire districts, library districts, etc.).  House Bill 587 will force urban renewal districts to have a longer lifespan to bring projects to fruition and pay off bonds, which has the perverse impact of forcing local governments to wait longer for new taxable value to hit the tax rolls.  Urban renewal agencies work in close consultation with highway districts now to take their needs into account.  House Bill 587 would hamper a vital tool for economic development and job creation in cities.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 4, 2020

Governor’s message on Coronavirus: Idaho is prepared, do your part to prevent spread

Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little announced today the creation of a new team to assist in Idaho’s preparation for the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Governor Little and public health officials in Idaho have been monitoring and preparing for the coronavirus situation since January when the first case in the United States was confirmed.

The Governor’s new Coronavirus Working Group will support Idaho’s public health agencies and increase coordination and communication around the multiple aspects of the planning and response effort.

“While the individual risk for coronavirus in Idaho is still low, the situation is rapidly evolving and we do expect confirmed cases in Idaho at some point,” Governor Little said during a press conference today with public health officials. “Idaho is prepared, and we all must do our part to prevent the spread of coronavirus by washing your hands frequently, staying home if you are sick, and avoiding others who are sick.”

He also unveiled a new web site – Coronavirus.Idaho.Gov – where the public can find the latest information on Idaho’s situation and the Governor’s new Coronavirus Working Group, resources to learn more about the disease, and contact information for local public health districts, which are the best sources to answer to citizens’ questions.

In addition, Governor Little said he is actively working with legislative leaders to make state funds available to aid in the response effort if it is needed.

Key facts about coronavirus in Idaho at this time:

• Health officials are focused on slowing the spread of coronavirus to reduce the impact on the healthcare system.

• Current data suggests most healthy adults and children will not get extremely ill from coronavirus, but just like the flu it can be harmful or deadly to older populations and those with underlying health conditions.

• 80 percent of infected individuals experience mild symptoms similar to the cold or flu and a portion are asymptomatic, reinforcing the need to ramp up personal hygiene to prevent spread.

• Health officials are not recommending the cancellation of travel plans or events at this time, but individuals may choose to change plans based on their own comfort level and needs.

• Idaho is fortunate to have a state lab that is fully capable of testing for coronavirus, and privately-run facilities may begin testing soon. Test kits are limited but more resources are expected to arrive from the federal government by the end of the week.

# # #

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison Hyer, Press Secretary

208-943-1686 or marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov

Cities have many options to achieve their community resiliency goals. One emerging trend is for municipalities to incorporate these objectives into their franchise agreements with an electric service provider or to use these agreements as an entry point to negotiate other community resiliency-related agreements with the utility.

To understand this trend, NREL developed a national data set of municipal franchise agreements and is publishing case studies on cities that have incorporated clean energy objectives into their franchise agreements. NREL is also publishing a national assessment of the potential impact of widespread adoption of resiliency and other renewable energy objectives on deployment nationwide.

AIC strongly encourages our members to tune in to the webinar for a comprehensive overview of these opportunities and a few items to consider as they review their franchise agreement options.

Impact of Franchise Agreements
A franchise agreement is a negotiated contract between a municipality and an electric service provider that grants the utility the right to serve customers in the city's jurisdiction. The contract often specifies the period of service and a fee remitted back to the municipality. These agreements commonly include stipulations regarding a utility's right of way to install and maintain electrical infrastructure.

Some cities have incorporated other energy objectives into franchise agreements—or have signed agreements in parallel—that commit the city and utility to work together to achieve joint energy goals. When franchise and related agreements are implemented, the city can deliver a wide variety of outcomes, including additional revenues for city services, installation of underground infrastructure, new renewable energy projects, and more collaborative working relationships between parties.

Municipal Franchise Agreement Data
NREL collected franchise agreement information from 3,538 municipalities nationwide. The data set includes information on the municipality, its franchise authority, the electric service provider, the length of the agreement, the franchise fee, and whether the agreement includes references to specific clean energy objectives, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, street lighting, underground infrastructure, and others (i.e., electric vehicles, reliability, and infrastructure strengthening).

This data is the foundation for NREL's subsequent case study and impact analysis, which will be published soon.

Links to Resources:

• Data Set
• Renewable Energy Procurement Options Data
• Utilizing City-Utility Partnership Agreements To Achieve Climate and Energy Goals, World Resources Institute working paper (2019)
• Webinar Presentation on Municipal Franchise Agreements (presented by Jeff Cook of NREL, hosted by the National League of Cities)
  
  Contact: If you have questions about NREL's work on municipal franchise agreements, contact Jeff Cook at jeff.cook@nrel.gov.

