PRESENT: Charles Howell, Chairman Roger Morley, Commissioner Jane White, Deputy Clerk JEROME COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Meeting convened at 9 A.M. Commissioner Roemer was not present because she was ill. COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS Commissioner Morley reported he had attended County Urban Renewal and Snake River Canyons Park board meetings. He had also heard U. S. Representative Mike Simpson speak at a Jerome Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Commissioner Howell stated he had spoken at a Jerome event honoring Viet Nam veterans. BUSINESS AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Payroll Clerk Lorrann Morrell was present. She voiced concern that she needed to be notified as soon as possible about the terminations of employees. She cited an example of entering a check for an employee for almost two weeks not worked as well as paying for his benefits; changing all the paperwork had taken her three hours. Morrell also reported that she would be training the next week on the new program for computer access to a time clock. Commissioner Howell said the Commissioners would preview the program with the employees supervised by them. Morrell was to compose an e-mail to department heads advising them to submit employee evaluations and accompanying requested wage increases for the next fiscal year by September 15. The Board signed Time Clock Correction forms for Cody Cantrell (2) and Kansas Guthrie as well as two leave requests for Art Brown. The Board signed a Catering Permit for El Sombrero, Jerome, to be used September 9-17 from 5 P.M. 1 A.M. at 392-B. The Board signed a Payroll Claims Approval by Fund, with a grand total of $317,893.03, and a Direct Deposit Detail, with a grand total of $208,434.36, both for the August payroll. CLAIMS Commissioner Howell signed claims for the August 18, 2017, to August 29, 2017, claim cycle as follows. Page 1 of 10
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CODY CANTRELL VETERANS REPORT Veterans Service Officer Cody Cantrell was present. Cantrell presented and reviewed a written recap of his activities in August. He said he was looking forward to training in Boise beginning August 30. He added that he would also like to take suicide risk/prevention classes. The Board approved Cantrell exceeding 19 ½ hours during the week of the training in Boise. MARIO UMANA JUVENILE PROBATION REPORT Juvenile Probation Administrator Mario Umana was present. Umana presented a written report, including statistics from his office. Umana reported the two new juvenile probation officers had graduated from POST (Police Officer Standards Training), with Maira Torres receiving a leadership award. Umana said he as well as the other two probation officers and the diversion officer would participate, via scholarships, in the Idaho Juvenile Justice Association (IJJA) conference September 10-12 in Moscow. The Commissioners were pleased that the officers would also visit two juveniles from Jerome County currently attending the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy in Pierce before their conference. Umana said he would also like his diversion officer to attend a free conference about exploited children to be held in Boise. A Motion was made by Commissioner Morley to send LaMar Brooks to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Sex Trafficking Awareness and Response August 29- September 1. It was seconded and carried with unanimous ayes. Umana asked for cell phone reimbursement for his secretary because she uses her phone to keep in contact with the probation officers. A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to reimburse Camille Tracy $25 a month for the County use of her cell phone, effective September 1. It was seconded and carried with unanimous ayes. DESERAE JONES MISDEMEANOR PROBATION REPORT Misdemeanor Probation Administrator Deserae Jones was present. Page 3 of 10
Jones gave the Commissioners written statistics from her office in July and a copy of the Misdemeanor Probation Policy Manual, which she had rewritten and combined with the Firearms Policy and which she said the County s legal counsel had approved. Commissioner Howell asked about the percentage of recidivism for the DUI (Driving Under the Influence) Court. Jones said she would gather statistics on recidivism as well as the cost of supervising probationers. PUBLIC HEARING CROSSROADS POINT BUSINESS CENTER PUD, VARIANCE TO BUILDING HEIGHT RESTRICTION (recorded) Planning and Zoning Administrator Art Brown, P&Z Assistant Administrator Nancy Marshall, Administrative Assistant Stephanie Aslett, and Attorney Mike Seib were present. Also present was Blair Crouch. Crouch requested a height variance for all structures within the Crossroads Point Business Center. He said allowing clients to build over 35 feet would streamline the process for building approvals. Brown noted that his staff report included approval from the Jerome Rural Fire District and explained that the variance would also include all future subdivisions within Phase One of the PUD (Planned Unit Development). Commissioner Howell reviewed the request and then closed the evidentiary portion of the hearing. The Board entered its discussion phase from the evidence presented. Commissioner Howell stated he was in favor of granting the variance because the Fire District did not object and would review any structures over 35 feet case by case, to which Commissioner Morley agreed. A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to approve the requested variance to allow structures to exceed 35 feet in height, with an approval from the Jerome Rural Fire District before a building permit is issued by the Jerome County Building Department. It was seconded and carried with unanimous ayes. It was determined Seib would write a memorandum decision reflecting the Board s conclusion. Meeting recessed at 11:55 A.M. Meeting reconvened at 1:15 P.M. with all Commissioners present. Page 4 of 10
EXECUTIVE SESSION PERSONNEL EVALUATIONS 1:15 P.M. A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to go into executive session per Idaho Code Section 74-206)(1)(b), personnel. It was seconded and carried with a unanimous roll call vote. 2:15 P.M. Return to open session. EXECUTIVE SESSION PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL MEETING 2:15 P.M. A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to go into executive session per Idaho Code Section 74-206)(1)(b), personnel. It was seconded and carried with a unanimous roll call vote. 2:45 P.M. Return to open session. TRACEE McKIM AND TEVIAN EKREN-KOBER QUARTERLY REPORT Chief Deputy Clerk Tracee McKim and Treasurer Tevian Ekren-Kober were present. McKim and Ekren-Kober presented a Quarterly Report for April 1, 2017, through June 30, 2017. McKim said the Fair and Health District Funds had recovered after the June collection of property taxes, which Ekren-Kober said had been successful. Commissioner Roemer asked about the balance of the Airport Fund, to which McKim said the County had received grant reimbursements and that the fund was doing well. Page 5 of 10
