[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6462221,"mediaKeyId","5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a","parentId",5811820,"title","City attorney briefs council on public‑forum rules and graffiti removal; chalk on public sidewalks treated as removable expression","audioSeconds",624,"startMs",8613000,"endMs",9237000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a&start=8613&end=9237","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a/thumbnail_8613000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6462221/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/City-attorney-briefs-council-on-publicforum-rules-and-graffiti-removal-chalk-on-public-sidewalks-treated-as-removable-expression","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462221-36fcb4f7fc98f15571dbd38253700698/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177527&Signature=mF5G2Vh-JZQXLy6NzzRMlwRa7kmDDYvavkyatmqIEPJu8GamNV4VLXsgMC0CYhtfWn2Z7xrfKTs2v-Qkke98R~q7lS9v460J9T7ME4apnd2bXNsxOXoorybNJ3SgMh4hrDeSu3DmvSsyaV6bkgCCWSt~UvLa4naqTYu9Sv4lw3dsgUDNnz4HUdDKVpATCdv-0yQAbtK4c~WRw68WIPgPRDIeon4iLWdfUYebrCGgCcSz~y1OZE77iWpC1xcuKmLPhlwvD01iiV5j4tel9DdKw5hwbLkg8OrHrExuhw7JNehv26LpSONz~Znv2p5eaiMKDIaz57-t1QBDazl99GNW3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Idaho Falls City","date","2025-09-22T00:00:00Z","article","The city attorney provided a legal training Sept. 2 explaining how First Amendment law applies to public forums, and how the city’s graffiti and vandalism rules intersect with protected expression.

Key points: The attorney reminded council that traditional public forums — streets, sidewalks and parks — implicate constitutional free‑speech protections. Governments may regulate the time, place and manner of expression only if the rules are content neutral, narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest and leave open alternative channels of communication.

Chalk and city code: Idaho Falls’ municipal code contains a cleanup‑oriented graffiti provision that requires property owners to remove graffiti placed on public or private property without the owner’s permission; if owners fail to remove it in the required time period the code provides an enforcement mechanism. The attorney advised that sidewalk chalk, because it is typically washable and does not damage property, likely would not meet the state criminal vandalism statute’s element of property damage. The city’s code therefore functions primarily as a content‑neutral removal mechanism rather than as a criminal prohibition against temporary chalk on public property.

Enforcement guidance and examples: The attorney noted city staff must apply removal rules in a nondiscriminatory, content‑neutral manner — for example, officials cannot selectively remove only messages they dislike. He said parks, streets and facility staff should be reminded of the existing ordinance and the department’s practice of removing unauthorized markings; staff recommended sending department liaisons a concise summary of the rules and enforcement approach. The training also covered special situations (permitted events and chalk displays, voter‑proximity restrictions during elections, and consistent enforcement to avoid claims of viewpoint discrimination).

Ending: Councilors asked staff to circulate a short reminder to parks and public‑works crews about the existing removal policy and to copy the legal office on follow‑up communications. The council received the briefing; there was no new ordinance proposed at the Sept. 2 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Idaho Falls City - City Council Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","The city attorney briefed council Sept. 2 on First Amendment limits for public forums and on how the city's graffiti removal code applies to sidewalk chalk and other temporary markings.","taxTitle","Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, Idaho","taxId",4472,"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},6462226,"Regional access‑management plan and high‑capacity roadway study move toward multi‑agency adoption",1433,6933000,8366000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a&start=6933&end=8366","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a/thumbnail_6933000.jpg","/articles/6462226/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/Regional-accessmanagement-plan-and-highcapacity-roadway-study-move-toward-multiagency-adoption","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462226-6d5f0daf6123c4ae7c1ff1cf784c0d6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177527&Signature=egW5H7ZtX1rrJqA7qlbxlcha-DWfRxzaayg03a-a22a~sb3NReDSPMyXhBb5IlBwBHyqZvTIxM3e40GqF3spd4Z26ft8I63Efj9A~UQbwigVxSMZV2wCwL2P-90o-hEr0JElErrPLovdvZT0F~DUMed32aPh-6Mk1HCg3aoY-J8WefESczVtFqcfUW8InQ4ZO5q2UhSt4AHQoa-A4rCDn-lXOClzT0nlWJxxGqE9iV7K2myvLQqGeX3cRalCybtyhkMX0LL9i5gdqqUkxWbf2hbVZ1Tc~CnOCeXIb2rEC-PZBH4DF2A2J2OaliOV3eKvnBgBHTVWgWdboYnuBjmTVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City and regional transportation staff presented a combined update to the Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMPO) access management plan and a high‑capacity roadway study and asked Idaho Falls to consider adoption as part of a coordinated, regional implementation.

Background and intent: BMPO staff said the access management plan — last substantially updated in 2012 — and the high‑capacity roadway study evaluate existing traffic conditions, identify congestion and safety choke points, and recommend corridor classifications, right‑of‑way targets and access spacing for new development. The study aims to preserve future rights‑of‑way and improve the city’s ability to compete for state and federal transportation funds by keeping projects “shovel ready.” The MPO area includes Idaho Falls and neighboring jurisdictions including Ammon, Iona and Bonneville County.

