HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975, Feb 19 LegislatureMINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL
MEETIh1G OF THE CITY OF REXBURG, IDAHO
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itate of Idaho)
;ounty of Madison (SS
;ity of Rexburg)
Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Rexburg, Madison County
was held February 19th, 1975, at 7:30 P. M. at the City Hall, being the
regular meeting place of said Council, at which meeting there were present
and answering roll call, the following, who constituted a quorum:
Mayor:
John C. Porter
Councilman: Warren Porter
Glenn Peterson
' Nile Boyle
George Catmull
Barton Jensen
Morgan Garner
Also Present: Mary Smith, City Attorney
Afton Anderson, City Clerl<
Thereupon the following proceedings, among others, were duly had and taken:
kE: MINUTES APPROVED
Minutes of the previous meeting of February 5th, 1975, were read and discussed.
Councilman Warren Porter moved that the minutes be approved as corrected.
Councilman Glenn Peterson seconded.
All Aye
3E: RESOULUTION TO BE SEIJT TO LEGISLATURE
Mayor John C. Porter told the Council of his talk with Senator Dick Smith
of Rexburg. Mayor Porter advised thoi- here was a possibility of the tax-
payers getting a refund of S-Fate taxes paid. This would only be a very
small refund and wouldn't be enough to benefit too many. It was Mayor
.Porter's feeling that the State should keep ,this money instead of refunding
it so that it could be put with other funds to match Federal Funds. This
would enabFe them to complete new highway projects ahead of schedule.
Mayor Porter felt this would really mean more savings to the people than
the tax refund. Councilman Barton Jensen moved a resolution be sent to
the legislature regarding highway matching funds, stating that the City
Council would go on record to Keep the tax refund to match federal funds
so as to complete our new highway ahead of schedule. Councilman Glenn
Peterson seconded.
All Aye
The following Resolution was prepared and sent to the legislature.
A RESOLUTION TO THE 43rd LEGISLATURE
The Rexburg City Council urges the Idaho Legislators assembled at Boise
for the First regular Session of 43rd Legislature, to make a special
appropriation to the Department of Transportation from the General
Fund surplus, sufficient to provide matching funds for the recently released
Federal Highway Funds. We feel it is important that the State of Idaho
use -the full amount of money alloted to Idaho for highway construction
and we ask that the legislature place a priority on Highway 20-191 for
', 'completion as soon as it is possible. We take this action for the follow-
' ing reasons.
I. Flighway 20-191 is one of Idaho's most heavily traveled rou-Ies. It
serves an important farming and livestock section. Tourists travel is
heavy as it is Idaho's route to Vest Yellowstone, the west entrance to
Yellowstone IJational Parl<. it serves industry, potato processing plants
and is a truck route from the Great Lakes, Chicago heartland to the
Intermountain area and west coast. At present the mileage from Chester,
Idaho on the north to Idaho Falls on the South is a bottleneck. It
slows traffic movement. The congestion is a traffic hazard. It
discourages tourists travel to Yellowstone or the Island Parl< Playground
of ':Idaho. it is costly and hazardous to the citizens of Idaho,
especially those living in East Idaho who must depend on this inadequate
highway arterial.
2. We commend those legislators who are seeding to use the General Fund
~:~ surplus to provide a tax refund for Idaho's taxpayers but we point
`out''~o all members of the 43rd Legislature that the improvement of highway
20-191 would result in a much greater saving to east Idahoans than the
meager 10 or 12 per cent one-time tax refund. Highway improvement and
and modernization will provide savings for years to come and will
strengthen the economy of the entire state.
3. The safiety factor ofi the modern highway to serve the Upper Valley
of east Idaho cannot be ignored. The congestion fo Highway 20-191 is
a serious traffic hazard with a high accident ration per mile traveled.
The improvement of this highway could result in a reduction in the number __
of highway accidents, saving thousand of dollars in property damages
as well as human suffering and lives.
We realize the transfer ofi money from the General Fund to a Dedicated
Fund such as the Transportation Department is unusual but the release
of impounded Federal Funds and the dire need to rush the improvement of
Flighway 20-191 and other Idaho Highways, is unusual and needed to keep
the Idaho economy strong and vibrant.
The resolution passed unanimously by the Rexburg City ouncil in regular
session Wednesday, February 19, 1975.
Signed: ~•
REXBURG I Y COUNCIL
By John Porter
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PE
PE
ATTEST: Afton Anderson, Clerl<
SCHOOL BOARD ASKS PERMISSION TO CLOSE OFF STREET
Don Merrill, School Board Chairman, asked the Council for help with three
problems the school board has. The first being the street running from
Main Street straight North to Ist North, and running through the school
property. The school board is thinking of building the maintenance
shop for the school buses on the west side of this street. They asked
that the City Council give them permission to close off the street so
that they would have plenty of access space to the shop. City Attorney
Mary Smith, advised that the City and School Board had already signed an
agreement with the property owners along that street many years ago
enabling them to close off the north end of the street if they let the
property owners use the curving drive through the school grounds. City
Attorney Mary Smith will check into the old agreement before any new
agreement is made.
SALARY FOR ROBERT GENTRY DISCUSSED
The second problem the school board wished help on was the matter of a
salary for Robert Gentry who is now handling the recreation program for
the school board and City of Rexburg. The school board feels the City
should share the expense of his salary. The Mayor advised that the
City had donated to the recreation program and that it had been agreed
that the City would pay him a full salary during the three summer months
that he would be running the City Recreation program. No definite amount
could be set at this time.
PROBLEM WITH PARKING AT HIGHSCHOOL
The third problem the School Board has is the parking up at the new
highschool. The City Police are now patroling this parking area and
giving parking tickets in the parking area along the street owned by
the school district. City Attorney, Mary Smith, said it was not legal
for City Police to give tickets and patrol this as it does not belong
to the City. Mr. Merrill stated that if that was so the school would
really have a problem. No alternatives could be agreed upon. The
School Board will have to come up with some solution.
RE: COUNCIL DID NOT APPROVE RICI<S LANDON PLATT
Randy Landon, Ricl<s Landon, presented to the Council a plat for 48
condiminum units to be grouped in fourplexes. The location of this
proposed plait is South of 4th South and 4th West. Mayor John C. Porter
read the minutes of the planning board meeting in which the board had