SECURING THE FUTURE
City takes care of future business.
An ordinance to allow the Idaho Power Company to work within the City of Salmon has been under discussion by the Salmon City Council since the old 50-year lease between the two entities expired at the first of the year. Ordinance 21-847 has passed two city Council readings where a few updates were made including making it a 25 instead of a 50-year agreement.
The third reading of the ordinance was on the council’s February 17th meeting agenda.
Councilor Jim Baker made a motion to approve the franchise agreement which contained details such as permission to construct, maintain and operate in and upon present and future streets, highways and other public places within the corporate limits of the city of Salmon, Idaho…
Among the terms of agreement are electric utility properties for supplying electricity and electric services to the city, and the inhabitants thereof, for a term of 25 years. It also includes the non-exclusive right to physically locate and maintain telephone, cable, fiber optics or other communications facilities. It sets forth an agreement not to compete, reserves power of eminent domain and provides for payment of franchise fees.
The franchise agreement ordinance with Idaho Power passed on a unanimous roll call vote.
Later in the meeting there was some house-keeping detail work on updating the city code to accommodate the new franchise agreement. The ordinance update passed the council unanimously on its first reading.
Progress was made with the Kids Creek culvert replacement in the vicinity of \r\nGwartney and Water Streets. Discussions on the replacement began in 2019.
City Finance Director Amy Fealko explained money to do the culvert work is coming from the Idaho Office of Emergency Management and FEMA and is a two-phase grant. The first phase is the $35,700 which has been awarded to the city. That money is for engineering, a hydrology study, site preparation and public management. The 25 percent match comes to $8930 and the award is $26,769. Minus the in-kind match performed by city crews that leaves $3430. She then went through what money is available in various departments. Phase two shows $239,000 for actual installation.
City Administrator Emery Penner acknowledged the long process to get to this point and said that the city is going to do the culvert replacement either now or next year and it should be done sooner rather than later. He thought a good time frame would be the end of this October so the approximate $50,000 cost to the city could be placed in the next budget. Penner said hiring a contractor to handle the project and the permits involved, he considers the $60 to $70,000 would be a good deal.
Councilor Robin Phillips asked if the city has enough money to cover all the projects that are lined up and Penner said the cash is on hand through the Streets and Alleys fund.
Councilor Jim Bockelman made a motion to approve Federal; Grant DR-5263HMGP-City of Salmon: Phase I of Kids Creek Culvert Replacement at Gwartney and Water Streets. His motion passed unanimously.