Public input and alternatives: Staff described a series of public meetings in 2023–2025, including a large kickoff meeting and follow‑ups. An expressway concept shown in early outreach drew extensive public comment; many attendees opposed a high‑speed expressway alignment through developed areas and asked for alternatives. MPO staff said public feedback helped refine the study and identify transition areas where agricultural access and new neighborhood access must be balanced.

Key recommendations: The plan recommends functional classifications and right‑of‑way widths for future arterials, with a typical target of 100 feet of right‑of‑way for major arterials and larger widths for strategic corridors. It also recommends that most higher‑speed corridors use separated shared‑use paths rather than on‑street bike lanes; staff said three arterial routes (examples included 60th Street South, 5th West and 40th South in presentation maps) could retain on‑street bike lanes where construction is already advanced.

Regional coordination and funding: Council members and staff emphasized that a unified, multi‑jurisdictional plan helps secure external funding and reduces interagency friction. Local staff noted that right‑of‑way acquisition and environmental issues can be major schedule drivers for large transportation projects, and that early planning reduces those risks.

Next steps: MPO staff said the policy board and member jurisdictions would be asked to adopt the updated access management plan and high‑capacity roadway study in the coming weeks; the county and several cities had adoption on their upcoming agendas. Councilors did not vote on adoption at the Sept. 2 meeting but were briefed before the item was scheduled for formal action.","Bonneville MPO and city staff briefed the council on a joint update to the regional access management plan and a high‑capacity roadway study that set right‑of‑way and corridor guidelines to guide future growth and funding readiness.",{"_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},6462236,"City staff ask council to approve nearly $100,000 testing support for Workday ERP rollout",432,583000,1015000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a&start=583&end=1015","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a/thumbnail_583000.jpg","/articles/6462236/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/City-staff-ask-council-to-approve-nearly-100000-testing-support-for-Workday-ERP-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462236-eda1f374d00e3ff6414503d024684be8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177527&Signature=ZW2cN6biJG37ywn31qzczrFqoO4ykwt4rvrIfrZPqHN-jC146JL~tYgQDMhtGAm3134Hlh53Rhu1-waDoYaTVoIPg0ETQrsAVDt1baiSbg8E41UQkiGlT-piOUtU6he1eWq0qo~DJcglOH6r-AXo3JkjibKAYZB4tYW5zONm98FYXX10hkwDu3VSZQcC-tTsDW5W6YSoXomjlOjciG8RMNICCX-sILXHBgyl4b~-nwJB~2YS63B8xsLA6TGii1MzWilRT2VGi~KGljnCoTldlyQkSqJrS1~lVK2cwfoaK41oKznSx44lOQ46WSP8cv3oMQCdZf0MMGIVQkgR06tFig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff asked the Idaho Falls City Council on Sept. 2 to authorize a contract change order of $98,400 to add Whitlock as a third‑party testing quality‑assurance partner for the city’s Workday enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation.

The request, presented by Mark Hagedorn, the city’s treasurer and an ERP project lead, would pay Whitlock to review test scenarios, compare them to functional requirements and help track defects during configuration and end‑to‑end testing. “Testing is the biggest risk,” Hagedorn said. “It reduces the risk of rework, protects our investment, and ensures accountability.”

Why it matters: Idaho Falls plans to replace a 25‑year‑old financial and HR system and go live on Workday in summer 2026. Council approval for the Whitlock change order is required because it increases an existing contract above the city’s $75,000 threshold for council action, staff said.

Scope and timeline: The administration said focused configuration and unit testing is underway, and the Whitlock engagement would run roughly September 2025 through February 2026 to support 8–10 week testing cycles and the city’s end‑to‑end testing phase. Staff told council the testing backlog is sizeable — roughly 1,500 test cases now with more expected — and that Whitlock would assign a dedicated resource to help close gaps between test scripts and functional requirements.

Cost and funding: Hagedorn described the request as an $88,400 base cost plus contingency and travel, producing a total request of $98,400. City staff said the ERP program included $350,000 previously budgeted for travel and contingency; the administration proposes repurposing part of that line to pay Whitlock rather than adding new appropriation. Hagedorn said the $350,000 had been intended for resourcing support and travel contingencies tied to the Workday contract.

Questions from councilors focused on the nature of the risk (timeline and rework costs rather than security) and whether the contingency already budgeted was intended in part to cover this kind of expense. Hagedorn confirmed the request is intended to relieve internal staff workload and avoid costly delays in meeting the project timeline.

Next steps: Staff presented the change order request to council for consideration and said they would return with formal contract documents for approval. No final vote on the Whitlock change order was recorded in the Sept. 2 meeting record.

