HomeMy WebLinkAboutREXBURG SUGAR CITY JOINT COUNCIL MINUTES MARCH 23, 2000
DATE: (032300)
REXBURG - SUGAR CITY
JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
March 23, 2000
STATE OF IDAHO)
County of Madison) SS
City of Rexburg)
Present were the following:
RexburgSugar City
Presiding:Mayor Bruce SutherlandMayor Lawrence Neilsen
Council Members:Glen PondClinton Arnold
Paul PugmireLoretta Smith
Farrell YoungBrent Barrus
Marsha BjornnTim Kershaw
Donna BenfieldDick Dyer, Engineer
Kay Beck
City Clerk:Marilyn Hansen
Madison County
Finance Officer:Richard Horner
City Attorney:Stephen ZollingerDusty Cureton
Excused:John MillarGerald Jeppesen
Pledge to the flag.
Mayor Sutherland explained the application for the $500,000 grant for the widening of Salem
Highway to the ARTCO intersection, the traffic signal and lighting at the intersection.
Dick Dyer, Engineer for Sugar City addressed the issue of the re-designation of Highway 33
listing the background, advantages, concerns and considerations. He reviewed the advantages
and disadvantages to Sugar City for this particular proposal. It would be advantageous to Sugar
City if certain conditions were met. Sugar City has Highway 33 running through their town so
they have the benefit of state maintenance. If the designation is switched to Salem Highway it
would be nice for Sugar to have a designation of a business route to come off the new Center
Street interchange, route down Center Street through town and back to Highway 33. If this can
be done the advantages of the state maintenance through that major road would be held and
maintain Sugar’s interest.
The work on the Railroad Avenue project was discussed. The concept is that will connect to the
new interchange that will give good truck passage to Sun-Glo and some of the other commercial
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enterprises. The proposal was to eliminate the “S” curve into Sugar and Railroad Avenue has
been designed to hook directly with the highway from Rexburg. The state is interested in that
and Sugar is looking for ways to support that particular project. Having Highway 33 as it is now
is in Sugar City’s favor so if they were to abandon that southerly portion of Highway 33 they
would need some help from the City and the County to carry forward with that last improvement.
Gerald Jeppesen stated there was a possibility that the County could help with that project in
straightening the route out and it would slow traffic down going into Sugar City. He likes the
first proposal of going to the state to see if they would help somewhat in finishing up that project.
The other problem is that the Center Street Interchange only has access southbound. The slated
Highway 33 interchange is too close, you can’t have an off-ramp coming off at Center Street and
having the merging of traffic for people getting off on to Highway 33 without having a real high
accident rate. One stipulation that Idaho Transportation Department had on constructing this
Sugar interchange would be a half interchange to the south. This restricts access to these
commercial enterprises to get their truck traffic going north. Discussion on the direction and
route for a business loop and design of the interchange.
Salem Highway will become a commuter road and Sugar would like to see a commitment that all
three entities, Sugar, Rexburg and Madison County work together on this project. Dick would
recommend a definitive plan to take care of the growth this will precipitate on Salem Highway.
Gerald received a letter from the State asking for a proposal on this project. He feels the quicker
a proposal is put together and signed by all three entities the better position we will be in. It was
discussed that it would make good sense to do all of Salem Highway at the same time if the State
would help.
It was requested by Mayor Neilsen that Stephen draft a letter relative to Highway 33, letting
Madison County and Sugar City review the same, then finalize the proposal to send to the State.
The possible overlay of the Rexburg and Sugar City Impact Zone was discussed. It was
determined that the area had first been in the area of impact of Sugar City, Frank Jacobs owned
the property and had insisted that this property be added to the Rexburg Impact Zone. It was
recommended that Stephen write a Resolution instructing the Planning & Zoning Commission and
the City Clerk’s office to always notify any incorporated city within the county of any action that
will be taken relative to the impact zone.
John Millar was absent and in his presence Dick Dyer lead the discussion of the Sugar City Sewer
issues. Dick presented a study as of October 1999, on the recommendation that Sugar City
change their allotment in the Wastewater Treatment Plant to a capacity basis. Discussion on the
past rate structure, the recommended rate structure, and future use. Sun-Glo is expanding their
facility and if they want additional capacity they will purchase this from Sugar then Sugar will buy
additional capacity from Rexburg.
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Discussion was had concerning an agreement as to gallonage capacity only precluding certain
types of repairs that are not a condition of usual use but extraordinary expense. It was concluded
that Stephen should write up an agreement between Sugar City and Rexburg following the same
format as the sewer agreement with the City of Teton.
Mayor Neilsen would like to see a bike path and/or walking path completed between Sugar City
and Rexburg which would be a win-win situation for both communities. There was some
discussion of the possibility of getting a federal grant on the premise of linking two cities, using
the three entities to apply for a grant, working with Eastern Idaho Railroad or other possible
funding. There were several suggested locations: along the railroad track, going to West 2000
North then to Salem Highway; through Browns proposed new potato plant and through ARTCO;
or along the Sugar Cemetery road and tie into Barney Dairy Road.
Paul suggested that there is a Transportation Committee already assembled and rather than
duplicate the process this item could be turned to them for review.
Mayor Sutherland thanked Mayor Neilsen for calling this meeting and felt that it had been very
worthwhile and entertained a suggestion that the two councils meet regularly, either annually or
semi-annually just to keep each other up on what is going on in the respective cities.
Meeting was adjourned.
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Bruce Sutherland, Mayor
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Marilyn Hansen, City Clerk
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