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TRACEE McKIM INSURANCE RENEWAL Chief Deputy Clerk Tracee McKim was present. McKim asked that Commissioner Howell sign a corrected Blue Cross renewal for FY 2017-18 because the renewal signed on June 20 incorrectly contained spousal rates. JASON WETHERN FIRE HAZARD WEEDS IN HAZELTON AREA Jason Wethern, mayor of Hazelton, was present. Wethern asked if the County could help eradicate six-foot-tall weeds on a field adjacent to Hazelton city property. His concern was that a fire on the property could easily spread to city buildings. He said he had consulted the Weed District superintendent about noxious weeds on the property but that killing them would still leave a fire hazard. Commissioner Roemer asked the County code enforcer, Shawn Denham, to be present. He advised that there is no County ordinance against weeds, but he believed a fire marshal could issue a citation. Page 7 of 10
Wethern said the field was plotted, with many different owners, some of whom live out-ofstate. Commissioner Roemer said the first step in solving the problem would be to consult the fire marshal and that she would consult the County attorney. ART BROWN HAZELTON AREA OF CITY IMPACT COUNTY ZONING Planning and Zoning Administrator Art Brown, P&Z Assistant Administrator Nancy Marshall, and Attorney Mike Seib were present. Brown presented maps to rezone areas that would no longer be in the Area of City Impact for Hazelton as well as areas immediately surrounding the city. He also gave the Commissioners three definitions the city had requested to be part of the County Zoning Ordinance. Brown and Marshall explained the maps. The Commissioners determined that the next step in adopting the Hazelton Area of City Impact would be a public hearing. Brown said he would set a date for a joint hearing in front of both the Commissioners and the Hazelton City Council, excluding September 19 and 25. MIKE SEIB LEGAL COUNSEL Attorney Mike Seib was present. 4:10 P.M. Executive Session: A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to go into executive session per Idaho Code 74-206(1)(d), privileged communication. It was seconded and carried with a unanimous roll call vote. 4:30 P.M. Return to open session. The Board determined to contact the independent board about the matter discussed in executive session. 4:31 P.M. Executive Session: A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to go into executive session per Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b)(f), personnel and litigation. It was seconded and carried with a unanimous roll call vote. 4:35 P.M. Return to open session. No action was taken regarding the above executive session. Page 8 of 10
Excess County Property: Seib stated his office had excess filing cabinets because of progress made in changing to paperless documents. He said no other department had requested them and that they were worth less than the amount required to auction County property. The Board determined to offer the filing cabinets free of charge to County employees, after which to donate or dispose of them. A Motion was made by Commissioner Morley to dispose of excess file cabinets, due to their worth, to be given to County employees. It was seconded and carried with unanimous ayes. County Runner: Seib suggested hiring a runner to deliver paperwork among the Judicial Annex, the Jail Administration Building, and the Courthouse two to three times a day. He said the current system of employees exchanging documents is not always satisfactory. The Board said it would consider his idea. Published Phone List and Numbers: Seib requested that only the main number to the prosecutor s office be published, explaining that the receptionist answers questions from the public and refers callers to the prosecutors only if necessary. The Board determined to ask the human resources director to make the suggested change. Contract for Juvenile Detention: Seib said he would review a renewal contract with the Mini- Cassia Juvenile Detention Center. Public Records Request: Seib advised Commissioner Roemer that she could waive a public records request fee. Reciprocity with the City: Seib said he still needed to consult the attorney for the City of Jerome about reciprocity of fees between the City and the County. Property Tax Exemption: Commissioner Roemer asked that Seib consider the State statute regarding the necessity of a County ordinance governing tax exemptions according to Code 63-602NN. The matter was added to the Sept. 5 agenda. Indigent Contract: Seib said he did not have a reply from Behavioral Health in Idaho Falls regarding a contract. Page 9 of 10
Weeds near Hazelton: Seib advised about a weed problem brought to the Commissioners earlier in the afternoon by Jason Wethern. He said the County could take no action for weeds on private property without a County ordinance governing weed control. He suggested the possibility of a civil court case and said he would ponder a solution. APPROVE CLAIMS A Motion was made by Commissioner Morley to approve the claims as presented. It was seconded and carried with Commissioners Morley and Howell voting aye and Commissioner Roemer abstaining because she had not yet reviewed all the claims. Commissioners Howell and Morley signed a Claims Approval Report dated August 25, 2017, for the Indigent Fund, with a grand total of $13,009.06. Commissioners Howell and Morley signed a Claims Approval Report dated August 25, 2017, for the Court Trust-ISTARS, Court Bond Trust, and Restitution-Courts Funds, with a grand total of $4,882.83. Commissioners Howell and Morley signed a Claims Approval Report dated August 25, 2017, with a grand total of $153,159.30 for the following funds: General, District Court II, Justice, Election Consolidation, and Revaluation. READ AND APPROVE MINUTES A Motion was made by Commissioner Howell to approve the minutes of August 21 as read. It was seconded and carried with unanimous ayes. INDIGENT MATTERS A Motion was made by Commissioner Morley to approve the indigent matters as written. It was seconded and carried with unanimous ayes. Denied were Case Nos. 1314-086; 1516-038; 1516-009; 1314-092; 1314-093; and 1213-094; dismissed was Case No. 1617-053. Meeting adjourned at 5:18 P.M. Jane White, Deputy Clerk Charles M. Howell, Chairman Catherine M. Roemer, Commissioner Roger M. Morley, Commissioner Page 10 of 10