Ending: The ERP implementation remains on track for a mid‑2026 go‑live, according to city staff; the Whitlock request aims to shore up testing capacity so the project meets its schedule and reduces the risk of later rework.","City staff asked the Idaho Falls City Council on Sept. 2 to authorize a contract change order of $98,400 to add Whitlock as a third‑party testing quality‑assurance partner for the city’s Workday ERP implementation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462231,"Municipal services presents staffing, facility and IT priorities; seeks building‑stewardship and transparency work",5356,1302000,6658000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a&start=1302&end=6658","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811820-aefe8d9f57a843c648a188d33d35626a/thumbnail_1302000.jpg","/articles/6462231/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/Municipal-services-presents-staffing-facility-and-IT-priorities-seeks-buildingstewardship-and-transparency-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462231-f94a9d9e5e4620e816615498c98de1a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177527&Signature=k5oRlYye4r-FLB6r5hHxb41T-W~KqVbXCfnzJRhzE0bDPY-2Mx52t7v-WUGq63Z06icf2AgFnbhy8lxOpLvjqiWr8M11HY21PI3XJ8CawxJsNpxDESOtGMXNs1VBmOceH1j6OY4oSbHXUU3z~SFd-eCsRT898qcxeZFjaiMJD34WpOVYCDlLFXxmgPvm5bZPkJB76nuJ2iiAsX1exkCNIWPYutYqH3ZtEMnKYjXzS7VqTY5d59n5g7IUsJRTfFTkFv2QZ7VWdt2~alVZSIJ03j9z902Vr2z-wzLjcLDZOJLn-g5VTJI588OY1ZzTEBiygYnGw~3WsIx1iTFVqi~9dQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Municipal Services Director Pam Johns presented a department focus report to the Idaho Falls City Council on Sept. 2 that covered personnel, facilities, information technology, utility billing and the Frontier Center for the Performing Arts.

The presentation outlined the division’s responsibilities — finance administration, utilities, equipment and building maintenance, IT, and the Frontier Center — and noted 78 full‑time positions in the department, including five pre‑hired ERP staff supporting the city’s Workday implementation. Johns said municipal services organized staff career paths (technician/accountant levels) to improve retention and recruit entry‑level workers into professional ladders.

Information technology: Joseph (identified in the presentation as the city’s chief information technology officer) told council IT’s FY budget is roughly $3.6 million and that 14 positions make up the division. Major upcoming projects include the ERP move, a website refresh for the next mayor and council, and replacement of a phone system that has passed vendor support. Joseph said departments are already looking at AI functionality built into new software and that the city needs usage policy guidance: “There’s a lot of programming and setting up that equipment… any new software… lots of new phones in AI,” he said; the mayor and council discussed the need for an AI policy and controls for staff use.

Treasury and utility billing: Mark Hagedorn, city treasurer, said the treasurer’s office oversees treasury operations and utility billing. The presentation described steps to improve staff safety at the customer counter (panic buttons, cameras, and potential lobby reconfiguration) and noted large‑volume month‑to‑month account activity that requires daily reconciliation. Utility billing staff handle many hostile customer interactions tied to disconnects and work to refer customers to community support services when appropriate; staff also highlighted a 24/7 payment kiosk to help customers who cannot visit during business hours.

Equipment and building maintenance: Workshop Superintendent Stan (surname not specified) described an 18‑bay, 20,000 sq. ft. equipment maintenance facility that maintains roughly 863 large vehicles and 350 small pieces of equipment. The city also jointly manages a fuel facility for the county and maintains remote fuel tanks. Stan said technician recruitment is difficult nationwide and the city has instituted apprenticeship and certification programs to grow staff. Building Maintenance Superintendent Alan Muir said his team maintains more than 300 city buildings, is prioritizing a building stewardship plan, and plans projects such as a City Hall basement restroom upgrade and an aquatic center boiler replacement.

Frontier Center and finance: Staff described a $737,000 budget for the Frontier Center, an active booking schedule and benchmarking work for rental rates. Finance staff said modernization (Workday) should reduce manual accounting work, improve fixed asset accounting and make policies and procedures more consistent.

Staffing and next steps: Several presenters stressed workforce pressures for licensed trades and technicians, and staff flagged facility and workspace needs for project staff if the ERP team returns to the main campus. The department asked council to expect future budget requests for a controlled‑access IT position, facility work and potentially an assistant auditorium manager for the Frontier Center.

Ending: Council members thanked staff for the report and praised the budgeting and career‑path initiatives. No formal council action was recorded on the focus report during the Sept. 2 meeting.","Department leaders briefed council on municipal services operations, spanning the ERP project team, information technology, treasury and utility billing, equipment and building maintenance, and the Frontier Center for the Performing Arts; staffing shortages and facility stewardship emerged as recurring concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City attorney briefs council on public‑forum rules and graffiti removal; chalk on public sidewalks treated as removable expression

Regional access‑management plan and high‑capacity roadway study move toward multi‑agency adoption

City staff ask council to approve nearly $100,000 testing support for Workday ERP rollout

Municipal services presents staffing, facility and IT priorities; seeks building‑stewardship and transparency work