WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM BLOCK GRANT
BLOCK GRANT RECEIVED – City receives Block Grant for water distribution system
Last August the city was informed by a Keller Associates study that the city’s water distribution system very old and in need of replacement. It would be a large-scale project and the only way the city could see to do the extensive repairs was step by step, one priority and one phase at a time.
The city hired Rick Miller of the Rexburg Development Company to apply for an Idaho Community Block Grant for Phase I of the project. Phase I will include Broadway Street water line replacement, pressure reducing valve stations and a water treatment plant generator.
The $500,000 Block Grant has been awarded.
Detail work surrounding acceptance of the grant began at the May 5 meeting of the Salmon City Council. A partial contract for the work had been negotiated with Keller Associates for Phase I work since the city felt it had to be done regardless of whether or not the grant was received. Now that the grant is secured the rest of the Keller contract needed to be ratified. After council discussion on the completion date listed. a motion to go forward was approved on a unanimous vote.
The city has decided to apply for a Judicial Confirmation process to obtain the funds for Phase II which is the remainder of the water distribution project. A Public Hearing is required before entering a Judicial Confirmation process. A date of June 2nd was set for the hearing by a unanimous vote. The June 2nd date will be officially published prior to the hearing.
The next detail was to officially make a contract agreement for the East Idaho Development Company to become the administrator for the Block Grant monies and to take care of all the requirements the Block Grant entails. Councilor Fred Waidely made a motion to that effect and it passed unanimously.
In the evening’s Roundtable Discussion Councilor Russ Chinske complimented city crews on the recent road work around town. He then urged his fellow council members to consider signing a letter being circulated to river communities concerning what was presented by the Wildlife Federation earlier in the meeting. He said it is important for opinions to be heard on something that will have great impacts on this town no matter which way decisions go.
Councilor Jim Bockelman added it’s very easy to contact Representative Mike Simpson with thoughts on the dam breaching topic.
Bockelman also said he was happy to see the “No Bicycle Riding” signs placed along Main Street sidewalks. During a public comment period earlier in the meeting Bockelman expressed his dismay over plans for yet another Pizza Restaurant. He said he’s all for new business at the old King’s store but asked, “… is another Pizza place really needed.?”
Councilor Neal James said even though it’s beating a dead horse he still thinks a city engineer should be hired to do some of the upcoming water distribution work being planned. Councilor Robin Phillips said she would like a future meeting agenda to include discussion and planning for the Fourth of July Parade.
The next meeting of the Salmon City Council is set for May 19th at 6 PM in the Salmon Valley Center meeting room.
District Seven Public Health Director Geri Rackow told the Salmon City Council May 5 that with 41 percent of residents vaccinated, Lemhi County is in the top three for highest number of vaccinated residents in the district. Teton County scored the highest with 47 percent vaccinated followed by Bonneville County with 46 percent. She congratulated the great local effort that made the high rate of vaccinations possible.
Breaking down the statistics, Rackow said 61 percent of residents in North Fork have been vaccinated and 39 percent of Salmon residents have received the vaccine.
She said the state passed a one million doses distributed milestone earlier in the week and that next week the Pfizer vaccine may be authorized for ages 12 to 15. In Idaho there is more of a vaccine supply than demand so virtually anyone can get vaccinated including those residing out of the county or state.
Steele Memorial Clinic Chief Executive Officer Jeanie Gentry told the council that there have been no COVID-19 patients hospitalized for some time. She said the hospital and staff have recommitted to wearing masks and screening patients due to the occasional walk-in virus patient case.
Rackow urged anyone with information pertaining to difficulty related to getting the vaccinations to contact one of the local providers. She said at this point masking is still recommended when around people you don’t know especially if you have not been vaccinated.
For months City Attorney Fred Snook has been rewriting and redefining sections of the city’s 1983 Nuisance Ordinance as per several discussions with the City Council. Part of the work has been research by Councilor Robin Phillips into Nuisance Ordinances in other cities the same size as Salmon.
After reviewing the most recent council directed changes to the ordinance it was put in the form of a motion-to-accept by Phillips who called Snook’s work on the ordinance “fabulous”. The council passed the re-worked Nuisance Ordinance unanimously.