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Council approves telecommunications, engineering contracts and budget ordinances; votes summarized
Summary
At its Aug. 29 meeting the Rexburg City Council approved two agreements with SilverStar for city fiber and Internet service, accepted engineering contracts tied to wastewater and an active-transportation safety grant, and passed FY2026 budget ordinances and a police facility bond election ordinance on third reading.
The Rexburg City Council on Aug. 29 approved multiple contracts and ordinances covering telecommunications, engineering studies and the city’s fiscal 2026 budget. Most motions were adopted by voice vote; specific dollar amounts and basic terms were discussed during staff presentations.
Telecommunications agreements
Todd Smith, representing the city’s information-technology update, described three agreements with SilverStar (also referred to as SilverStar/Silverlight in the record) tied to use of the city fiber backbone. Smith said the city will retain ownership of huts and generators while the company will maintain them under a fiber maintenance agreement. The council approved:
- A telecommunications services agreement that includes a 10‑gigabit Internet connection to City Hall at $850 per month, and Internet service for roughly 80 city sites at about $30 per month per site. The council approved the motion by voice vote; the motion was seconded by Council member Eric Erickson.
- A separate fiber maintenance agreement (company listed in the record as Silverlight/SilverStar) to maintain huts and related fiber infrastructure; approved by voice vote with a second from Council member Brianna Johnson.
Smith said the SilverStar 10 Gbps rate is locked for a five‑year term in the written agreement; the city will keep an existing Blackfoot connection as a failover.
Wastewater power-study contract
Public Works Director Keith Davidson presented a grant-funded study to improve power reliability at the wastewater treatment plant. The council approved an engineering design contract with SKM Engineering for $180,000 (the project includes a city match). The motion passed by voice vote with a second recorded.
Safe Streets for All — comprehensive safety action plan
The council accepted a Safe Streets for All grant contract with Keller Associates to develop a comprehensive safety action plan and partial designs for up to roughly 20 high‑risk locations; the contract amount in the record is $240,000 with $60,000 of in‑kind match. The council approved the contract by voice vote; interested councilors volunteered to serve on an oversight committee.
Budget and bond measures
Finance Director Matt Nielsen updated the council on property‑tax certification and budget numbers. The council carried two budget ordinances and a bond-election ordinance on third reading:
- Ordinance 13‑33: FY2026 budget appropriation (third reading) — motion carried by recorded voice votes with no opposition noted.
- Ordinance 13‑35: FY2025 budget amendment (second reading was considered at the meeting).
- Ordinance 13‑34: Rexburg Police Facility Bond Election Ordinance (third reading) to place a bond question on the November ballot — motion carried by voice vote.
Other motions
- The council approved a design contract and other routine items on the consent calendar (minutes and payment of city bills) by voice vote.
How the votes were taken
Most approvals were by voice vote; the record shows motions, seconders (where noted) and the mayor calling for “all in favor” and hearing “Aye” with no opposed votes recorded. No roll-call vote counts were read into the minutes during the meeting.
Ending: The council signed the approved agreements and directed staff to implement next steps as described in each contract.
