COMMISSIONERS MINUTES                                January 25, 2010


The Elmore County Commissioners met in regular session on the above date in the Commissioners Room, basement of the Elmore County Courthouse, 150 South 4th East, Mountain Home, Idaho.

Present at the meeting were Chairperson Connie Cruser, Commissioners Arlie Shaw and Larry Rose. Also present was Civil Attorney Buzz Grant and Deputy Clerk Barbara Steele.

Jeannie Hodgekiss, Mountain Home, Idaho, appeared representing the Elmore County Domestic Violence Council. Ms. Hodgekiss is asking the County to continue to represent them until their paperwork is complete with the IRS and then they can work independently from the County. Ms. Hodgekiss will bring in the grant documents for review by Civil Attorney Grant. The issue will be on next week’s agenda.

Marty Jones, Central District Health, appeared before the Commissioners and the Glenns Ferry Landfill/Transfer Station was discussed. A collection day sometime this Spring for citizens to bring prescription drugs that are expired or no longer used was discussed.

A small recess was taken. Regular session resumed.

Alan Christy, Growth and Development Director, appeared to discuss a refund request from Chad Miller on a building permit. Commissioner Rose excused himself to take a phone call. A partial refund was discussed. Motion by Shaw, second by Cruser, to approve a partial reimbursement to Chad Miller on a building permit.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - ABSENT
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Commissioner Rose returned to the meeting. Discussion followed on the current Planning and Zoning Ordinance and workshops that are being held by the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding changes. Setting a hearing date was discussed regarding the nine appeals received from Jon McCallum. The public hearing date was set for March 2, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.

Motion by Rose, second by Shaw, to approve the expenses.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Motion by Shaw, second by Cruser, to approve the minutes for January 19, 2010.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Commissioner Rose read the Certificates of Residency into the record: Richard Mark Goldsberry, Rachel J. Kowalewski, and James A. Young. Motion by Rose, second by Shaw, to approve the Certificates of Residency as read.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Motion by Rose, second by Shaw, to provide a letter of support for the Youth Corp
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

The trash hauling contract was briefly discussed. The current contract does not expire until 2012.

Motion by Shaw, second by Cruser, to add to the agenda an Executive Session pursuant to I.C. 67-2345(c). Roll call vote was taken.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Motion by Cruser, second by Shaw, to go into Executive Session pursuant to I.C. 67-2345(c) to discuss purchasing property. Roll call vote was taken.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Regular session resumed. No action was taken as result of the Executive Session.

Motion by Rose, second by Shaw, to recess for lunch.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

At 1:30 p.m. on a motion by Cruser, second by Rose, to go into Executive Session pursuant to I.C. 67-2345(d) to meet with Social Services Director Marianne Bate. Roll call vote was taken.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Regular session resumed and the following decision was made:

K-12-09-07 Motion by Shaw, second by Rose, to deny for incomplete information, unable to determine medical indigency, and unable to determine if the medical service was necessary.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Motion by Cruser, second by Rose, to go into Executive Session pursuant to I.C. 67-2345(d) to hold a reconsideration hearing on indigent case K-08-09-06 and review indigent applications.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

A hearing was held on K-08-09-06. Present were the three Commissioners, Civil Attorney Buzz Grant and Indigent Director Marianne Bate. The applicant was not present.

Regular session resumed and the following decisions were made:

The hearing on K-08-09-06 was continued until later in the day.

On case K-12-09-07, motion by Shaw, second by Cruser, to reverse the former decision and deny for incomplete information, unable to determine medical indigency, and to remove the reason: unable to determine if the medical service was necessary.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

The Elected Officials met for their monthly meeting.

Present at the meeting were Assessor Jo Gridley, Clerk Marsa Plummer, Prosecutor Kristina Schindele, Treasurer Rose Plympton, and Sheriff Rick Layher.

Treasurer Plympton reported the tax collection in December was right on course. The three year delinquent taxes are being processed. Currently there are 30 parcels the Treasurer’s Office is working on.

