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Residents say sewer problems persist after annexation; city says cancelled grant no longer available
Summary
A resident said annexed neighborhoods face urgent sewer and water failures and cited a cancelled federal grant; the city said the grant was cancelled and staff are seeking alternative funding and new infrastructure tools such as a TIF district.
At the town-hall public comment period, Ria Moser, president of the Gateway Homeowners Water Association, told the council that residents at 3993 North Gateway Drive have endured severe sewer and water problems. Moser said the county previously estimated repairs would cost at least $450,000, that the neighborhood was annexed into the city effective July 2024, and that a previously announced multi-million-dollar grant that included their road was cancelled. She asked city officials, "What is being done to help us?"
Moser also reported that, according to what she had been told, the grant had been tied to equity or DEI provisions she said were later removed at the federal level; she said the cancellation left the neighborhood without expected funds. The attribution and timeline for that federal action were claims made by the commenter during public comment and were not independently confirmed at the meeting.
Council Member Nichols asked for an update. Brent Mlan said "that grant was cancelled and it's no longer even available," and that the city is "actively looking for additional grants to help fund some of these needs." Mlan also cited work with the Pocatello Development Authority, which has opened a tax-increment finance (TIF) district in the South Fifth area to help infrastructure capacity as development there progresses.
Councilors and staff acknowledged the constraints that accompany specific grants: a city employee explained that grant funds are often restricted to defined purposes and cannot simply be reallocated to different needs. Mlan and council members encouraged affected residents to follow up with city staff for individual case assistance and said staff would continue to pursue grant opportunities and other funding mechanisms.
Next steps noted at the meeting: staff follow-up with residents for case-specific guidance and continued grant-seeking efforts; No formal council action or vote occurred at the town hall.
