[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6067244,"mediaKeyId","3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a","parentId",3140522,"title","Rexburg council ratifies volunteerism proclamation, approves surplus equipment and routine items; schedules executive session","audioSeconds",5543,"startMs",407000,"endMs",5950000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a&start=407&end=5950","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a/thumbnail_407000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6067244/Rexburg-City/Madison-County/Idaho/Rexburg-council-ratifies-volunteerism-proclamation-approves-surplus-equipment-and-routine-items-schedules-executive-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067244-7a570853f5e43f2f126401a13984188f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205641&Signature=MzFMseErOgJTtcaLwD3DbGUi-3iJpxwM5QuQlSMkLs0KEspJ4qBWlZSrqJ7v04EJv9yxOE1DJB7-eTvDibggefnMc8yfVoPDNshsL4C0~BlsxbpUSggvaRxR0ZDm4YI7WLnojsGtM9YNOHYFlyhQ3487J-JAUoqybkIXlx6XQQMy7AqrBGXgEW3ke27Jxb~DMzRVn06sqml5Z0E1nOCfHE1lfRJAmy4SMw2-tGKAfnjUulc-w-041cWUgeEU9kOah4EusjbonnUyZwR0x4pMbzildjtAdHs3CTYWLwBoe5ZLI1AuL122ZTEmTHui00A66iq-hX~TO59PCgzykkCchQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Of Rexburg","date","2025-03-05T00:00:00Z","article","Rexburg City Council on March 5 ratified a proclamation committing the city to promote volunteerism, approved the surplus of a golf‑course side mower, cleared routine consent items and voted to enter executive session to discuss labor contract matters.

The nut graf: the council approved the proclamation after a public commenter asked the city to soften language that named a single volunteer platform; staff agreed to adjust the proclamation’s wording to read “platforms like JustServe” to make volunteer sign‑up more inclusive. The council then approved several routine items, declared a surplus for a side mower from the municipal golf course and voted to move into executive session under Idaho law to discuss labor contract matters.

During public comment, Fred Merrill, a local resident who said he is organizing a community nonprofit soup kitchen at the VFW Hall, asked the council to change the proclamation’s wording so volunteer opportunities are promoted on “platforms like JustServe” rather than naming a single platform. City staff indicated that wording change was acceptable and that they would confirm with JustServe; the proclamation was later presented with the adjusted language and ratified. Merrill said the soup kitchen will open in early April and hold a ribbon cutting at noon on April 1; staff recorded the community project and the volunteer request.

In staff reports, Public Works Director Keith Davidson requested council approval to surplus a lightly used side mower the golf course no longer needs. Council approved a motion to surplus the equipment after staff said the mower is not performing the intended application and the city had a comparable articulating mower; staff will check with the county (a partial owner) before final disposition.

The consent calendar — which included minutes from the Feb. 19 meeting and authorization of city bills — was approved by voice vote. The council also advanced Ordinance 1328 (rezone of property on West Moody Road) to a third‑reading calendar after a second‑reading motion passed. The meeting concluded with a council motion and roll‑call vote to move into an executive session under Idaho Code Section 74‑206 to consider labor contract matters; the roll call was unanimous.

Ending: staff will confirm the proclamation language with the volunteer platform contact and post open‑house and LID materials ahead of the next meeting; the city will also verify county interest before disposing of surplus equipment and will return to open session after executive session to complete any remaining agenda items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 3/5/2025","oneSentenceSummary","On March 5 the council ratified a proclamation promoting volunteerism with language that staff agreed could reference platforms “like JustServe,” approved surplus of a golf‑course side mower, passed the consent calendar and authorized an executive session on labor contract matters.","taxTitle","Rexburg City, Madison County, Idaho","taxId",52398,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6067249,"Rexburg council votes to apply for $245,000 Idaho CDBG grant for Tabernacle Civic Center HVAC",553,4775000,5328000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a&start=4775&end=5328","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a/thumbnail_4775000.jpg","/articles/6067249/Rexburg-City/Madison-County/Idaho/Rexburg-council-votes-to-apply-for-245000-Idaho-CDBG-grant-for-Tabernacle-Civic-Center-HVAC","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067249-e35a0f18b065c2663e6212195114ce25/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205641&Signature=V7-obgTcLsv-ANPq3Vhea6eGYTBYKDobC5vWtj-jsct7fSjmfUq6ZqT-nWUo6iLMhddrEDFFt3QM5gwoodTI1JVe-1Y85NzFuC41YbAC~JntBExTAjtPcw~qw5XQYqlh18Mof5o--3F-nOxsd2CJ39j9wxvcfs7qOnlgc8p8TLizN4OjjrhhGpvXzo-JuL~vtkG5DOVX7pUDHZWM1hvixv43NjjY5MvGr82rWQNE3etAGBU6jASIMWrbXnsFrq9gbt3E7UkvJZyyl6nIv9j13L14EUlljibJBU~C2KcIvR7y2anUz~7KDa6DFy5W-dV0OR6VdsbnP2xx8WJ7AtKJtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rexburg on March 5 voted to apply for an Idaho Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help replace the heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning system at the Tabernacle Civic Center, a staff presentation showed.