The House of Representatives passed House Bill 489, the bill sponsored by Rep. Bryan Zollinger, R-Idaho Falls, that would dramatically curtail cities’ ability to annex by a vote of 53-16-1.  The bill now heads to the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee. 

We ask city officials to please contact Senators and respectfully ask them to oppose House Bill 489.

A summary outlining AIC’s concerns with the bill can be accessed at the link at the bottom of this post (AIC Bullet Points H 489). 

Property Tax Freeze Bill Heads to Senate

If your city has not weighed in on the property tax freeze bill—House Bill 409—we ask that you contact Senators and respectfully ask that they oppose the bill.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 46-23-1.  It is not clear when the bill will be scheduled for a hearing by the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee.

Revenue Sharing Bill Up for Hearing in Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee Tuesday Afternoon

Rep. Monks’ bill that would change the revenue sharing distribution will be up for a hearing in the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee on Tuesday, March 3 at 3:00 p.m.  AIC is neutral on the legislation and cities are encouraged to weigh in with members of the committee with their thoughts. 

House Bill 408 would revise the formula for sales tax revenue sharing for cities, merging the current State Distribution and County Distribution.  The bill would establish new quarterly base amounts for Fiscal Year 2020 for each city based on their quarterly revenue sharing distribution, as well as an annual per capita revenue sharing amount based on the previous Fiscal Year’s receipts.  If there is no change in the amount of revenue sharing from the same quarter of the previous Fiscal Year, then cities will receive the same distribution amount.  If the amount of revenue sharing dollars for the current quarter of the Fiscal Year is greater than the amount for the same quarter of the previous Fiscal Year, then cities would receive their quarterly base amount with an increase of up to 1%.  Any revenue over and above the 1% increase would be distributed to cities with a below average per capita distribution in proportion to the population of that city to the population of all cities with a below-average per capita distribution.  If revenue declines below the amount for the same quarter of the previous Fiscal Year, then each city would receive a proportional reduction down to the quarterly base amount, and if further reductions are needed, they would be based on the proportion that the city’s population bears to the population of all cities within the state.

AIC prepared a five year and cumulative analysis of the bill, that shows the effects if the bill had been in place over the last five years.

Senate Passes AIC-Supported Forgone Levying Bill

Legislation requiring cities, counties and other taxing districts to pass an annual resolution to accrue forgone levying authority has passed the House and Senate and is headed to the Governor’s desk. 

House Bill 354 would take effect July 1, 2020 if signed by the Governor, meaning that local governments would need to pass the resolution to accrue forgone for the upcoming Fiscal Year as part of their budgeting process this summer. 

The resolution would need to specify the dollar amount of forgone the city, county or other taxing district wants to accrue, which could be all or part of their forgone amount from that particular Fiscal Year.  The council would pass the resolution at its annual budget hearing after providing public notice (that could be published with the budget hearing notices published twice in the official newspaper at least 7 days apart).  The amount of forgone proposed to be reserved would need to be stated in the hearing notice.

Today the House passed the property tax freeze bill—House Bill 409—by a vote of 46-23 after extended debate.  We ask city officials to please contact members of the Senate to respectfully ask that they oppose the bill. 

We appreciate those legislators who voted against House Bill 409 and the House floor votes are provided below.  Please thank legislators who voted against the bill.

House Bill 409: Representatives Voting Yes—Addis, Amador, Anderst, Andrus, Armstrong, Barbieri, Bedke, Blanksma, Boyle, Chaney, Christensen, Collins, Crane, DeMordaunt, Dixon, Ehardt, Furniss, Gestrin, Giddings, Harris, Hartgen, Holtzclaw, Horman, Kauffman, Kingsley, Kiska, Marshall, Mendive, Monks, Moon, Moyle, Nichols, Palmer, Raymond, Remington, Ricks, Scott, Shepherd, Stevenson, Syme, Vander Woude, Wisniewski, Young, Youngblood, Zito, Zollinger.

House Bill 409: Representatives Voting No—Abernathy, Anderson, Berch, Chew, Clow, Davis, Ellis, Gannon, Gibbs, Goesling, Green, Kerby, Lickley, Mason, McCrostie, Necochea, Raybould, Rubel, Smith, Toone, Troy, Wintrow, Wood.

Rep. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, said that legislators will have to explain to their constituents that the freeze applies to local government property tax budgets only and that it does not mean that homeowners won’t face higher property tax bills next year.  “For that reason, I can’t support the bill,” Clow said. 

Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, said that House Bill 409 “will not reduce property taxes for homeowners, but would cause great harm to the services that local governments provide.” 

The Legislature has tools at its disposal to fix rising residential home values in the form of increasing and/or indexing the Homeowner’s Exemption, which was capped by the Legislature at $100,000 a few years ago, and providing additional relief through the Circuit Breaker program that helps low-income homeowners who are elderly, widow(ers), disabled, blind, or disabled veterans or former prisoners of war.

Freezing property taxes will force cities to essentially bring development to a halt, if they are unable to pay for the services and infrastructure needed to serve Idaho’s growing population.  Property taxes pay for vital police and fire services that protect our communities and maintaining our streets and bridges.

AIC-Opposed Annexation Bill Goes to House Floor

The House is expected to vote soon on an AIC-opposed annexation bill sponsored by Rep. Bryan Zollinger, R-Idaho Falls.  AIC urges city officials to contact their legislators and respectfully ask that they oppose House Bill 489, which would have serious impacts on managing growth and infrastructure planning and development at the local level.

“Idaho’s current annexation law was a product of a two-year discussion from 2000 to 2002 that involved broad stakeholder participation and thoughtful compromises that from the basis for the state’s policy,” said AIC Counsel Jerry Mason in testimony to the House Local Government Committee last week.  “House Bill 489 would eliminate that carefully constructed law that has served the state well.”

House Bill 489 has numerous flaws, which were discussed in testimony to the committee.

The bill makes the process more burdensome and time consuming for annexations requested by property owners. 

The bill requires two-thirds of landowners to approve every annexation (regardless of whether they receive city services or not).

By having voting on the basis of landowner approval instead of acreage (as in the current law) HB 489 opens up the possibility for abuse by allowing a potentially unlimited number of co-owners to be brought to frustrate a proposed annexation.

Passing House Bill 489 would result in a patchwork quilt of annexed and unannexed lands, forcing emergency responders to identify which jurisdiction is responsible for responding to calls and crippling cities’ ability to have thoughtfully planned extension of their services and infrastructure.

“Idaho is facing unprecedented growth,” Mason said, “and cities have invested billions of dollars in infrastructure for water, sewer, roads, bridges, parks, and libraries.  To abandon that investment by passing House Bill 489 would be shortsighted.” 

AIC-Opposed Urban Renewal Bill up for Floor Vote Soon in House

Legislation that would restrict the use of urban renewal for economic development will be voted on by the House very soon.  House Bill 484, sponsored by Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star and Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, would exempt highway district levies from revenue allocation areas formed or expanded to include property on or after July 1, 2020 and allow the highway district to negotiate an agreement with the agency to waive these rights.  We ask city officials to contact their legislators and respectfully ask that they oppose House Bill 484.

The growth in tax base that happens within an urban renewal district ultimately benefits all the local governments in that area (cities, counties, highway districts, fire districts, library districts, etc.).  House Bill 484 will force urban renewal districts to have a longer lifespan to bring projects to fruition and pay off bonds, which has the perverse impact of forcing local governments to wait longer for new taxable value to hit the tax rolls.  Urban renewal agencies work in close consultation with highway districts now to take their needs into account.  House Bill 484 would hamper a vital tool for economic development and job creation in cities.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment on Property Taxation of Property Leased to Private Entities is Pulled by Sponsor

House Joint Resolution 5, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require state or local government owned property that is leased to private entities to be subject to property taxation encountered headwinds and has been pulled back to the House Revenue & Taxation Committee.  It is not clear whether a new resolution will be introduced this session. 

The Spring District Workshops will include training on new laws passed by the Idaho Legislature, budgeting and city revenues, and planning and zoning.  

The House of Representatives approved a unanimous consent request pushing floor debate and vote on the property tax freeze bill—House Bill 409—until Tuesday, February 25.  Stakeholders continue to have discussions behind the scenes about possible alternatives to the freeze. 

Please contact your legislators, and even recontact them, to respectfully ask that they oppose House Bill 409.  You can find your legislators by using this online tool. 

The bill would freeze city, county and other non-school taxing districts’ property tax budgets for the upcoming Fiscal Year at the dollar amount each entity received for the current Fiscal Year.  The lost revenue would not accrue to a taxing district’s forgone levying authority.

House Bill 409 is premised on the flawed assumption that freezing property taxes will help homeowners in areas with rapidly escalating values.  In testimony to the House Revenue & Taxation Committee, Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane said that if a one-year property tax freeze had been in place in 2019, 82% of residential properties in Ada County would still have seen a tax increase because taxes are shifting from commercial property onto homeowners.  Without the one-year freeze, 91% of residential properties would have seen an increase. 