Assessor Gridley reported that an employee retired in her office. The motor vehicles office in Glenns Ferry has been merged with the Glenns Ferry Sheriff’s office. Pioneer Federal Credit Union has been notified that we will not be renting their office space any longer. Discussion followed on the employees work areas and work schedules.

Clerk Plummer reported the new recording program from Stephenson’s Computer Consulting is being used and the Recorder’s office is going to implement Simplifile which is an electronic recording program. The postage meter is in the process of being repaired.

Prosecutor Schindele reported the County has a new District Court Judge and discussion followed on court scheduling. Storage for files was discussed.

Dispatch was discussed and negotiations need to begin with the City on the issue.

Accepting credit cards for payments in various offices was discussed.

The draft Employee Personnel Policy was discussed. The Elected Officials compared it to the current Employee Personnel Policy. A small work session was held on sections one and two. Suggestions will be submitted to Clerk Plummer to update the draft policy. Processing new employees in the Recorder’s Office was discussed. Cross training was discussed. The draft Personnel Policy will be discussed at the next Elected Officials meeting. Pictometry was briefly discussed.

Motion by Cruser, second by Rose, to go into Executive Session pursuant to I.C.67-2345(d) for the continuation of Hearing K-08-09-06. Roll call vote was taken.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Regular session resumed. The following decision was made:

K-08-09-06 Motion by Shaw, second by Rose, to deny as no proof of residency in Elmore County and applicant is voluntarily unemployed.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

The Pest Abatement Advisory Board, Marsha Sellers, Doug Mayne and Merrill Brown along with Extension Agent Mir Seyedbagheri, appeared before the Board to report on the last years expenditures and to present the Comprehensive Mosquito Surveillance and Control Plan for 2010. Ms. Sellers explained how many traps there were last year, where they were placed, and asked would the plan be the same for this next year. Mr. Seyedbagheri explained more traps can be placed if necessary.

Civil Attorney Grant asked Mr. Seyedbagheri how much was spent last year (season). Mr. Seyedbagheri stated less than $40,000 was spent last year. Chairperson Cruser stated Central District Health also assisted the County with expenses.

Traci Lauric, Mountain Home, appeared to express concerns regarding expenditures with the Pest Abatement District. Ms. Lauric questioned why the Pest Abatement Budget was set at the figure it was, when half that amount was spent last year. Ms. Lauric stated any unexpended funds need to be returned to the taxpayers or other needy entities.

Chairperson Cruser and Mr. Seyedbagheri addressed Ms. Lauric’s concerns regarding how expenditures have been managed in the past and the plan for the future. The District encompasses all pests, not just mosquitoes.

Discussion followed on the last few years of fighting mosquitoes. When aerial spraying was done, the cost was $60,000 for one night.

Commissioner Rose explained how the budget was figured for the Pest Abatement District.

Ms. Lauric emphasized that Government should only spend what they need, not spend what they have. The Commissioners agreed.

Commissioner Rose stated the public very rarely attends Commissioners meetings. Ms. Lauric stated because the meetings are held during the day, those who have day jobs cannot attend. Commissioner Rose stated a few years ago meetings were held in the evening, due to that fact, and still the public did not attend.

Motion by Shaw, second by Rose, to accept the Comprehensive Mosquito Surveillance and Control plan for 2010 from the Extension Office and the Pest Abatement Board.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

Extension Agent Seyedbagheri informed the Commissioners of an available grant for spraying noxious weeds on Bureau of Land Management land. Civil Attorney Grant will review the grant application and the item will be placed on the next agenda.

Chairperson Cruser read the tax cancellations into the record: No. 1035 Nora Rosales $118.76 and No. 1036 Cathleen E. Johnson $867.64. Motion by Rose, second by Shaw, to approve the tax cancellations in the amount of $986.40.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

The public portion of the meeting was held. No public was present.

The trash hauling contract and dispatch were discussed.

Motion by Shaw, second by Cruser to adjourn at 5:33 p.m.
CRUSER - AYE
ROSE - AYE
SHAW - AYE Motion carried and so ordered.

/S/ CONNIE CRUSER, Chairperson
ATTEST: /S/ MARSA PLUMMER, Clerk