Minutes - 2010 - City Council - 08/17/2010 - Town Hall
EAGLE CITY COUNCIL
Town Hall Meeting Minutes
August 17, 2010
1. CALL TO ORDER: Acting Mayor Huffaker calls the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL: HUFFAKER, SHOUSHTARIAN, SEMANKO, GRASSER. All
present. A quorum is present.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mr. Curry, U.S. Navy, leads the Pledge of
Allegiance.
4. TOWN HALL MEETING:
The Eagle City Council is pleased to invite all residents within the greater community of
Eagle to attend the August 17, 2010 town hall meeting to speak their mind about matters
or opinions they believe the City Council should address or consider. We have no agenda
since we wish this to be an open discussion inspired by the interests of the people of our
community.
Out of courtesy for all who wish to speak, the City Council requests each speaker limit
their presentation to three (3) minutes. If time permits, and after all attendees who wish
to address the City Council have done so, the City Council may invite rebuttals or engage
in additional discussions with the attendees.
It is the wish of the City Council that each speaker be treated with the utmost respect,
courtesy and afforded the right to speak without interruption. The intent of our town hall
meeting is to create a friendly community spirited forum where by the Eagle community
may express their views openly and freely.
May we suggest this is a gathering of neighbors openly speaking with neighbors, and we
hope everyone will feel welcome to participate.
Acting Mayor Huffaker introduces the issue.
Susan Dickerson, I am a Valley Ride Hwy 44 bus service patron. She is urging the
Council to support the bus. Reads prepared notes into the record and discusses several
reasons that the bus service should be kept in place.
General discussion on the amount of people who ride the bus.
General discussion on the bus service, bus routes: and bus ridership.
Callie Dickerson, I have been riding the bus this summer to BSU. This is a useful option
for college students and I think you should consider funding the bus.
General discussion on how many BSU students ride the bus.
General discussion on how to advertise the bus service.
Ted Bailey, I have been riding the bus for two years, two to three days per week. During
the BSU school year the bus is being utilized by Eagle and other city residents.
Discussion on the commute to Boise from Eagle. Eagle needs to recognize their part in
the region as to the environment. Discusses the need to have the bus for the BSU
students.
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Further general discussion.
Tom Menten, I support everything that I have heard. I am not the most regular rider; I
ride mostly in the winter. I think the rider ship is up this year. Discusses the design of
the Park 'n Ride Lot. McCall has their own transit system that goes around town and this
would enhance rider ship and business. You should be counting all of the traffic the bus
is eliminating on State Street.
General discussion.
Chelsie Chamberlin, discusses the Library and Historical Museum. I have had to read
books over the summer and I have been able to check these books out at the Library
which has saved me money. The Museum is important to the well being of the
community. I volunteer at both the Library and the Museum. I think something should
be on the City web site as to volunteering at the Library and the Museum.
General discussion on the increase of the Library hours.
Marty Taylor, I am on the Board of the Friends of the Library. I am under the impression
that the Library staff is City employees. I thought the City determined what could be
spent for the Library.
General discussion on the Library funding from the City and the general City budget.
Marty Taylor, I would like you to discuss why you need to take the levy rate back when
you could have more money to work with? We have paid our taxes so why go backward?
General discussion on the tax levy rate and property taxes.
General discussion on cutting staff at City Hal1.
Lynne Sedlacek, I was on the Council for two terms and there was too much growth, too
fast for too long. I find it amazing that you Gentlemen come in and none of you have
served a fuIl term yet so the certainty for which you speak like Planning & Zoning really
blows me away because I don't see it all like that. I hope that you have all taken the time
to read this staff report that BiIl Vaughn has put together, it is very well put together. We
have some of the top notch planners in the valley. The main reason I am here tonight is
that I am not feeling very comfortable about Council right now. I'm concerned about the
money Gale Pooley owes the City. I have a hard time reconciling the tremendous need
for a planning staff and I base this mostly on the map I have in my office that shows the
annex boundaries of the City and the M3 annex is huge. I think we need a Mayor.
Discussion on the building of the City Hall building. I'm concerned that we might lose
this building and the thought that we might lose some the most excellent planning staff
that I have seen during the 8 years that I was on Council. I have been following the
budget and I have been to some of the budget workshops. I think you laid off a lot of
staff. With all due respect this Council is so new you don't even know what you don't
know. The developers are the one that will be glad if you get rid of our planning staff.
General discussion on the budget, cutting city staff, taking the City's levy rate back to FY
08/09, a bond election for City Hal1 and leasing/purchasing the current building and the
Mayor's position.
Mary Defayette, I'm here to talk about the Planning & Zoning. There have been 384
houses in Eagle sold in the last 30 days. Eagle's property values are where they are
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because of the planning that has gone on, people plan on living here. I've been a realtor
and people look at all the things that have happened in Eagle because of the quality
planning staff, they don't ask about how it affects their taxes. Further cuts to staff we are
going to lose quality people, they aren't going to be available to us when we need them,
and we will have to start all over. I also want to talk about the Orville Jackson decision.
I think it is wrong that this town can't have one bar where I don't have to deal with some
else kids. I think it is exclusionary that we can't have a bar in Eagle. We are taking about
budget issues, let's talk about tax revenue. We need a diverse, viable downtown.
General discussion on the Orville Jackson decision, a standalone bar and what should be
downtown.
Jeff Kunz, discusses the City Hall facility. Discusses the lease and the purchase of the
current City Hall building. Discussion on having a bond election.
General discussion on the purchase agreement for the current building, a bond election
and putting a survey on the web site for the public's comments.
Jeff Kunz, does the Urban Renewal Agency havle its own directors and do they get
funding from the City?
General discussion on the Urban Renewal Agency.
General discussion on the four corner area development.
General discussion on a community pool.
General discussion on Eagle Island State Park.
5. ADJOURNMENT:
Acting Mayor Huffaker adjourns the meeting.
Hearing no further business, the Council meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
k~~~
...... SHARON K. BERGMANN
CITY CLERK/TREASURER
APPROVED:
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A TRANSCRIBABLE RECORD OF THIS MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT EAGLE
CITY HALL
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