The Legislature has tools at its disposal to fix rising residential home values in the form of increasing and/or indexing the Homeowner’s Exemption, which was capped by the Legislature at $100,000 a few years ago, and providing additional relief through the Circuit Breaker program that helps low-income homeowners who are elderly, widow(ers), disabled, blind, or disabled veterans or former prisoners of war.

Freezing property taxes will force cities to essentially bring development to a halt, if they are unable to pay for the services and infrastructure needed to serve Idaho’s growing population.  Property taxes pay for vital police and fire services that protect our communities and maintaining our streets and bridges.

Revenue Sharing Bill Passes House Floor

Rep. Monks’ bill to change the revenue sharing formula—House Bill 408—passed the House floor by a vote of 53-16-1.  The bill now heads to the Senate for a committee hearing before the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee.  AIC is neutral on House Bill 408, but city officials should feel free to contact their legislators and share their city’s position on the legislation.  You can find a spreadsheet showing the impact of the legislation here. 

AIC-Opposed Annexation Bill Goes to House Floor

On Thursday, the House Local Government Committee voted to approve an AIC-opposed annexation bill sponsored by Rep. Bryan Zollinger, R-Idaho Falls.  House Bill 489 will be up for floor debate and vote in the House next week. 

AIC urges city officials to contact their legislators and respectfully ask that they oppose House Bill 489, which would have serious impacts on managing growth and infrastructure planning and development at the local level.

“Idaho’s current annexation law was a product of a two-year discussion from 2000 to 2002 that involved broad stakeholder participation and thoughtful compromises that from the basis for the state’s policy,” said AIC Counsel Jerry Mason in testimony to the committee.  “House Bill 489 would eliminate that carefully constructed law that has served the state well.”

House Bill 489 has numerous flaws, which were discussed in testimony to the committee.

The bill makes the process more burdensome and time consuming for annexations requested by property owners. 

The bill requires two-thirds of landowners to approve every annexation (regardless of whether they receive city services or not).

By having voting on the basis of landowner approval instead of acreage (as in the current law) HB 489 opens up the possibility for abuse by allowing a potentially unlimited number of co-owners to be brought to frustrate a proposed annexation.

Passing House Bill 489 would result in a patchwork quilt of annexed and unannexed lands, forcing emergency responders to identify which jurisdiction is responsible for responding to calls and crippling cities’ ability to have thoughtfully planned extension of their services and infrastructure.

“Idaho is facing unprecedented growth,” Mason said, “and cities have invested billions of dollars in infrastructure for water, sewer, roads, bridges, parks, and libraries.  To abandon that investment by passing House Bill 489 would be shortsighted.” 

AIC-Opposed Bill on P&Z Notice & Hearing Killed in House Local Government Committee

AIC-opposed legislation making hearings before the Planning & Zoning Commission optional for annexations and rezones was defeated in the House Local Government Committee.  We extend our appreciation to AIC Counsel Jerry Mason for his remarks in opposition to House Bill 450. 

Constitutional Amendment Requiring Property Taxation of Government Property Leased to Private Entities Up for Consideration on House Floor

A proposed constitutional amendment that would require state or local government owned property that is leased to private entities to be subject to property taxation is up for floor debate and vote in the House after clearing House Revenue & Taxation Committee.  House Joint Resolution 005 is sponsored by Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star; Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise; and Rep. Steven Harris, R-Meridian.  The resolution also provides that any revenue derived from such taxes must be dedicated to reducing property taxes paid by other taxpayers.  There are a number of situations where cities lease property to private entities, including farmland, airport hangars, golf courses, etc.  If your city has concerns with HJR 005, please reach out to your legislators. 

Speakers will address:

The Science of PFAS
PFAS Law and Litigation
The Regulatory Landscape
Remediation Options
What’s happening in Idaho?

DATE: March 19, 2020

TIME: 8 am to 1 pm

LOCATION: The Grove Hotel

Register HERE

Participants include:

Eric Buer
Senior Hydrogeologist
Farallon Consulting, L.L.C.

Brent Brelje
Principal Engineer
SLR Consulting

Jerri Henry
Drinking Water Protection and Finance Division Administrator
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

John McCorkle, CEP
Principal
SLR Consulting

Michael McCurdy, PE, CHMM
Waste Management and Remediation Division Administrator
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

Kevin R. Murray
Partner
Holland & Hart

Mike Murray
Environmental and Resource Management Section Manager
HDR Engineering, Inc.