Tacy Stoddard of Altura community consulting, who is assisting the city with the application, told the council that the CDBG funds originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and flow through the Idaho Department of Commerce. Stoddard described the request as $245,000 in CDBG public‑facility funds and said the city planned to provide a cash match of $616,000 plus $7,500 in in‑kind services for a total project estimate of $860,500. Stoddard said the city’s preferred schedule would be to complete design and begin construction in fall 2025 with final completion in spring 2026 if awarded.

The nut graf: if awarded, the grant would fund a portion of a capital upgrade intended to benefit all residents who use the civic center; the application requires a local match and the city’s finance staff told the council how match funding and fundraising could be handled in the coming budget cycle.

Finance Director Matt Nielsen told the council the city currently holds about $350,000 budgeted for the Tabernacle project this fiscal year and that the city has been running a local fundraising campaign that has raised about $403,000 to date; staff said if bids come in lower the city would reduce its match proportionally and the Idaho Department of Commerce typically works with communities on timing. Stoddard said, “The funding for this program…comes to the state of Idaho through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,” describing the federal‑to‑state funding flow for the CDBG program.

After the public hearing period produced no oral objections, the council voted to proceed with the application. The motion to submit the grant application passed unanimously with a second recorded from Council member Chambers. City staff said they expect the state to notify applicants in late spring or early summer and that any significant budget adjustments to fund match requirements would occur during the city’s normal budget process.

Ending: staff will submit the application and, if awarded, will return to council with bid results and a request to appropriate the matching funds as part of the next budget cycle.","At the March 5 meeting the council unanimously authorized staff to apply for a $245,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Idaho Department of Commerce to help replace the Tabernacle Civic Center’s HVAC system; staff described a total project budget of $860,500 that combines the request with city cash and in‑kind match and existing local筹",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6067253,"Rexburg leaders debate Local Improvement District policy, city share and financing for sidewalks and street reconstruction",3817,79000,3896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a&start=79&end=3896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140522-e91912326d1d369a339782d14ca2733a/thumbnail_79000.jpg","/articles/6067253/Rexburg-City/Madison-County/Idaho/Rexburg-leaders-debate-Local-Improvement-District-policy-city-share-and-financing-for-sidewalks-and-street-reconstruction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067253-3be975d8fac1a59a8ff5f85b4896ce26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205641&Signature=CvlXaDMi2TPStdulK5GM87Fked0D8wFBmIZixjbTmMDogUKE20LXpIPmhtLV1EO1iw1Cp-GiILuMF5WGk0kxDkFFPhI4Cohkcw1Y3dDMZrsbsK~9pbppKJl5Y~Ducq20wikOfdok2BnnHyd14uFueoMGmw-9o9RL4OBGFe07xzzktSEUboXd~dKVgsdFf4gM5zD6gaDt9sXn8m~GnFf32OQKAA-dRAjNv4q6bIAFeTr5Wgb9pAX~nOudg1j8WrCbZZLEw8B-utmtN2arEUk3Cnu61v-CVKmXvhWcNCLYHJ-e3IdM8rHtSqvNZQln3B~cL9SsB3E0DNc4rEBoIUTzuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rexburg City staff on March 5 told the City Council that current street‑reconstruction funding and Local Improvement District rules leave many older neighborhoods without sidewalks and expose homeowners to large assessment bills, and council members discussed raising the city participation rate and offering cheaper financing but were warned state law limits subsidizing LID assessments.

City Public Works Director Keith Davidson summarized the city’s pavement analysis and budget, saying the city’s available annual reconstruction funding is “roughly about 2,500,000.0 a year” for asphalt work and that, with current spending levels, full reconstruction cycles are extending well past the 20‑year design life for pavement. Davidson also described common maintenance tools—chip seals, crack sealing and overlays—to slow decline and urged drivers to avoid ponding water on streets because “that will destroy our roads faster.”

