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Pocatello City Council approves FY2025 appropriation increase, multiple grants and zoning code changes
Summary
The Pocatello City Council voted to increase FY2025 appropriations by $7,157,995, approved several grant applications and professional contracts, and adopted amendments to Title 17 zoning regulations during its regular meeting.
The Pocatello City Council on Feb. 19 approved a package of budget amendments, grant applications, professional services agreements and zoning code changes, including an amendment to the FY2025 appropriations ordinance that increases total expenditures by $7,157,995.
Jean Hill of the finance department told the council the appropriation increase covers a mix of unanticipated grant revenues and previously unappropriated cash balances. "The total budget is $7,100,000. For the general fund it's $1,900,000, of which $750,000 is going to fire to buy a brush truck," Hill said, adding that some funds will pay for fixtures at Fire Station 2. Hill also said water pollution control (WPC) will move roughly $3.7 million to pay down debt and to a capital savings account.
The council approved several grant-related items. The city will submit a Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) application to the U.S. Forest Service for a project with total costs not to exceed $4,836,555; the staff report says there is no city match required for that application. The council also endorsed a Surface Transportation Block Grant application through the Bannock Transportation Planning Organization (BTPO) for the Highline Road Complete Streets project, a widening project estimated at $5,396,000 that requires a 7.34% local match to be funded from Fund 70.
Council members also approved a $175,000 professional services agreement with Davie Resource Group to develop an urban forest plan; the project is funded by a U.S. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Grant.
The council read and passed amendments to Title 17 (zoning regulations) by title and placed the ordinance on final passage. Separately, the council approved an ordinance amending appropriation ordinance No. 3148 to add the $7,157,995 in expenditures, with the ordinance language stating revenues to pay for the increases will come from grants, unexpected revenues and previously unappropriated cash balances.
Votes at a glance: - Consent agenda (items B–I): Motion to approve the consent agenda passed. Mover: Council President Lohrick. Second: Council Member Mansfield. Roll call: Lohrick — yes; Mansfield — yes; Mangum — yes; Cheatham — yes; Bingham — yes; Nichols — yes; Paulson — yes. Outcome: approved.
- Agenda item 3A (minutes): Motion to approve minutes passed. Mover: Council Member Mansfield. Second: Council Member Mangum. Roll call: Mansfield — yes; Mangum — yes; Cheatham — no; Lohrick — yes; Nichols — yes; Paulson — yes; (Bingham present earlier and later voted yes on other items). Tally reported in the meeting: 6 yes, 1 no. Outcome: approved.
- Agenda item 7 (US Forest Service CWDG grant application, project not to exceed $4,836,555, no city match): Motion passed. Mover: Council President Lohrick. Second: Council Member Paulson. Roll call vote: Ulrich — yes; Paulson — yes; Cheatham — yes; Bingham — yes; Mansfield — yes; Nichols — yes; Lohrick — yes. Outcome: approved.
- Agenda item 8 (BTPO STBG Highline Road Complete Streets grant application, estimated cost $5,396,000, 7.34% local match from Fund 70): Motion passed. Mover: Council Member Mansfield. Second: Council Member Mangum. Roll call: Mansfield — yes; Mangum — yes; Cheatham — yes; Lohrick — yes; Nichols — yes; Paulson — yes. Outcome: approved.
- Agenda item 9 (Professional services agreement with Davie Resource Group for urban forest plan, $175,000, funded by U.S. Forest Service grant): Motion passed. Mover: Council Member Paulson. Second: Council Member Mangum. Roll call: Paulson — yes; Mangum — yes; Cheatham — yes; Ulrich — yes; Mansfield — yes; Nichols — yes. Outcome: approved.
- Agenda item 11a (Ordinance amending Title 17 zoning regulations; read by title and placed on final passage): Motion to read by title and place on final passage passed. Mover: Council Member Mansfield. Second: Council Member Mangum. Roll call: Mansfield — yes; Mangum — yes; Cheatham — yes; Lohrick — yes; Nichols — yes; Paulson — yes. Outcome: ordinance passed.
- Agenda item 11b (Ordinance amending appropriation ordinance No. 3148, increasing FY2025 expenditures by $7,157,995): Motion to read by title and place on final passage passed. Mover: Council Member Mansfield. Second: Council Member Mangum. Roll call: Mansfield — yes; Mangum — yes; Cheatham — yes; Lohrick — yes; Nichols — yes; Paulson — yes. Outcome: ordinance passed.
Why it matters: The appropriation increase formally makes available funds for several city needs including fire apparatus and WPC capital/debt moves, and the grant approvals allow staff to pursue federal funding for wildfire defense, multimodal street improvements, and an urban-forest plan. The zoning amendments may affect land-use processes and development review across the city.
The meeting closed without public testimony on the budget amendment; council members set future meeting dates (March work sessions and regular meetings) during the calendar-review portion of the agenda and then adjourned.