The nut graf: the discussion laid out a budget shortfall shaped by state and county revenue formulas, rising construction costs and policy choices about how much of sidewalk, curb and gutter costs the city should absorb. Councilors weighed raising the city’s standard LID participation (listed in policy at 30 percent) and using internal, lower‑cost financing to reduce homeowner payments; staff and legal counsel cautioned about the limits state statute imposes on reducing or forgiving assessments.

Most of the meeting focused on how the city allocates limited street funds. Staff showed that the city’s 2025 street department appropriation is roughly $4.7 million overall but that the line item for road reconstruction used in the pavement lifecycle example was about $2.5 million. Davidson and other staff also explained revenue sources that feed streets: franchise fees, impact fees, state fuel tax (which rises with population) and the county road‑and‑bridge property tax share the city receives. Staff said the county refund the city receives of the road & bridge levy has dropped sharply in recent years — from about $902,000 in 2019 to roughly $217,000 in the 2025 budget — and that change reduces funds the city can apply to reconstruction.

Council members and staff discussed several policy responses: raising the city participation for curb, gutter and sidewalk from the policy baseline of 30 percent (Council President Walker and others asked staff to show the numbers for a 35 percent city share), changing which elements (curb/gutter versus sidewalk) the city pays, and narrowing new street cross sections to reduce future maintenance costs. Staff said grants and occasional bond measures are possible but that grant dollars are generally one‑time and that a new local sales tax is a long shot given competing priorities.

Legal limits and financing options were a major topic. A staff member with the city’s legal/finance team reviewed state LID law and precedent and said the statute and Idaho assessment law treat LID charges as special assessments tied to a property’s special benefit; city counsel argued that state code does not authorize permanent reductions or broad forgiveness of LID assessments and cautioned that a program that selectively waived assessments could be challenged by both paying property owners and by non‑assessed residents. Staff cited a commonly referenced Idaho case out of Moscow (1980s precedent) describing the proportionality principle for assessments.

Rather than outright subsidy or forgiveness, staff described administrative options the city already uses or could change: offer payment plans, do in‑house financing at a lower fixed interest rate than market warrants, or set a modest, council‑approved fixed rate for internally financed LIDs. Staff said the city’s current internal practice often adds about 1 percentage point to market borrowing; as an example, staff modeled a $10,000 LID financed internally where a higher internal rate produced roughly $13,025 in total annual principal+interest, and a municipal fixed rate of about 3.5 percent (instead of a higher market rate) would save a homeowner roughly $1,100 over a 10‑year payment plan in that example.

Council members repeatedly raised fairness and equity concerns: several said older, lower‑income neighborhoods without sidewalks are the most affected by the current policy, while others said property prices historically reflected missing improvements. Staff repeatedly clarified that changing policy to help one group can raise concerns about “unjust enrichment” or create legal risks if assessments are not proportional to the special benefit derived from the improvement.

Council direction and next steps: members asked staff to circulate the LID spreadsheet with updated scenarios (35 percent city share, alternative splits for curb/gutter versus sidewalk, and a fixed internal financing rate option) and to present those numbers in the public open house staff scheduled for next Wednesday at 5 p.m. The council did not adopt a new policy at the meeting; members asked staff to return the analysis for a future agenda item if the council wishes to change the city participation percentage or the financing terms.

Ending: the discussion left two clear takeaways for residents facing potential LIDs: (1) state law constrains the city’s ability to offer permanent subsidies or forgiveness for LID assessments, and (2) the council is actively weighing whether to increase the city’s LID participation rate (council members asked staff to model 35 percent) or to formally set a lower fixed financing rate to reduce annual payments. Staff will circulate the updated spreadsheet and expected policy options ahead of any formal vote.","At a March 5 work session, city staff outlined Rexburg’s street funding shortfalls and pavement lifecycle; councilors and staff discussed changing Local Improvement District (LID) participation rates, fixed internal financing rates and legal limits on subsidizing LID assessments for low‑income homeowners.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rexburg council ratifies volunteerism proclamation, approves surplus equipment and routine items; schedules executive session

Rexburg council votes to apply for $245,000 Idaho CDBG grant for Tabernacle Civic Center HVAC

Rexburg leaders debate Local Improvement District policy, city share and financing for sidewalks and street reconstruction